Pomona senior Brandon Micale, left, is lifted off the mat by Lakewood junior Hayden Still on Tuesday night. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
ARVADA — Pomona senior Brandon Micale doesn’t dread wrestling opponents that outweigh him by 60 to 65 pounds, his math homework he must tackle is another story.
“Differential equations and linear algebra,” Micale said when asked about what is on his homework plate after Tuesday’s dual against Lakewood. “It’s some hard stuff. It makes wrestling seem a little easier for sure.”
Micale made the difficult jump a few weeks ago from wrestling at 220 to 285. The multi-sport athlete who is looking at playing football at the college level has been impressive winning heavyweight titles at both the Arvada West and Top of the Rockies invitationals the past two weekends.
Tuesday on Senior Night at Pomona High School, Micale continued his roll with a 8-2 victory over Lakewood junior Hayden Still. While Micale is ranked No. 3 in the Class 5A heavyweight class by the current On the Mat rankings done by Tim Yount, Still is No. 6.
Lakewood junior Gabe Dinette is eyeing to become a 2-time state champion. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“It’s 275 pounds off your chest, literally. It’s pretty exciting,” Micale said of getting wins in the heavyweight class. “It’s an ongoing process that I need to keep working on. I’m getting some really quality matches.”
Micale has also been busy this winter with recruiting trips. He is actually heading to Baltimore, Maryland this weekend to visit John Hopkins University. Micale has also made trips to Chicago, San Diego and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
The senior said he wants to find a great fit for him athletically and academically.
“I know what he is capable of doing,” Pomona coach Sam Federico said of Micale who missed last year’s state tournament because of a bout of ringworm. “He is a competitor and an athlete. He wrestles to his strengths very well. It’s good to see. He is a savvy guy. He’ll do just fine.”
The Panthers did just fine winning their final home dual of the season 51-28. Seniors Jason Romero (160), Nolan Krone (170), Logan Rioah (182), Angelo Arellano (220) and Micale led the way. Wyatt Yapoujian (106) and Brandan Taylor (126) also snagged victories for top-ranked team in 5A.
Tuesday was the first of two duals for the Panthers this week. Pomona heads south to Pueblo on Thursday, Jan. 26, to face Pueblo County. The Hornets are the top-ranked team in 4A.
“It will be a fun dual, win or lose,” Federico said. “Within that dual there are going to be a lot of great matches. We’ll improve with it and so will they. It’s good for both teams.”
Pomona senior Nolan Krone works on a 2nd period pin. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Pomona heads out of state this weekend taking wrestlers to Garden City, Kansas for a tournament. The Panthers close out their regular season with a dual against rival Arvada West at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2. Pomona is slotted for the 5A Region 1 tournament Friday and Saturday, Feb. 10 and 11, at Fountain-Fort Carson High School.
Lakewood had some highlights of its own Tuesday night. Rylan Morgan (145), Gabe Dinette (152) and Jake Debruyn (195) all won their matches for the Tigers.
Dinette is attempting to repeat as a state champion and is currently ranked No. 1 in his weight class. He took a 14-1 victory over No. 7 ranked Pomona’s Xavier Herrera.
“I felt good. Just have to keep getting better and keep going stronger,” Dinette said. “I was fine with the match. I could have done more. I’ll keep working.”
Dinette has missed some time this season with an injury, but has just a single loss on the season heading into regionals in a few weeks.
“Just training good and trusting in the Lord to stay healthy. I’m training smart and wrestling tough,” Dinette said. “I’m looking forward to state and after state nationals. Just keep competing and doing well.”
Lakewood is slated to be at the Les Mattocks Invite at Lincoln High School on Saturday, Jan. 28, before closing out its dual schedule at Bear Creek on Thursday, Feb. 2. The Tigers will be at the 5A Region 2 tournament in a few weeks at Legacy High School in Broomfield.
“Not at all,” Dinette said when asked if he has looked at some of his potential regional opponents. “I just wrestling who they put out in front of me.”
Lakewood’s Rylan Morgan, top, scored a 1st-period pin of Pomona’s Angelo Hernandez on Tuesday night. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)