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Kostur lone highlight at Warrior

David Pressgrove

GRAND JUNCTION — Despite it being the biggest and best regular-season tournament of the year, Korey Kostur was disappointed going into the Warrior Classic.

Even after Moffat County’s 145-pound senior won his second consecutive Warrior Classic title, he was still talking about why one missing name from his bracket took a little wind out of his effort.

“I was bummed all week,” he said. “I really wanted to see Beaudry.”



Pueblo South’s Mark Beau-dry sat out the Warrior because of an injury. Kostur stayed at 145 pounds just to face Beaudry in the Warrior.

“Once I started wrestling I was fine,” he said. “I still had to win because both of my brothers won two titles here.”



Kostur’s brothers, Kurtis and Kyle were at the tournament to remind Korey before every match that they would have one up on him if he didn’t win.

“They kept me pumped,” he said. “Their two Warrior titles are about the only thing I didn’t have that they have.”

Kostur went basically un–challenged in the first four rounds of the tournament. He picked up three pins and won his semifinal match, 20-8. In the championship, he faced Meeker’s Cody Clark.

“Cody has always been a lower weight than me,” he said. “I was surprised to see him up at 145s this year.”

Kostur’s Meeker rival in years past had been Joe LeBlanc. But LeBlanc entered the Warrior in the 152-pound bracket. The Meeker wrestler went on to win the title in that weight class.

Against Clark, Kostur struggled to find a move that worked in the first period. Clark earned the first points of the match with a late takedown.

“Those Meeker guys know how to defend me pretty well,” Kostur said. “I sort of tripped over my own feet to give him the points in the first period.”

In the second period, Kostur earned a reverse to take a 4-3 lead. That’s the way it would stay into the third period.

Kostur allowed Clark to escape in the third period to tie it up 4-4.

“I was confident that I could beat him on my feet,” Kostur said.

Kostur secured a single-leg takedown midway through the period and took Clark straight to his back for a four-point move.

“I had to use my last option to get the takedown,” he said. “I simplified and went for the single-leg (takedown).”

Kostur won the match, 8-5.

“I need to get in better shape,” he said.

While Kostur’s personal mission is to avenge the three losses Beaudry has handed him, his team is just as important to him. He said his team’s poor finish in the Warrior was something to take personally.

“It’s my job to get the guys in shape,” he said. “Daniel (Cramblett) and I need to take it more seriously and get the guys to step up.”

No other Bulldogs joined Kostur in the medal round. He said his team is better than that.

“All of us looked dead,” he said. “I’m not too excited about the next couple of weeks in practice, but we’re going to have to work really hard.”

Kostur and the Bulldogs will be back in action Jan. 6 and 7 in Craig at the Dogfight Duals.


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