Varsity boys perform well at the Torgensen Invite
- Jeremy Carter
- Jan 5
- 4 min read
Severance Wrestling Brings the Heat at the Torgensen Invite
The Severance Varsity Boys Wrestling Team showed heart, skill, and grit at the Arnold “Torgy” Torgensen Memorial Invite this past weekend at Fort Collins High School. With tough competition from across the state, the Silver Knights delivered a strong performance, led by three wrestlers who secured spots on the podium. Here’s a full breakdown of the team’s efforts, with highlights of every match wrestled.
Tatum Garcia (113 lbs): Runner-Up with Relentless Drive
Tatum’s path to the finals highlighted his technical mastery and grit.
Quarterfinal: Tatum pinned Cody Haile (Legacy) in 3:31 to start his day strong.
Semifinal: In a commanding performance, Tatum earned a 10-2 major decision over Micah Bautista (Central - Grand Junction).
Finals: Facing Maddox Lechman (Windsor, 4A #8), Tatum fought valiantly but fell by tech fall, 17-2, taking home a well-earned 2nd place.
Simon Carter (106 lbs): The Tech-Fall Machine Takes Bronze
Simon Carter had a standout performance, clawing his way back through the consolation bracket after a tough quarterfinal loss to claim 3rd place.
Quarterfinal: Simon faced Luke Jennings (Chaparral, 5A #9) in a tough match, falling by major decision 10-2.
Consolation Rounds: Simon rebounded in style, earning two consecutive tech falls. He defeated Owen Schaefer (Windsor) 15-0 in 3:35 and Justice Espinoza (Central - Grand Junction) 16-1 in just 1:26.
Consolation Semis: Simon pinned Payton Woodring (Gering) in 2:54, firing up the Severance fans.
3rd Place Match: Simon ended on a high note, pinning Bryan Cram (Fort Collins, 5A #11) in 2:17 to secure third place.
Dennis Campos (126 lbs): Fourth Place, Amazing Character
Dennis battled through a tough bracket to finish 4th, showcasing his skill and determination. He was also a HUGE example of sportsmanship through the day. In his Semifinal match, in the face of yelling coaches, a failed swing from his competitor, and multiple stoppages of wrestling, he remained cool and collected. His work through the bracket looked like this:
Championship Rounds: Dennis pinned Ian Vondy (Poudre) in 2:21 and Isaac Woolman (Legacy) in 3:02 to advance to the semifinals.
Semifinal: Dennis faced Declan Strait (Chaparral, 5A #3), falling 11-4 in a hard-fought match that included penalty point deductions for the oppositions coaching staff.
Consolation Semis: Dennis rebounded with a pin over Milo Harmon (Fort Collins) in 3:19, earning a spot in the 3rd Place Match.
3rd Place Match: Dennis narrowly lost to Ethan Mora (Roosevelt) in an 8-5 decision, capping a strong tournament in fourth place.
How the Rest of the Team Fared
Andre Salinas (132 lbs): Andre faced stiff competition throughout the day.
Round 2: Fell to Dalton Komperda (Chaparral) by fall in 5:13.
Consolation Round 2: After a bye, Andre was defeated by Marquis Payne (Monarch) via pin in 2:36.
Lane Swarts (138 lbs): Lane had moments of brilliance, including a big consolation win.
Championship Round 1: Lost to Malakii Martin (Roosevelt) by fall in 1:33.
Consolation Round 1: Secured a dominant fall over Christophe Dekleva (Liberty Common) in just 0:45.
Consolation Round 2: Won a close 7-4 decision against Timothy Bruce (Central - Grand Junction).
Consolation Round 3: Fell to Brodey Makloski (Fort Collins) by fall in 4:20.
Reed Green (150 lbs): Reed had a strong start, earning valuable points for the team.
Championship Round 1: Defeated Adrian Czyszczon (Windsor) in a 7-4 decision.
Quarterfinal: Earned a dominant tech fall (16-1) over Jacobo Rosales (Roosevelt) in 6:00.
Semifinal: Fell to Garrett Sims (Poudre) by major decision, 11-1.
Consolation Semis: Lost to Adrian Czyszczon (Windsor) via fall in 2:42.
Joshua Abram (157 lbs): Joshua had a solid tournament, showing resilience and power.
Championship Round 1: Pinned Chase Cline (Gering) in 1:32.
Quarterfinal: Fell to Dean Allsman (Timnath) by fall in 3:41.
Consolation Round 2: Pinned Mattias M (Monarch) in 1:37.
Consolation Round 3: Lost to Luke Steiner (Rock Canyon) by decision, 12-5.
Jake Mitchell (165 lbs): Jake showed flashes of brilliance despite tough matchups.
Championship Round 1: Pinned Ryan McDowell (Poudre) in 2:36.
Quarterfinal: Fell to Juan Molina (Gering) by fall in 3:32.
Consolation Round 2: Lost to Holden Irby (Fort Collins) via tech fall (21-6) in 4:51.
Brayden Baker (175 lbs): Brayden fought hard but couldn’t secure a win.
Championship Round 1: Lost to Nathan Leeper (Eagle Valley) by fall in 2:31.
Consolation Round 1: Lost a close 17-10 decision to Charlie Hanna (Timnath).
Ben Petersen (190 lbs): Ben showed promise but faced injuries.
Championship Round 1: Pinned Andrew Barber (Liberty Common) in 3:14.
Quarterfinal: Lost to Alex Eversman (Brighton) by injury default in 0:27 after breaking his nose early in the match. The kid is tough as nails, coming back to the tournament to cheer his team on after going to see what needs done for his nose. He will see a specialist this week.
Brody Vondy (285 lbs): Brody brought intensity but faced tough opponents.
Quarterfinal: Pinned Richard Roberts (Gering) in 4:44.
Semifinal: Lost to Tristan Valdez (Central - Grand Junction) by decision, 5-1.
Consolation Semis: Fell to Barrett Dworak (Fort Collins) by fall in 2:48.
Takeaways from the Tournament
The Torgensen Invite was a true test of Severance Wrestling’s skill and determination. With three podium finishes and plenty of hard-fought matches, the Silver Knights proved they are ready to take on the state’s best.
“This team doesn’t quit. Simon, Tatum, Dennis—they led the way, but EVERY wrestler left it all on the mat.”
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