Kelly Clingan is learning to be a quick study.
The Thompson Valley freshman is most definitely eager enough, speaking excitedly about what she learns from each and every practice, especially the lessons gained from Saturday’s girls portion of the Northern Colorado Christmas Tournament at the Budweiser Events Center.
Clingan, who wrestles for the district team hosted by Loveland, is as rookie as a rookie gets. A soccer player, she’d never wrestled before this season, but was one of four local finalists — two boys, two girls — when the event came to a close on Saturday.
In just her second tournament, she reached her first championship match at 105 pounds, where she lost an 11-3 major decision to Shenin Steele of Lewis-Palmer.
“I just like the physicality of it. I actually play club soccer, and I like how it’s different than that, and it’s more individual than soccer,” she said. “Every single match, whether I win, lose or tie, I learn something new. I like that.”
It’s the same for everyone, no matter the experience level. Berthoud state champion Austyn Binkly spent his second consecutive weekend matching up in the finals with Pueblo County’s state champ, Jaxon Garoutte. And for the second time, Garoutte, ranked No. 1 in 4A at 145 pounds, handled Binkly, No. 1 in 3A, with a 17-7 major decision.
Mad? Not Binkly, who was more concerned with getting his rhetorical English essay turned in on time, so he wrote it and turned it in between his semifinals match and his championship appearance.
“This is fun. Wrestling the best is fun,” Binkly said. “I’d rather do that 20 times this season rather than beat a lot of people who suck. I’ll just work harder. There’s a lot of things I can learn from him, like movement, and little things he does. You can watch it, but feeling it, you can actually understand what he’s doing.”
He was one of three placers for the Spartans, as both Dalton Williams (113) and Brock Johnson (170) placed seventh. They had the best team placing of the three local squads, taking ninth with 103 points.
Loveland was 28th as a team, as Cody Thompson (113) placed sixth, Kobi Johnson (106) eighth.
Mountain View had one placer, and that was 120-pound finalist Malachi Contreras. He dropped a 9-2 decision to La Junta’s Isaiah Gamez, the top-ranked wrestler in 3A. Still, it was a good weekend for Contreras, who avenged a loss from a week ago, then tacked on a few more impressive wins.
He was ranked third in 4A, but took out Erie’s Rudy Lopez (who beat him in a tourney last week), as well as Bobby Macias of Thomas Jefferson in the semifinals.
Best of all, he feels he’s starting to find himself earlier this year than he did last season.
“I mean, it was a good day overall. I got my revenge, I guess,” he said. “I just realized I was wrestling super lazy at the start of the year. I tend to open up later in the year. It seems to be a like a trend for me. I’ve struggled a lot with having very lazy matches at the beginning of my season. Some of it has to do with the weight cut, some of it has to with me getting into the room.”
In the finals, Gamez was quick to his offense, teaching Contreras there’s still more work to do when he comes back from the holidays.
“It really comes down to my mindset, coming into the finals,” he said. “I tend to shut down a lot, and its affecting me in my finals matches. It’s more me being ready to, not necessarily wrestle, I’m just not zoned in. I’m definitely more on the defense.”
Loveland’s female contingent did pretty well, too.
Audrey Bankes reached the finals at 118, where she was pinned by Savannah Cosme of Chatfield. Elianna Lujan took fourth at the same weight, Ashley Terpstra and Kim Carlin both placed fifth at 127 and 161, respectively.
They’ve been a big help to Clingan, as have the six 106-pounder on the Thompson Valley’s boys team. She said all of them are quick to help her with a move, or an idea, even technique, and it all started when seniors Johnathan Walker and Jay McLaughlin talked her into trying.
Now, she’s feeling pretty hooked and talking about her future.
Being on the mat has been a rush, leaving her to her own devices.
And that she likes.
“My flexibility, and my speed and agility, it’s definitely helped me. Then just not giving up, especially,” she said. “Even if I’m down … it’s hard to have the confidence in yourself to not give up, and that’s definitely one of the top things I’ve learned, especially in wrestling. You can’t just give up and let the person pin you. It’s always a battle.”
Mike Brohard: 970-635-3633, mbrohard@reporter-herald.com and twitter.com/mbrohard
Northern Colorado Christmas Tournament
At Budweiser Events Center
Boys
Team scores — Pueblo County 218, Pueblo East 211, Windsor 199.5, Cedar Cliff (PA) 187.5, Cleveland (NM) 148.5. 9. Berthoud 103; 28. Loveland 64.5, 49. Mountain View 41.
Local results
Championship matches
120 — Isaiah Gamez, La Junta, d. Malachi Contreras, Mountain View, 9-2.
145 — Jaxon Garoutte, Pueblo County, md. Austyn Binkly, Berthoud, 17-7.
Fifth-place matches
113 — Alec Beltran, Horizon, d. Cody Thompson, Loveland, 9-6.
Seventh-place matches
106 — Isaiah Marrujo, Cleveland, d. Kobi Johnson, Loveland, 4-2 OT.
170 — Brock Johnson, Berthoud, d. Jake Martin, Lewis-Palmer, 5-1.
Girls
Loveland results
Championship matches
105 — Shenin Steele, Lewis-Palmer, md. Kelly Clingan, Loveland, 11-3.
118 — Savannah Cosme, Chatfield, p. Audrey Bankes, Loveland, 3:35.
Third-place matches
118 — Faith Herrera, Skyview, d. Elianna Lujan, Loveland, UTB.
Fifth-place matches
127 — Ashley Terpstra, Loveland, p. Bailey Hoyt, Grand Valley, 4:03.
161 — Kim Carlin, Loveland, p. Thania Gomez, Fort Lupton, 1:39.