Four Haxtun student-athletes compete at State Wrestling Tourney

The 2024 Colorado State Wrestling Championships held last week at Ball Arena in Denver were exciting and full of emotions. The team made the trip with eight guys and one girl. As a team the SCF guys finished eighth out of 55 teams. Four of those competing at State are Haxtun student-athletes. Results of their matches are as follows:

SCF has a new State Champion to add to the Wall of Champions. Junior Grant Statz won the 157-pound Championship over Angel Vela of Burlington. Statz's journey to the Championship match started against Peyton Armstron of North Fork High School. He defeated Armstrong with a 17-2 tech fall. He then advanced to the quarterfinals where he defeated Brayden Nix of LaVeta by fall in 1:56. His next match was against Colton Montoya of Buena Vista in the semifinals. Statz beat Montoya 6-4 and advanced to the Championship match. His opponent was a very familiar face as he lost to Vela in the Regional Championship. Statz defeated Vela in a very close 6-5 decision. He finished his season with a record of 30-4.

120-pound senior Kaiden Schelling won his Championship round one match against Nicolas Palma of Center with a fall in 3:40. This win advanced him to the quarterfinals where he defeated Koy Weber of Meeker in a close, 8-7, decision. In the semifinals, Schelling met up with Merek Charney of Akron. He lost this hard fought match 3-1 and dropped to the consolation semifinals where he lost in overtime to Anthony Franco of Rocky Ford, 5-3. This loss put Schelling in for fifth place against Thomas Valdez of Swink. Valdez defeated Schelling in another close, hard-fought match, 4-2. Schelling finished in sixth place and closed his senior season with a 35-8 record.

Junior Scotty Engle qualified at 132 pounds. He opened his State appearance in championship round one with a loss to Derrick Sievertsen of North Fork with a fall. This loss put Engle in round one of the consolations against Jesus Reyes of Sierra Grande/Centennial. He won this match with a fall in 2:51 and advanced to round two of consolations where he defeated Ethan Silva of Hayden with a fall in 2:09. In round three of consolations, Engle faced off with Tayton Nelson of Cedaredge. He was defeated by Nelson by fall. The loss ended his quest for a state place. He finished his season with a 40-8 record.

190-pound junior Ryan Davis opened with a round 1 championship match to Paxtin Caruo of Nucla and lost by fall. The loss dropped Davis into round one of consolations where he defeated Cael Charlson of Golden View Classical Academy, 8-3. He advanced to the round two consolation match where he was defeated by William Pacino of County Line by fall. Davis ended his season with a 22-19 record.