Southern Ute Drum
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Spotlight on sports: 3 full pages of coverage! Pages 6-8 WINNER OF FOUR NATIVE AMERICAN JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION AWARDS IN 2010 Vol. XLIII • No. 4 • February 25, 2011 Ignacio, Colorado • 81137-0737 Bulk Rate - U.S. Postage Permit No. 1 Inside State declares Feb. 18 Council The Drum Southern Ute Recognition Day looks to Update 2 By Amy Barry Culture 3 The Southern Ute Drum move Health 4 On a brisk Friday morning, the Southern Ute Indian Tribal forward Education 5 Council welcomed tribal member- Sports 6-8 ship, employees, and the commu- Media Release nity to a historic event at the Multi- Southern Ute Indian Tribe Voices 9 purpose Facility at Ute Park. Feb. 18 marked the proclama- The Southern Ute Indian Notices 10 tion of Southern Ute Indian Tribal Council met Feb. 11 to move Classified 11 Tribe Recognition Day in the forward follow- state of Colorado by Gov. John ing the Feb. 10 Back Page 12 Hickenlooper. Colorado Lt. resignation of Gov. Joe Garcia was in Ignacio Chairman for the event, which tribal elder Matthew J. Box. Pearl Casias kicked off with an “The recent invocation. days and weeks “It is a honor to be here before have been diffi- my people, to gather for such a cult and unfor- Newton historic event as Southern Utes,” tunate for the she said. tribal membership, the tribal The Southern Ute Veterans organization and the Tribe as a Association then provided the photo Dana Kopf/Southern Ute MIS Dept. whole,” said Acting Chairman color guard as drum group 12 The Southern Ute Tribal Council and Colorado Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia recognized the Jimmy R. Newton, Jr., who was Gauge sang an honor song. Southern Ute Royalty for their contributions Feb. 18 during what the state declared appointed by the Tribal Council Recognition page 3 Southern Ute Indian Tribe Recognition Day. Council page 3 Pena becomes charter member ‘Animal’ proves mettle on fight night By Joel Priest of IHS’s 3-crown club Special to the Drum By Joel Priest Pablo Picasso gained fame Special to the Drum for interpreting civil war in his 1937 mural “Guernica.” It was a simple move, but one As fate would have it, a suit- that could live in Ignacio annals ably-named middleweight almost under a Hollywood nickname. singlehandedly triggered a small- Call it “The Great Escape.” scale skirmish inside Sky Ute Starting in the down position, Casino Resort’s Events Center, with a good fraction of the fighting against a crowd favorite announced crowd numbering Feb. 12. 17,000-plus watching the Class Two bouts before on the 2A mat, Bobcat 119-pounder aptly-dubbed “Battle of the Alex Pena twisted up and out of Rockies” card, the fans’ collec- Clay Seeman’s grasp, putting the tive ire was inflamed when Baca County sophomore down their selection for the lone title 1-zip just seconds into the sec- belt at stake lost via split deci- ond period. sion. But the ringside rowdies But when Seeman started began flinging incendiaries at down to begin the third, he’d will during the war of words have needed Charles Bronson’s escalating inside the ropes tunneling talents to creep out between Bernardo Guereca (El from under, and Steve Paso, Texas) and Joe Gomez McQueen’s motorcycle skills to (Aztec, N.M.). flee Pena, who never let him go. Pushing matters to the brink, And just like that, when Act 3 the regional hero lost by unani- of last Saturday night’s thriller in mous decision. Denver concluded, the score Luckily, the cavalry arrived in hadn’t changed but Pena’s life Bout 7 to restore order. photo Joel Priest/Special to the Drum had. Besides winning his 100th His name? Ignacio’s Elco Elco Garcia (left) leads into an attack with a jab against career match in methodical man- Garcia, a unanimous winner Patrick Thompson during “Battle of the Rockies” Feb. 12 at Sky ner – more akin to the movie’s himself after a hard-hitting eight- Ute Casino Resort’s Events Center. British intelligence officer round main event, in which the MacDonald, rather than the angered rooters – who nearly stopped cold. He went down on last defeat, in 2009 and long aforementioned stars’ extreme photo Joel Priest/Special to the Drum packed the venue to capacity – a slip early in Round 6, but kept before Garcia, came from one he characters – Pena joined the list For a third time in three seasons, Ignacio’s Alex Pena had his virtually booed his enemy back trading shots and even bruised forgot: Ronald Hearns (26-1, 20 of grapplers (and became the hand raised after the last match on the last day of the last