Dodge City, November 30, 2023
In a nail-biting showdown at the Dodge City High School Fieldhouse, the Red Demon Wrestling team emerged victorious in their season opener against the Pratt Greenbacks. The final score was indicative of the evenly matched dual that kept spectators on the edge of their seats throughout the evening.
The 106-pound weight class put the Greenbacks up early and set the tone for the night as Alex Chavez from Pratt High School claimed a quick pin. However, the Red Demons rallied in subsequent weight classes.
Raymond Hernandez, competing in the 126-pound weight class, put the Demons on the board as Pratt was open.
The 132-pound category witnessed an impressive performance by Dylan Wainscott, who secured a fall at 2 minutes and 37 seconds, earning another six points for Dodge City – and marked the beginning of a momentum shift in favor of the Red Demons. However, a Demon comeback was necessary as the Greenbacks led (39-18) with four matches remaining. Ramses Ruiz began the winning streak for the Red Demons followed by pins from Alan Flores & Jayden Amaro. Mark Rayas was open – tightening the deficit to 3 points at (39-36). In the final match Edgar Hernandez secured the fall and clinched the dual for the Demons (42-39). The home crowd erupted into cheers, celebrating the hard-fought victory and incredible start to the season for both programs.
One of the highlight matches of the evening occurred in the 144-pound category, where Trace Mehlhorn of Pratt secured a hard-fought victory over Gabriel Aguilera of Dodge City with a decisive score of 11-5 – the only decision of the night as every other match ended with a fall.
Coach Tate Lowe expressed pride in his team’s performance, stating, “It was a fantastic environment to kick off the season. We have a resilient team, and I’m excited to see what the rest of the season holds.”
