Monticello wrestling team closes 2025 with strong performances

by Anna Fredericks
Contributing Writer
The Monticello Buckaroo wrestlers closed out the 2025 portion of their season this past Friday and Saturday, December 19-20 at the Veterans Memorial invitational in Fort Defiance, Arizona.
The team was 5-1 in their pool matches, defeating Newcomb 40-0, Window Rock 34-24, Greyhills Academy 47-0, Gallup 30-18, and Benjamin Franklin 35-24.
They were defeated by Bel Air 41-35. In the one-loss bracket they were defeated by Tuba City 46-21 and Montwood 39-30.
Leading the way for the Buckaroos were Arturo Gutierrez at 132 pounds and Landon Shumway at 138. Both Buckaroos were a perfect 6-0 on the weekend.
Gutierrez put three big technical fall wins in the books, 15-0, 16-0, and 16-1. He added a first- and second-period fall and an 11-7 victory. Gutierrez had the most technical falls in the fastest time at the tourney with three in 6:58.
Shumway earned two big technical fall wins, 16-1 and 17-1. He also earned four first-period falls. Shumway dominated his opponents, only allowing ten points to be scored against him across all six matches.
John Leber had a strong weekend, finishing with a 6-1 record. Wrestling at 150 pounds he earned a fall in the first period, three second-period falls, and two big technical fall wins, 24-8 and 22-5.
Also finishing with only one loss was Miles Coleman who went 4-1 at 144 pounds. Coleman earned three falls in the first period and one in the second period.
Diego Cortez and Evan Carpenter were both 4-2 at the tournament. Cortez at 120 pounds earned three falls in the first period and one in the second period. Carpenter at 126 earned all four wins by fall in the first period.
Also earning strong wins for the Buckaroos were JJ Atwood at 175 and Zamian Lopez at 285. Each earned two wins by fall at the tournament.
Buckaroos wrestling on the JV All Star Team were Bryson Adair, Christian Hunt, and Hayden Peterson. Adair, at 138 pounds, earned three wins by fall in the first period. Hunt, at 126 pounds, also earned a first-period win by fall.
Earlier in the week the team traveled to Dolores, Colorado. The Buckaroos came out on top, going 5-4 in head-to-head matches.
Evan Carpenter earned two wins by fall for the team. Also earning wins by fall were Christian Hunt, Landon Shumway, and JJ Atwood.
Wrestling hard for the Buckaroos but coming up short were Diego Cortez, Bryson Adair, Hayden Peterson, and Miles Coleman.
The Buckaroos are on holiday break but will be back in action on Wednesday, January 7 for a 6 p.m. dual at Montezuma-Cortez High School and will attend the Pagosa Springs Tournament on January 9-10.