The implications of the success the Manitou Springs girls wrestling team is experiencing this season will be felt beyond this season.
Girls wrestling in Colorado was first sanctioned by the Colorado High School Activities Association back in the 2020-21 season so the sport itself is still relatively new. Which is why having three girls finding consistent success through the course of the year can serve as a big foundation for the what the program standards could be in future years.
“I really hope so,” coach Paul Bonner said. “These three girls have all been wrestling since middle school. We have two new girls who are freshmen who are also showing a lot of promise and dedication.”
The Mustangs competed at the Arvada Invitational on Jan. 4 and the trio of Alex Traenkle, Kara Donegan and Abbie Reeves all finished in the top three of their respective brackets.
Donegan was the one champion at the tournament after battled her into the 140-pound final to beat Arvada’s Samaya Carreon in a 5-4 tiebreaker. A close match at that level is experience that she’ll be able to draw on in the coming weeks.
“I think she’s certainly stepped it up a notch,” Bonner said. “Instead of being a younger athlete and getting pinned [in that situation] she’s now a senior coming into her own and realizing that she can hang with anyone in the state. I think her [quarterfinal] match was won by a point or two as well. It’s a big confidence booster.”
Traenkle was dominant in her run to the 120-pound championship match. She won by decision in her first match then rattled off three straight pins – all coming in the first period – to reach the final. She was pinned by Brighton’s Kiahna Spellman to take second.
Reeves actually stumbled early as she lost to Pomona’s Timberly Martinez in the quarterfinals. But she rallied to win her next four matches to take third place.
“Because of the seeding criteria for that tournament, the girls had to have a minimum of 12 matches,” Bonner said. “Ideally, we match up with Timberly in the finals, but we drew her early. We wanted that experience anyways and Abby has the right mindset when she’s not worried about what place she takes.”
The boys were also at Arvada and came away with more mat experience which is the main priority for them this season. Kyle Clark grabbed a win by beating Mountain Range’s Issak Garcia on a 25-8 technical fall.
The boys will head to Denver South this weekend while the girls will stay local and take on tough competition at the Vista Ridge Alpha Female Invite.
