Rico leads RHS effort

A methodical performance in the 120-pound championship match resulted in a major decision for Robertson’s Rico Montoya against Los Lunas’ Ricardo Alvarado on Saturday afternoon.
The win, Robertson’s only title in the Cardinal Classic’s Gold bracket, helped stake RHS to an eighth-place team finish in the field of nearly two dozen schools.
It’s been a strong season for Montoya, a defending state champion who’s collected multiple tournament titles already, including a prestigious Joe Vivian Classic championship and outstanding wrestler honors.
Montoya pinned James Vigil of Española Valley in the first round, then took a technical fall over Anthony Trujillo of Belen in the semifinals to earn a trip to the finals vs. Alvarado, who’d won a pair of decisions on his side of the draw.
With the end of the season in sight, only a few events remain before district (Feb. 16) and state (Feb. 22-23) tournaments.
The two-day Cardinal Classic has developed as one of the bigger and better prep wrestling tournaments other than the Albuquerque-based Joe Vivian, and because of its timing, the Robertson event is recognized as a great tune-up for the home stretch of the season.
Los Lunas, a state contender in Class 4A, won the Cardinal Classic team title with 345 points, just edging Silver (339.5), which is one of the favorites in Class 1A-3A. The Tigers did most of their damage on Friday with pool wrestling, garnering a commanding lead. That proved enough to hold off Silver’s surge through the brackets on Saturday. The Colts won three weight divisions in the Gold bracket and placed another four wrestlers among the top three in their brackets.
Neither local team entered the tournament at full strength. The host Cardinals placed three wrestlers in the top four of the Gold division brackets — Montoya at 120, Ty Archuleta, fourth place at 106, and Joseph Paul Griego, fourth at 126.
Robertson had another three grapplers do well in the Silver brackets.
Bradlee Jordan pinned Moriarty’s Konner Bond to win his class at 106. Daniel Baca reached the finals at 113 before getting pinned by Goddard’s Chris Archibeque. Malachi Segura was a runner-up at 170, losing to another Goddard wrestler, Fabian Soto, via pin.
West Las Vegas’ Frankie Gonzales took third place in the Silver’s 138-pound bracket over Tucumcari’s Scott Day, highlighting the Dons’ efforts in the tourney.
The Cardinal Classic, coordinated by RHS coach Richard Martinez, Leasa Martinez and a crew of assistant coaches, parents and volunteers, was held over two days at Mike Marr Gym. Friday’s action consisted of pool-style, round-robin matches that determined placement and seeding for brackets in Gold and Silver divisions. Traditional bracket tournaments played out all day Saturday.

Dave Kavanaugh/Optic photo

Robertson’s Rico Montoya breaks down Los Lunas’ Ricardo Alvarado in the 120-pound final during this past weekend’s Cardinal Classic. Montoya won the Gold bracket for his weight class.

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Robertson’s Bradlee Jordan works toward a pin of Moriarty’s Konner Bond in the SIlver bracket final at 106 pounds. The Cardinals finished eighth as a team in the two-day tournament.

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TEAM STANDINGS
 1. Los Lunas, 345
 2. Silver, 339.5
 3. Aztec, 309
 4. Belen, 276.5
 5. Goddard, 239
 6. Cobre, 235
 7. Los Alamos, 196
 8. Robertson, 188.5
 9. Capital, 186
10. Española Valley, 185
11. Santa Fe, 183.5
12. Tucumcari, 166
13. Kirtland Central, 147
14. Bernalillo, 133
15. Taos, 115.5
16. Moriarty, 109
17. Farmington, 105
18. Roswell, 100
19. Albuquerque Academy, 87
20. Pecos, 68
21. Ruidoso, 61
22. West Las Vegas, 28
23. Robertson JV, 26

GOLD DIVISION
HIGHLIGHTS
106) 1. Caesar Sierra, Silver (3-0)
4. Ty Archuleta, Robertson (2-2)
DNP: Arturo Archuleta, Pecos (1-2)
113) 1. Adrian George, Santa Fe (3-0)
DNP: Nate Ortiz, Pecos (1-2)
120) 1. Rico Montoya, Robertson (3-0)
126) 1. Brandon Padilla, Farmington (3-0)
4. Joseph Paul Griego, Robertson (2-2)
DNP: Matt Torrez, Pecos (0-2)
132) 1. Matt Lucero, Belen (3-0)
DNP: James Gonzales, Robertson (1-2)
138) 1. Isaiah Anaya, Capital (2-0)
145) 1. Ernesto Salvidrez, Capital (3-0)
152) 1. Kade Bond, Moriarty (3-0)
160) 1. Corey Geyer, Los Alamos (3-0)
170) 1. Francisco Perez, Cobre (3-0)
182) 1. Ricky Bencomo, Silver (3-0)
6. Kenneth Yara, Robertson (2-2)
195) 1. Dakota Bencomo, Silver (3-0)
220) 1. Brad Hardin, Aztec (3-0)
285) 1. Landon McNeil, Aztec (3-0)

SILVER DIVISION
HIGHLIGHTS
106) 1. Bradlee Jordan, Robertson (2-0)
DNP: A.J. Armijo, West Las Vegas (1-2)
113) 1. Chris Archibeque, Goddard (3-0)
2. Daniel Baca, Robertson JV (2-1)
120) 1. Daniel Soliz, Cobre (3-0)
DNP: Brandon Maddux, West Las Vegas (0-2)
126) 1. Tristen Diaz, Belen (3-0)
132) 1. David Juarez, Roswell (3-0)
DNP: Stevie Ray Medina, Robertson JV (0-2), Michael Quintana, Pecos (0-2)
138) 1. Michael Trujillo, Albuquerque Academy (3-0)
3. Frankie Gonzales, West Las Vegas (3-1)
DNP: Spence Cole, West Las Vegas (1-2), Corbin Boucher, Pecos (0-2)
145) 1. Champ Mendoza, Farmington (3-0)
DNP: James Ortiz, West Las Vegas (0-2)
152) 1. Tierney Staley, Farmington (3-0)
DNP: Andres Lujan, West Las Vegas (0-2)
160) 1. Florian Castillo, Española (3-0)
DNP: Diego Trujillo, Robertson (1-2)
170) 1. Fabian Soto, Goddard (3-0)
2. Malachi Segura, Robertson (2-1)
182) 1. Austin Wagner, Aztec (3-0)
195) 1. Rye Selemo, Albuquerque Academy (3-0)
DNP: Amos Rivera, Robertson (1-2), Zach Lujan, West Las Vegas (0-2)
220) 1. Jordan Trujillo, Española (3-0)