Archive for Sunday, February 1, 2009

Hayden's Jake Magee tries to put the squeeze on Meeker's Pat Love on Saturday night in Hayden. Magee won the match with a third-period pin.

Photo by Joel Reichenberger

Hayden's Jake Magee tries to put the squeeze on Meeker's Pat Love on Saturday night in Hayden. Magee won the match with a third-period pin.

Hayden wrestling rolls past Meeker

Tigers down Cowboys with 4 match wins in home dual meet

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Hayden senior Coy Letlow tries to haul Meeker's Aaron Webster to the mat Saturday as the Tigers beat the Cowboys in a wrestling dual. Letlow won his match, scoring with a reverse with 18 seconds remaining in the final period.

Hayden wrestling, 2008-09

— Hayden senior Coy Letlow almost learned a lesson the hard way. Only a last-second, two-point reversal saved him from a loss in his only match on Senior Night on Saturday, when the wrestling squad dueled Meeker.

Still, it was a lesson he took to heart, he said, an important reminder that even as one of the 189-pound favorites in Class 2A, he still has some things to work on.

"I didn't come out and wrestle aggressively," Letlow said. "I need more practice on my feet, definitely. I need to shore that up before regionals."

Letlow's victory was one of four Hayden varsity victories in five total matches. The Tigers beat the Cowboys, 45-21.

Letlow spent much of his contest on his feet, locked arm in arm with Meeker senior Aaron Webster. It was the third meeting between the two. Letlow squeaked out the first one several weeks ago, and then he pinned Webster last weekend to secure the Western Slope League 189-pound championship.

Saturday's match was about as even as they come. The wrestlers traded takedowns in the opening round, then spent the entire second round on their feet, pushing for position.

"I need to practice this week in getting something out of that," Letlow said about the standing stalemate.

He took a 3-2 lead with an escape early in the third period but was on the verge of losing when Webster landed a quick takedown with 20 seconds remaining.

Letlow scrambled to avoid falling to his back as the wrestlers tumbled out of bounds. When they returned to the middle, Letlow immediately spun to his right and rode up on top of Webster, scoring the deciding two points for a 5-4 victory.

"I knew what move I was going for," he said. "I went for a switch right off the whistle. That's my go-to move. I was pretty sure I could get it."

Hayden also picked up wins from Mitch Doolin at 160 pounds, Mitch VeDepo at 130 and Jake Magee at 152.

Doolin pinned Meeker freshman Chris Ruckman with 8.3 seconds remaining in the first period.

VeDepo bested Meeker's Clint Sampson for the second time in as many weeks, taking a big second-period lead with a takedown and near fall combination. He went on to win, 10-4.

Magee also got a pin, racking up a 7-0 lead through the first two periods before finally finishing Cowboy junior Pat Love off with 1:36 remaining in the match.

"I was mad at myself because I couldn't pin him," Magee said. "He was waiting for me to mess up. I looked over and my coaches told me to crowd over him, crowd him on his back and that finally worked."

Hayden dropped the only other contested varsity match. Kolton Miller fell behind Meeker's Andrew Lawrence at 171 pounds. He trailed 6-3 after two periods, but logged a late takedown to close within one point. He couldn't finish the turnaround and lost, 7-5.

The Tigers return to action next weekend when they travel for a duals tournament in Eaton.

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