Trojans Shuffle Lineup, Roll Past Otero Behind Bonus-Point Surge
December 17, 2025
The Colby Community College wrestling team continued to show its depth and adaptability Wednesday night in La Junta Colorado, earning a convincing dual victory over Otero Junior College despite being short a pair of starters in the lineup. Forced to shuffle several weights, the Trojans responded with an aggressive performance, winning eight of the ten contested bouts and piling up bonus points to pull away early and often to a 45-11 win.
Colby set the tone immediately, even in matches that did not fall in its favor. At 125 pounds, Otero’s Gabe Hardin earned a technical fall over Tate Blackwill, but the Trojans quickly answered back as the dual progressed. From that point forward, Colby seized control of the momentum and never let it slip.
Luis Vasquez got the Trojans on the board at 133 pounds with a solid decision victory over Robert Ortiz, edging out a 10-5 win to keep the dual tight early. Sebastian Rodriguez followed at 141 with a forfeit, swinging the match in Colby’s favor and allowing the Trojans to establish an early lead.
Once the middle weights began, Colby turned the dual into a bonus-point showcase. Scotty Engle delivered a first-period fall at 149 pounds against Kevin Cisneros, igniting the Trojan bench and setting the stage for a dominant stretch. Jovanny Arellanes kept the pressure on at 157, recording another fall over Riley Robinson to extend Colby’s lead.
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Otero briefly answered back at 165 pounds, where Sullivan Deherrera pinned Ayden Wohlgemuth, but Colby responded immediately. Robert Cazares stepped on the mat at 174 pounds and wasted no time, earning a fall over Chris Galicia to swing the momentum firmly back in the Trojans’ direction.
The bonus-point parade continued at 184 pounds, as Gunner Owens recorded a fall over Jordan Harris, further separating Colby on the scoreboard. Perhaps the most notable performance of the night came at 197 pounds, where Savieon Garrison moved up multiple weight classes from 133 pounds and still delivered.
A defining moment of the night, where Garrison delivered a performance that embodied the Trojans’ mindset and identity. Garrison wasted no time setting the pace, pushing a relentless tempo from the opening whistle and wearing down his opponent throughout the first period.
As the match progressed, Colby’s conditioning and composure became the difference. The “shape” the Trojans emphasize in practice showed itself, as Garrison continued to apply pressure and refuse to slow the match down. His grit and determination ultimately paid off when he secured the pin, swinging valuable bonus points to Colby and further separating the Trojans on the scoreboard.
Head coach Joseph Cornejo said Garrison’s willingness to step into an unfamiliar role speaks volumes about both his character and the program’s culture. Cornejo noted that Garrison will do anything asked of him, even putting his body on the line by jumping up to 197 pounds when the lineup required it.
The performance reinforced a core belief within the Trojan room. Size, weight, experience, singlet, or school affiliation do not change the approach. Every opponent is wrestled the same way, with full effort from the opening whistle to the final seconds. Garrison’s match served as a textbook example of that philosophy, giving everything for the full seven minutes and setting the standard for his teammates to follow.
The heavyweight bout at 285 pounds sealed the dual, as Robert Tatum closed the night with another fall over Xander Wills, punctuating Colby’s dominant run and pushing the team total to an insurmountable margin.
Head coach Joseph Cornejo said the night was a clear example of the team’s competitive mindset and willingness to adjust on the fly. “Honestly, we were down a couple starters so we shifted some guys around in the lineup,” Cornejo said. “We are very competitive coaches as is our team, so we will do whatever it takes to put the right guys on the mat to compete.”
Cornejo was especially pleased with the Trojans’ focus on bonus points, an emphasis he said has been a consistent message in the room. “We won eight of ten matches, six of them by fall,” he said. “We preach bonus points and not giving up bonus points all the time. Very happy with where we are at, but we will continue to get better.”
For Cornejo, Garrison’s performance stood out above the rest. “Our MVP of the night goes to Savieon Garrison as we moved him up from 133 and got the fall for us in the dual at 197,” he said.
With the lineup flexibility on display and multiple wrestlers stepping up for falls, the Trojans left the mat encouraged by both the result and the process, continuing to build momentum as they move deeper into the season.