The Bulldogs’ spirit was electric Thursday night, Jan. 12, as Moffat County boys wrestling put on a show during MoCo’s annual triangular with Steamboat Springs and Coal Ridge.

The Bulldogs won 54-12 over the Titans and 57-9 against the Sailors, giving up only three contested matches.

“In that first batch against Coal Ridge, we came out a little lethargic but got it together and found a way to win. Against Steamboat, we wrestled a lot better, a lot more aggressive,” coach Mark Voloshin said. “It was a good match, and we’d like to thank our fans for supporting us with that great turnout. The crowd really elevated our intensity.”

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Though the rosters didn’t align to give all the Dogs matches at every weight, Noah Duran (120 pounds), Kaeden Martinez (138 pounds), and Michael Voloshin (165 pounds) each earned pins against two opponents.

Against Coal Ridge, Zach Hedman (157 pounds) also claimed a fall, while Eli Fredrickson (144 pounds) and Aron Aguilar (157 pounds) won by decisions. Facing Steamboat, Kaden Hixson (126 pounds) and Tate Green (132 pounds) won by pin, while Blake Hill won his bout 11-5.

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Coach Voloshin said that while MoCo athletes struggled at the smaller weights, they are improving consistently. He noted freshman Talus Folks as a member of the team who keeps working hard despite having a difficult first season.

“It’s a good experience, a good challenge for him — he likes it,“ he said. “He really takes the bull by the horns.”

While Bulldog boys finally got a home event, the girls wrestlers will have to wait until Feb. 4 for their first and only meet in Craig. Until then, they’ll have to cope by consistently being on the podium.

MCHS girls took seventh of 24 teams at the Poudre Shooting Stars Invite on Saturday, Jan. 14, in Fort Collins, with four Bulldogs placing.

Makaela Simpson (170 pounds) took second after facing top-ranked, undefeated Neveah Garcia of Platte Valley in the final match. Simpson is currently ranked No. 3 by Inside Colorado Wrestling and took two pins before losing 16-3 to end the day.

Ranked fourth in the 235-pound class, Kenleigh Pubanz ended the tournament third with a 2-2 run. While she fell to the higher ranked Natasha Kuberski of Riverdale Ridge, Pubanz’s wins were both by pin.

Moffat County’s Kayla Deaton went 4-1 in the 130-pound bracket, and won each match by fall in the first period to finish in third place.

Elsewhere, Mikah Vasquez made a solid return to the mat in a packed 115-pound bracket, pinning four opponents and falling twice to Severance’s Kailey McGuire to place fourth.

Raegan McMillan went 3-2, Abby Martinez 0-2, HayLee Staker 1-2, and Cydny Witherell 1-2 during the Shooting Stars event. All of them, plus Vasquez and Deaton, also earned a pin during a dual meet Friday night against Berthoud, which Simpson and Pubanz won by forfeit.

Coach Ashleigh Seely said she expects the good tourney results would have been even better had the team been more filled out.

“We were down three of our varsity wrestlers this week. It made it more challenging to hang in those top team placements,” she said. “The ladies endured very tough competition this past weekend. The girls are making great strides both mentally and physically. I’m very proud of their hard work and continued team effort. We are a tight-knit group of coaches and athletes all helping to improve one another, and it shows tremendously.”

The MCHS girls will compete this weekend during the two-day MLK Grand Junction tournament before taking some time off the following weekend. Bulldog boys will have a hiatus from competition this week before the Top of the Rockies tournament hosted by Centaurus.

“It’s a lot of big schools and also some smaller ones from our division. Once again, good competition,” Voloshin said. “We look to continue to keep working and improving all aspects of our attack. Continue to work and keep pursuing it, and we’ll be there.”