Belen edges Bloomfield for 4A state title

By Santiago Ramos Jr.
Special to the Times

RIO RANCHO

Half a point.

By the slimmest of margins, Bloomfield was edged out by Belen – 176 1/2 points to 176 in the final team standings during the New Mexico Class 1A-4A Boys State Wrestling Championships held Saturday night at the Rio Rancho Events Center in front of a lively capacity crowd.

The Bloomfield Bobcats appeared to have the edge in points with four state championships to just one state champ for Belen.

But it was two issues that led to Bloomfield being denied the coveted state team trophy.

Belen senior Ely Gutierrez was given the 160-pound state title and valuable points due to Shiprock senior Hayden Goodluck being forced to drop out in the second period due to an injury.

Belen also got a break when its 127-pound wrestler Lazarus Layton was able to advance with a pair of forfeits – winning the consolation Round 3 match by a forfeit and then winning the fifth place match due to a medical forfeit – again giving the Belen Eagles crucial points which in the end proved key.

“To be perfectly honest the thing that made the difference was the two forfeits that the 127-pounder from Belen (Layton) received,” Bloomfield head coach Jason Luster said. “That allowed them (Belen) full advancement and placement points.

“Another thing that contributed to their win was the injury of Shiprock’s Hayden Goodluck during the finals match. He was ahead and set to win before his injury. Bloomfield would like to keep him in our thoughts and wish him a speedy recovery.”

Despite coming up short for the state team title, Luster said he was pleased with his team’s performance.

“I also feel that bottom line is our wrestlers came to compete, “ Luster said. “And they put everything they had on the mat. I couldn’t be more satisfied with their season. Unfortunately some things we cannot control. Now we move on to freestyle and Greco season in order to get ready for next year’s winter competition.”

Defending five-time state champ Aztec, which has amassed a state record 21 state titles, finished third in the team standings with 168.5 points. Miyamura was sixth (97), Shiprock 16th (33), Grants 20th (28), Kirtland Central and Newcomb 24th (18) and Gallup 29th (7). Wingate did not score.

First three-timer

Bloomfield senior Adan Benavidez put the finishing touches to his superb 50-0 season record by posting a tough 4-2 decision over Moriarty junior Jonathan Valdez (42-6) during the 133-pound state finals.

For Benavidez it was his third state title.

“I would say winning my third state title was an honor because I’m the first three-timer from Bloomfield,” Benavidez said.

Benavidez, who plans to wrestle at Kent State University, praised his finals opponent.

“My opponent for my finals match had a good game plan I would say because he stopped all my shots in the first period, but I was able to adapt and get my takedown. I had never wrestled him before so it was a little different.”

Twin victories

Bloomfield sophomore twins Gunner Samora and Hunter Samora captured state titles in their respective weight class.

Gunner (44-10), who was seeded No. 6, claimed the 107-pound state title by decisioning Belen sophomore and top seed Joshua Jaramillo (38-6) 9-4.

Twin brother Hunter (41-5) matched that by capturing the 114-pound state title by topping Espanola Valley senior Landon Atencio (42-7) 3-1 in overtime.

Gunner upset the No. 2 seed in the semis and the No. 3 seed in the third round by pins.

“I wasn’t expecting this,” Gunner said. “I was thinking that I’m just as good as them if not better. This is where I’m supposed to be. No matter what my seed, I’m going to go out there and win. My opponent in the finals tried to throw me and I put him back a couple of times.

“My goal no matter where I’m seeded is to win state.” Gunner said. “I play football and we won state too this year. So that’s two state titles this year.”

Hunter called the win “memorable”.

“It was definitely a memorable experience,” Hunter said. “I was pumped that I made the finals and even more excited that I won state. It was my goal from the start of the season to come out on top this year and I proved it there in the finals. Gunner is my twin brother, so it was pretty cool that we were both were able to win state and definitely something that doesn’t happen too often from what I know.”

Best at 127

Bloomfield sophomore and top seed Elias Johnson (40-3) pinned St. Pus X freshman Mycah Gachupin (34-5) in 1:36 to win the 127-pound state title.

After finishing fourth at state the last two years, Johnson finally was able to secure the coveted state title, pinning all of his opponents in the first period.

“I saw him given up his shoulder so I took advantage of it and put all my weight on it,” Johnson said of his finals opponent. “I had not wrestled him before but I just tell myself that I’m the best whoever I wrestle.”

Other state placers

Bloomfield junior Robert Williams (44-7) was pinned by Socorro junior David Gutierrez (32-6) in 2:00 during the finals of the 285-pound state finals.

Bloomfield junior J. Gutierrez (33-10) finished fifth after winning by a medical forfeit by Goddard senior Hector Salvarrey (27-8) in the fifth place match at 160.

Bloomfield senior Samuel Eveland (45-6) finished fifth after decisioning Espanola Valley junior Noah Maez (39-12) 3-1 in the fifth place match at 145.

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