Big things have been in the works for Moffat County athletes, with high school competitors just getting warmed up and our younger kids capping off a season of success.

Middle school masters

Craig Middle School wrestling cleaned up during the district tournament March 28 hosted by Rangely, with 32 Bulldog athletes taking the podium at the end of the day with the two teams at the top of the scoreboard in combined totals.

This year marked the first time CMS fielded both a boys team and girls team, with Bulldog girls more than 30 points ahead of the runner-up in the group scores.

Head coach Travis Linsacum noted that the change is a “great step forward for the program.”

“Girls wrestling is still relatively new, but it’s also the fastest-growing sport in high school right now. This change gives both boys and girls the recognition they’ve earned through their hard work, instead of grouping them together,” he said. “When I was in high school, there were maybe five girls wrestling in the entire state. This year alone, we had 23 girls on our middle school team — that growth speaks for itself.”

CMS earned nine individual titles during the tourney, including Kasen Giedd, Rayne Haltermen, Kiara Holden, Ellie Jenkins, Elise Lenker, Ollie Lewis, Angelo Marquez, EllaMae Miller and Jason Schaffner.

This marked the second district championship for CMS eighth-grader Giedd, who won the 115-pound bracket with two pins and a 22-4 technical fall.

“I’ve been really lucky to have amazing coaches and teammates who help push me to improve every day,” Giedd said. “I know I still have a lot to learn and my coaches have invested a lot of time with me in the offseason. I just try to do my best in every match and keep learning along the way.”

This marks the fourth year coaching for Linsacum, who noted he’s continually “impressed by how much growth we see from start to finish” in every aspect of the sport from takedowns to escapes.

“The biggest improvement isn’t just technical, it’s confidence. At this level, we get a lot of first-time wrestlers who start the season unsure of themselves,” Linsacum said. “By the time we reach the district tournament, they carry themselves like experienced competitors. That confidence is what really stands out.”

He added that the best defense is a strong offense.

“I want them to wrestle with pressure and purpose. The athletes who are willing to act first rather than wait and react are usually the ones getting their hand raised at the end of the match,” he said. “At this age, developing that aggressive mindset is key.”

With some middle-schoolers heading on to the next level and others coming back for another junior high season, Linsacum said he’s encouraged kids to stay active both in wrestling and hopefully other sports.

“Well-rounded athletes tend to become better wrestlers. When kids stay active in different sports, they build a broader athletic foundation,” he said. “Focusing too narrowly on one sport at a young age can often lead to burnout, and we want them to stay engaged and enjoying competition.”

Craig Middle School district tournament results

1st Place

Kasen Giedd, Rayne Haltermen, Kiara Holden, Ellie Jenkins, Elise Lenker, Ollie Lewis, Angelo Marquez, EllaMae Miller, Jason Schaffner

2nd Place

Genesis Chavez, Tinsley Linsacum, Ceasar Jauregui, Elle Luster, Christopher Merwin, Maria Nunez, Brylei Padilla, Arlea Pingley

3rd Place

Abram Bricker, Aedon Musgrave, Xander Rodgers, David Seely, Royce Vangen, Isabella Vallem, Kaylee Weiland

4th Place

Zoei Bailey, Esiah Browning, Tyke Crain, Trace Curtis, Aibhlin Hopkins, Kayden Mooney, Trigg Sickles, Mason Whiteside

Other spring updates

As the transition from winter to spring has brought with it some unpredictable weather, Moffat County High School athletes have been staying steady during the final athletic season of the school year, including baseball, girls golf, girls soccer, rodeo and track and field.

While some sports are just getting in the swing of things, here are some of the highlights of the past month.

• The girls soccer team won its season opener at the beginning of March with a 2-1 victory over Grand Valley. The squad got a quick start to the schedule and has been battling in every event at home and away amid some tough competition in the 2A/3A Western Slope League. The team will have its last home events April 13 against Middle Park and April 16 against Vail Mountain.
• Bulldog baseball claimed its first win of the season last week Thursday, splitting a doubleheader against Steamboat Springs. Fighting through a drop in the temperature, competition heated up greatly on the Moffat County diamond as Bulldogs came back from an early 6-1 lead by the Sailors to claim an 8-7 victory, with MoCo pitchers combining for a dozen strikeouts across the two games. MCHS will host Saturday series on April 11 against Battle Mountain and April with Coal Ridge, leading up to Senior Night against Rangely on May 5.
• Track and field athletes are building up momentum week by week, and along the way the Moffat County runners, jumpers and throwers have been gaining some great accomplishments. The Rifle Invitational in particular was a standout for Bulldog distance runners as Haven Carr won the 1600-meter run, Jonas Pressgrove the 3200 and the two combining with Tristan Smith and Quinn Allen to win the two-mile relay. Sprinter Nichelle Burke, distance runner Danna Montanez, hurdler Kimber Hume and thrower Aberdeen Anderson have regularly been hitting the podium for the girls team, with Burke, Hume, Montanez and Jae Paisley Jenison taking the bronze at Rifle.
  Be sure to come watch the action and cheer on your Bulldogs during the Clint Wells Invitational throughout the day on April 24.