Kirtland looks ahead, not back
Special to the Times | Ray Landry Farmington’s Dante Norberto attempts to escape from Kirtland’s Jyden Dodge during a match on Dec. 16 at the Panthers Classic in Farmington.
Special to the Times | Ray Landry
Farmington’s Dante Norberto attempts to escape from Kirtland’s Jyden Dodge during a match on Dec. 16 at the Panthers Classic in Farmington.
FARMINGTON
The Kirtland Central High School wrestling team has February on their minds.
The Broncos, who have some state tournament experience back, are already looking forward to what’s to come next year, so when they finished fourth at the Piedra Vista Panther Classic over the weekend, they shook it off.
Kirtland Central head coach John Sandoval said losses are tough, but then they think about what they amount to.
“We’ve done well but I don’t think we’ve wrestled at our potential yet. I tell people this all the time: I don’t care what happens in December, I’m more worried about February when the state tournament rolls around,” he said.
The Broncos came up short 42-30 in the third place match of the Gold Bracket in the tournament.
They finished first in their pool over Piedra Vista Silver (junior varsity), Grants, and Dolores (Colo.). They met Farmington in bracket play and lost 44-36.
The meet was Kirtland Central’s fourth meet of the season. They went 3-2 in Los Lunas to kick off the season, finished second in Bloomfield and won in Dove Creek, Colorado.
Sandoval said in all four meets, his team has found their strength in the heavier weight classes, where most of his state championships veterans are seeded.
At the 160-pound weight class junior Isaac Thomas finished 5-0 over the weekend, adding to the estimated 18-0 record he had going into the meet.
Sandoval said Thomas has shown great promise this season.
“He hasn’t lost yet,” he said. “He just goes out there and gets it done.”
Thomas’ motivation is a disappointing injury he suffered last season.
He said just before the state tournament he injured his ankle and didn’t finish his season off well, but this season he’s working on changing that.
“It’s been good; I’ve been trying new things. I’m fully recovered now, so I can fully participate in the sport now,” he said. “I’ve just been taking it careful, probably eating right and going to practice more often. I just want to qualify for state, aim for state champion.”
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Highway 264,
I-40, WB @ Winslow