Pomona steamrolled its way through the first day of the state wrestling tournament, despite losing one match in controversial fashion over a mouth guard issue.
With a program-record 14 qualifiers at Ball Arena, the Panthers advanced 12 to the quarterfinals. But it was Dante Hutchings’ loss at 160 pounds that had Pomona coach Sam Federico fuming, after the sophomore was forced to forfeit. Hutchings had snap-in liners on over his braces as an alternative to a mouth guard, and when the referee ruled he could not compete with them in, he was given a 90-second injury timeout to find a mouth guard.
Pomona couldn’t find one in that time, causing Pine Creek junior Treye Dashner to advance. Hutchings slammed his headgear in anger, and as a result Pomona was docked a team point for unsportsmanlike conduct. The match was officially ruled an injury forfeit 21 seconds into the second period.
“Ridiculous,” Federico said. “He’s wrestled with (the liners) in all year, and it hasn’t been a problem.”
Regarding braces and mouth guards, NFHS Rule 4-2-6 states:
“Each contestant who has braces or has a special orthodontic device on their teeth, shall be required to wear a tooth and mouth protector. A tooth and mouth protector (intra-oral) shall include an occlusal (protecting and separating the biting surfaces) and a labial (protecting the teeth and supporting structures) portion and cover the teeth and all areas of the braces or special orthodontic device with adequate thickness. This would include upper and lower teeth if devices are present on both.
It is recommended the protector be properly fitted and: A. Constructed from a model made from an impression of the individual’s teeth and braces or special orthodontic device. B. Constructed and fitted to the individual by impressing the teeth and braces or special orthodontic device into the tooth and mouth protector itself.”
Earlier this season, wrestling officials conveyed a specific concern to CHSAA schools about mouth pieces that may be deemed non-conforming, with an emphasis that plastic strips attaching to the brackets of braces did not satisfy Rule 4-2-6.
Hutchings likely would’ve been a contender deep in the tournament, considering he was coming off a regional title last weekend and also won his bracket at the Arvada West Invitational last month.
Of the 12 Panthers who advanced to the quarterfinals, six of them won by first-round pin, including sophomore Geno Cardenas at 106, junior Mark Cardenas at 113, junior Jakob Romero at 126, senior Elijah Olguin at 132, senior Daniel Cardenas at 152 and senior Roman Cruz at 170. Romero, Olguin and Daniel Cardenas are all defending state champions, with Cardenas going for his fourth title.
Pomona, the three-time defending team champion, has a 45 to 36.5 lead over fellow powerhouse Ponderosa going into Day 2.
Derek Glenn Jr.’s determination. Derek Glenn Jr.’s state tournament redemption tour began with a flex, as Cherokee Trail’s 120-pound senior pinned his opponent in the first period of the preliminaries at Ball Arena.
Glenn, the 2020 Class 5A state champion at 106, narrowly lost his 113-pound title match last year in Pueblo after the referee ruled Glenn’s takedown of Brighton’s Kenny Silas came just after the final horn. The result was a stinging 1-0 defeat, and plenty of added motivation for a title this year.
“We shouldn’t have waited until the last 10 seconds to give it a shot, but he also took away that we don’t want to put it in anybody’s hands but yourself,” Cherokee Trail head coach Jeff Buck said. “He’s determined to do that this year — he’s as focused as I’ve seen him, and he’s excited this is his last go as a senior. He wants to go out on top.”
Glenn’s ascension into one of the state’s top lightweight wrestlers didn’t come immediately. Undersized in even the smallest weight class, Glenn racked up 27 losses as a freshman before winning the title as a sophomore. He’s lost only 12 matches in the three years since.
“I knew when I grew into the frame I was supposed to be, I could achieve (championship) potential,” Glenn said. “I was around 98 pounds wrestling basically up a weight class at 106, against guys a lot stronger than me. Coming into that same weight as a sophomore, but having grown, that gave me momentum.”
Glenn is one of a program-record 11 state qualifiers for Cherokee Trail, which has continued to ascend the big-school wrestling landscape. Two years ago in Denver, Cherokee Trail finished a school-best fourth. Thursday, four of those 11 advanced (sophomore Jay Everhart at 106, freshman Chance Mathews at 113, Glenn and senior Matthew Buck at 160).
Rangeview Raider stays perfect. Greg Brooks fell short of a state championship in two previous trips to the state tournament. But the 182-pound Rangeview junior is rolling undefeated (27-0) into the quarterfinals on Friday with a title on his mind.
“I’ve been trying to work hard and keep the pace going,” Brooks said. “Keep that mindset that I’m going to win.”
He left no doubt in his first-round matchup against Cesar Garcia (Adams City). Brooks recorded a fall only 50 seconds into the first period. He has plenty of support at Ball Arena.
“My whole family wrestles, so it just keeps me motivated,” Brooks said. “I’ve got to just keep attacking.”
Denver Post reporter Kyle Fredrickson contributed to this report.
