DENVER | Twelve Cherokee Trail wrestlers placed in the top two and the Cougars cruised to the championship at the 2013 Mullen Invitational Saturday.
Nine wrestlers won their weight classes for Cherokee Trail, which racked up 147 points to capture the team championship of the four-team tournament.
Lizandro Hernandez (113 pounds), Bruno Nicoletti (132), Harley Korte (152 A), Michael Thelen (152 B), Jalen Reyes (160), Diego Rogel Avelar (170), Trent Rogers (182), Alex Alarcon (195) and Garrett Zimmerman (285) each placed first for coach Jeff Buck’s Cherokee Trail team, which also had three runners-up.
Senior Dan Kasberg at 120 pounds and junior 220-pounder Dexter Bess both captured their weight classes for Aurora’s other team in the field, Smoky Hill, which finished in third place with 88.5 points.
Coach Jim Opperman’s Buffaloes — who also needed five second-place finishes — came in just a point behind host Mullen for second place.
Reach Sports Editor Courtney Oakes at sports@aurorasentinel.com or 303-750-7555
2013 MULLEN INVITATIONAL
Team scores: 1. CHEROKEE TRAIL 147, 2. Mullen 89.5, 3. SMOKY HILL 88.5, 4. Wasson 49
CHAMPIONS & RUNNERS-UP BY WEIGHT
106 pounds — Champion: Vince Hoffman (Mullen), Runner-up: Danny Constant (Cherokee Trail)
113 pounds — Champion: Lizandro Hernandez (Cherokee Trail); Runner-up: Andrew Atencio (Mullen)
120 pounds — Champion: Dan Kasberg (Smoky Hill); Runner-up: Donald Sisneros (Mullen)
126 pounds — Champion: Anthony Vigil (Mullen); Runner-up: Tim Constant (Cherokee Trail)
132 pounds — Champion: Bruno Nicoletti (Cherokee Trail); Runner-up: Colby Tate (Smoky Hill)
138 pounds — Champion: Joseph Sisneros (Mullen); Runner-up: Antonio Scancareno (Smoky Hill)
145 pounds (152 B) — Champion: Michael Thelen (Cherokee Trail); Runner-up: Evan Person (Smoky Hill)
152 pounds A — Champion: Harley Korte (Cherokee Trail); Runner-up: Edward Lopez (Wasson)
160 pounds — Champion: Jalen Reyes (Cherokee Trail); Runner-up: Derrick Munroe (Smoky Hill)
170 pounds — Champion: Diego Rogel Avelar (Cherokee Trail); Runner-up: Michael Ibarra (Mullen)
182 pounds — Champion: Trent Rogers (Cherokee Trail); Runner-up: Anthony Atencio (Wasson)
195 pounds — Champion: Alex Alarcon (Cherokee Trail); Runner-up: Austin Rutledge (Smoky Hill)
220 pounds — Champion: Dexter Bess (Smoky Hill); Runner-up: Dakota Poole (Cherokee Trail)
285 pounds — Champion: Garrett Zimmerman (Cherokee Trail); Runner-up: Zach Rios (Mullen)