Douglas High's Luke Fournier (106 pounds) works his way toward back points against an opponent from McQueen earlier this season. Fournier will compete in the Class 5A state tournament this weekend to close out his sophomore season.
Photo by Ron Harpin.
It’s been a few years since the Douglas High wrestling program has had a chance to make some noise at the state tournament.
With no season last year and no qualifiers the year before, the Tigers are stocked and loaded with 11 competitors grappling in the Class 5A state wrestling tournament.
Cimarron-Memorial High School will be the location in Las Vegas for the state tournament this Friday and Saturday with both days of competition set to start in the morning and end early afternoon.
“We tried to keep it together the best we could for the COVID season,” said Douglas High wrestling coach Jake Fair. “I just want them to have fun. We’ve got so many young kids. … It’s a new experience so we want to remove some of the shock and awe once we get down there.”
With 11 wrestlers, Douglas will have one of the biggest teams down at the state tournament.
Running through the qualifiers
With various levels of experiences and results this season, Tiger wrestlers all have a different standard for what will mark a successful state tournament.
Senior Conner Morris only has two losses at 126 pounds this season and was matter-of-fact when it came to his goals in Las Vegas this weekend.
“I’m going to win it,” said Morris. “I just need to move and make small adjustments that I’ve seen on film.”
His brother, Hunter Morris, qualified at 120 pounds and hopes to cap his junior season with a confidence-boosting result.
“Just to let it fly. I have another year so I think I want to let it fly,” said Morris. “I think we missed a lot last year and this year we needed to put more into it.”
Sophomore Michael White took home a regional title in heavyweight and will get a first round bye into the quarterfinals.
At 106 pounds, Luke Fournier will open up against a senior from Spring Valley in Syed Husain, who had a 5-7 record in the Class 5A south this season.
At 113 pounds, Douglas will have two chances at a top-tier finish with Victor Valdez and Cody Highfill.
“I thought I did pretty good (at regionals),” said Valdez. “It’s always been one of my big goals – to make it to the state tournament. It’s so unreal. I don’t think I’ve really processed that I’m going to state yet.”
Junior 120-pounder, Jacob Lewis, will open with Kane Johnson of Spring Valley, who was 9-1 in the south this season.
Gunner Morris will compete at 132 pounds for the Tigers while sophomore Sage Adie qualified at 182 pounds.
With two seasons left in his high school career, Adie is hoping he can build a base for future results.
“I don’t obsess over my bracket,” said Adie. “I would just like to do the best that I can and try and place. I think that would be pretty cool as a sophomore.”
With a long drive after a tough season, Adie hopes he can keep his gas tank up once he hits the mat Friday.
Manuel Garcia, who was fourth at the regional tournament, only has one focus on what will be his final event on a high school wrestling mat.
“I only saw the first person I’m going to wrestle, but really I’m just going to go out at wrestle,” said Garcia. “I just want to go, wrestle and try to get that gold.”
Freshman Ben Singer will also compete for Douglas at 220 pounds, kicking off his state tournament with a senior wrestler from Liberty High School.
With a number of young wrestlers in the state tournament, Fair had plenty of praise for the youth programs around the area.
Fair said the middle school program run by Steve Deaton has been a ‘great feeder program for us.’
The Class 5A state wrestling tournament starts with its opening rounds Friday at 11a.m. at Cimarron-Memorial High School.
Saturday will hold the consolation semifinals, third place matches, and of course, the championship bouts, which are expected to begin at 1:30 p.m.
