CHS wrestlers notch one win at state

RIO RANCHO – Clovis High’s wrestlers got a taste of state competition over the weekend at Rio Rancho Events Center.

CHS managed only one win in the event, but coach Eric Zottneck said the program is making solid progress.

“We had two at the state meet last year,” he said. “I think we’re on the right patch. We just need to continue to grow and get better and recruit for the program.”

Seniors Michael Tree at 172 pounds and Semaj Satchel at 195 participated at state last year. They were joined this time around by sophomore Kaell Berry at 127 and freshman Kaleb King at heavyweight for the boys, while freshman Sunnay Ward became the program’s first state participant at 165 pounds.

Berry earned the Cats’ only victory, pinning junior De’Andre Martin of Alamogordo late in the first period of a first-round consolation match before going out by first-period pin to Angel Montoya of Las Cruces High.

Tree at 172, Satchel now at 215 and King were all 0-2 for the weekend, as was ward on the girls’ side.

Still, Zottneck was happy to see Ward break the ice for the girls.

“It was good to have a presence there,” he said.

Volcano Vista finished with 187 points to 177 ½ for runnerup La Cueva to take the 5A title, while in Class 1-4A Belen outlasted Bloomfield 176 ½-176 for team honors. Volcano also took the girls’ team title with 147 points, followed by Belen with 115 ½.