tour- to his base in Denver. That was Garcia under his right eye. KO), son of legendary “Hitman” first on IHS’s list) to win three nament, the State Wrestling Championships inside Denver’s before the two men’s mutual Nothing Garcia wouldn’t Thomas Hearns (61-5-1, 48 KO). prep championships. Pepsi Center. On Feb. 19, in front of a crowd numbering over bombings even began. expect, however, and not “I thank Patrick; I’d gotten Former Bobcat head coach Chris 17,000 fans, Pena defeated Baca County’s Clay Seeman 1-0 to enough to sway the judges’ real depressed because I was deKay was the first Cat to have win the Class 2A 119-pound division. Pat punches, but “Animal” scores: 80-71, 78-73, 78-73 for supposed to fight in New York, ever have won two (1987, ’88), and lunches “The Animal.” signed a contract, then every- Austin Zufelt also later (1998, ’99) chose to make them. First he dead giveaway. Cranking up the pace in “I thought he was too strong. thing fell through,” said Garcia booked the accomplishment prior doubled up Yuma sophomore Pena, a junior, hung loose and Round 2 against Lincoln, Neb., When I got on the inside, he’d tie (24-7, 12 KO). “And then I to Pena’s emergence. Marcus Seifert, 8 to 4. Then he tough to finish with a 34-2 product Patrick Thompson, me up – wasn’t allowed to work signed a contract to fight in Key And with now only five losses pulled out a one-point squeaker record, while Seeman went 37-6. Garcia showed how happy he the inside,” said Thompson (16- West, Florida … ESPN main – pat your backs, gents – all in the quarterfinals against He was just 14-10 as a freshman, was to be back in action. Scoring 16-1, 6 KO). “I felt if I could get event against Peter Manfredo Jr. 34,000-plus eyes inside the Rocky Ford freshman Adam but might find the loss to a knockdown with a big right a good combination, I could … (37-6, 20 KO), and the week of Pepsi Center will follow him in Baca, 6 to 5. His semifinal victo- Ignacio’s best educational. To hand, Thompson received a get him off his game plan, but the fight they called me: ‘We 2012, as he’ll be the favorite to ry over Denver Lutheran junior wit: Holly junior Robert Darnell, standing-eight from referee when I’d hit his arms or anything chose somebody else instead of become Colorado’s 17th four- Drew Greer was a little more Pena’s first championship victim, Stephen Blea just before the bell. my shots just ricocheted. He’s a you.’ So I got really upset, did- time king. certain, judging by the 8-2 ver- finally won a title last weekend It also rang just in time to save good fighter.” n’t train. I don’t make excuses In winning all four of his bouts dict, but still: no major deci- after also having taken second in him again in Round 3. Thompason said his opponent for this fight, trained two at the 76th Colorado High sions, no tech falls, and no pins. 2010 (though not behind Pena). “I knew he was a tough fight- was “definitely the strongest, tal- weeks. … I was thankful I got School State Wrestling Still, CHSAA’s brass must Baca (37-11) finished in third er, a warrior, not someone I ent-wise.” this fight.” Championships, Pena also did have had a hunch; copies of the place, beating Greer (20-5) 9 to could walk over,” Garcia said. “Or at least top-five. There’s The Garcia-Manfredo bout something relatively few cham- Colorado State Wrestling 3. Seifert (17-8) did not place, “He has a lot of experience. Pawel [Wolak; 28-1, 18 KO], would have anchored a Jan. 14 pions do: He didn’t stick any of Records and Champions packet ousted by Pena’s San Juan Basin He’ll do damage to anybody Martirosyan [Vanes; 28-0, 17 KO], card featuring another icon’s off- his opponents. available on press row featured, League foe, Dove Creek’s Cole around the Four Corners.” much stronger than John Duddy spring: Aaron Pryor Jr. (15-3, 11 But in true Alex Pena style – though few recognized it, a shot Baughman (35-10), who ended Including Garcia. Thompson [now 29-2, 18 KO] … trying to KO), son of Aaron “The Hawk” remember the triple-OT win in of Pena on the cover. in sixth. kept punching, was cautioned to think of my toughest, but that’s a Pryor (39-1, 35 KO). the 119 finals last year? – he His “hang loose” hand gesture keep his blows up, and did plen- nice class of names right there.” made every move count when he of victory should have been a Pena page 6 ty to ensure he wouldn’t be This praise from a man whose Boxing page 6 February 25, 2011 Update Waini (2) News in brief IGNACIO Hay for sale The Southern Ute Bison Program has 500 bales Ignacio High School building sheds for sale of grass hay cut in 2010 for sale at $5 per bale.