In a season that’s seen small numbers for the Moffat County boys wrestling program, Bulldog grapplers nonetheless made a tremendous team effort during the penultimate weekend of the season.

MCHS boys will send four athletes to the CHSAA State Championships after a hard-fought weekend at the 3A Region 3 Tournament in Parachute.

Most of the Bulldog roster saw placement at the event, with seniors Kaeden Martinez, Colt Call and Zach Hedman each placing second as part of the team’s eighth-place finish.

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Both Kaeden Martinez and Hedman were the top seed in their weight classes — 144 and 175 pounds, respectively — and both got to the championship round by pin, with a collective three among them across the two-day tourney.

However, the two of them were each outlasted — Hedman by Centauri’s Spencer Smith and Kaeden by Pagosa Springs’ Colton Lucero — each losing by a score of 13-6.

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Though it was not the end of the afternoon they were hoping for, both Bulldog athletes had cause to celebrate, with Kaeden Martinez reaching his 100^th high school win in the victory by fall over Bayfield’s Coan Naranjo.

Still, the MCHS senior is expecting a rematch with Lucero, whom he defeated at last year’s state tournament.

“I got a few goals — the obvious is winning state — but I want to beat that Pagosa kid and just wrestle and enjoy my final weekend of it,” Kaeden said.

Call took two wins on points — an 18-0 technical fall and a 2-1 decision — to get into the 157 finals but couldn’t overcome the top seed, Centauri’s Parker Behr, who gained the championship via a 17-1 tech.

With only four heavyweight athletes at the tournament, sophomore Zach Winters was guaranteed a state qualification but still fought his way through bouts with Middle Park and Pagosa opponents.

The Dogs had three more athletes take the podium, with junior Talus Folks coming back from an opening round loss to win three of his next four matches in the 120 bracket. After securing fifth place, he challenged the No. 4 in the weight for the last slot at state but lost by a third-period pin.

Junior Kaison Martinez (132) likewise had a long stretch, getting as far as the semifinals before ultimately placing fifth thanks to a “no-contest” ruling that kept him from going against a previous opponent.

After a trying season in which he struggled to find many wins, sophomore Braxton Miller got his second victory of the season in the consolation rounds in an 11-8 decision, gaining sixth place in the 165 class.

Though they were unable to place, senior Tate Green (138) and junior Haven Carr (150) fought through the weekend, with Green out after two losses and Carr getting two falls in a 2-2 run.

The boys team celebrated Senior Night on Jan. 28, a dual against Meeker that the Cowboys won 41-24.

Call said the first-period pin he took in that event helped set his mind on more intense competition in the final weeks of his final season in the sport, though the ceremony before the dual meant a lot.

“There’s a lot of memories with the teammates and the other seniors,” he said. “It’s definitely been the funnest year of wrestling for me, and now I just want to keep pushing.”