LA JARA — Centauri wrestling picked up a win at home in a dual against Montezuma-Cortez by a score of 67-11. The Falcons picked up 8 forfeits Thursday night as well as a fall and two technical falls.

The Falcons come away from a successful weekend at the High Desert Tiger Duals at Aztec High School in New Mexico. In two rounds of duals, Centauri went 4-1 overall through five duals. One of which coming over Intermountain League (IML) familiar Bayfield.

Thursday night was Centauri’s meeting with the Cortez Panthers. Following a forfeit, at 106 pounds to Centauri’s Mario Vigil, it was Centauri’s Xander Lopez against Jayven Valdez of M-CHS at 113 pounds. Panther Valdez tied the team scores with a fall at 1:15.

A forfeit to Centauri’s Robert Coombs at 120 pounds put the Falcons back ahead 12-6. The next contested weight was 126 between Cyrus Sandoval of Centauri and Austin Featherman of Cortez. Featherman controlled the match to the tune of a 15-0 Technical Fall bringing Montezuma-Cortez within one, Falcons leading 12-11.

On the Mat, wrestling ranks Eyan Chavez as the No. 2 138 pounder in the 2A class. Thursday night Chavez wrestled at 132 pounds and picked up 20 points in takedowns, putting on a clinic before getting the fall to put Centauri ahead 18-11.

Centauri’s 138-pound slot was aptly manned by Ivan Lopez on Thursday. Lopez also piled up the points, getting too far ahead on the scoreboard to finish with a Fall, earning a Technical Fall with a 21-6 lead.

A forfeit to Centauri’s Jordan Martin at 145 pounds gave the Falcons a 29-11 lead and carried the night to the last contested weights of the evening.

At 152 pounds Centauri’s Erik Mestas met Ethan Root of Cortez. Root got the better of the exchanges in the first two periods using a takedown and an escape to take a 3-2 lead entering the final period. There, the 11th ranked 152 pounder, Mestas, scored two takedowns and outlasted Root to a 6-4 decision.

The 160-pound match between Zach Buhr and Casen Allmon would be the final match of the night. Buhr did his part to make sure there was never a doubt. As On the Mat’s No. 10 ranked wrestler in 2A, Buhr scored early and often with 9 Near Fall points propelling the Centauri sophomore to a 17-2 Technical Fall. The 5 forfeits that followed completed the night at 67-11 in Centauri’s favor.

The Falcons will have a short turnaround. Centauri will head north for the weekend. Friday the Falcons will take part in the Kourtney Lake Duals in Center, they will be back in Center on Saturday for the Valley Classic Wrestling Tournament.