The 2017-18 all-state wrestling teams are presented by CHSAANow.com, ColoradoPreps.com and MaxPreps.
These teams were created based upon results at the state meet. Coaches and wrestlers of the year were selected by the Colorado High School Coaches Association at the state meet.
Scroll down to see the teams, or use the menu below to navigate to the class of your choosing.
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Class 5A
(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
Wrestler of the year: Jacob Greenwood, Poudre
Coach of the year: Cole Allison, Grand Junction
First team
Name
Year
School
Weight
Dawson Collins
Sophomore
Grand Junction
113
Vince Cornella
Freshman
Monarch
106
Gabe Dinette
Senior
Lakewood
160
Jacob Greenwood
Senior
Poudre
145
Malik Heinselman
Senior
Castle View
120
Josiah Rider
Senior
Grand Junction
152
Theorius Robison
Junior
Pomona
132
Christian Rowell
Senior
Adams City
170
Tate Samuelson
Senior
Castle View
182
Fabian Santillan
Junior
Grandview
126
Cohlton Schultz
Junior
Ponderosa
285
Mason Watt
Senior
Broomfield
220
Jayden Woodruff
Senior
Ponderosa
195
Colton Yapoujian
Junior
Pomona
138
Second team
Name
Year
School
Weight
Josh Betts
Senior
Rocky Mountain
160
Gavin Deaguero
Senior
Adams City
152
Aidan Funk
Senior
Legacy
170
Nicholas Gonzales
Senior
Adams City
126
Job Greenwood
Junior
Poudre
132
Alec Hargreaves
Sophomore
Rocky Mountain
195
Brody Lamb
Senior
Poudre
138
Seth Latham
Senior
Grand Junction
182
Adrian Marquez
Junior
Castle View
113
Dylan Martinez
Senior
Grand Junction
145
Weston Mayer
Senior
Poudre
285
Justin Pacheco
Junior
Pomona
120
Hunter Tobiasson
Junior
Grand Junction
220
Wyatt Yapoujian
Sophomore
Pomona
106
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Class 4A
(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
Wrestler of the year: Andrew Alirez, Greeley Central
DENVER – The back-and-forth nature of the chase for the Class 4A wrestling team championship had everyone on edge Saturday night.
Pueblo County, Pueblo East and Windsor engaged in a steady battle of one-upmanship at Pepsi Center for much of the evening, each trying to stake its claim to the grand prize.
It ultimately came down to the final matches of the night. With Windsor holding onto a 5.5-point lead, the Wizards were able to survive late victories from Pueblo County and Pueblo East to win their first state championship since 2012.
“It’s been crazy. It’s been fun though,” said Windsor sophomore Isaiah Salazar, whose pin at 170 pounds gave Windsor its first team lead. “There’s nothing else I would want. I wouldn’t want a blowout, and I wouldn’t want it the other way around. I want a tough fight.”
Windsor won three of its four title matches Saturday, getting bonus points from a technical fall and a pin to finish with 159.5 points. Pueblo East finished second with 159 points on the strength of an Andy Garcia pin at heavyweight; Pueblo County placed third with 158 points and two individual titles.
Windsor trailed East by nine points coming into Saturday night’s championship round. Wizards coach Monte Trusty believed his team always had a chance to fight its way back, but it still took those extra points for Windsor to hoist the trophy at the end of the night.
“We didn’t speak of that. I told all the guys ‘take care of yourself first,’” Trusty said. “You take care of your goal and you, and if there’s some chances there, then you can try helping the team out that way.”
Salazar was the one who put Windsor over the top. The sophomore – who won a title in 3A with Eaton as a freshman – pinned Pueblo County’s Jayson Davis in two minutes, 57 seconds.
“I just want to help out my team as much as I can,” Salazar said. “I knew I needed to get the win and getting an opportunity to get the fall. That would help us.”
That came after the Wizards captured victories at 113 and 126 pounds. Will VomBaur took a nail-biter over Pueblo East’s Andrew Lucero with a 3-2 victory in the ultimate tiebreaker.
(Marlee Smith/CHSAANow.com)
Sophomore Dominick Serrano gave Windsor some much-needed bonus points with a 24-7 victory by technical fall over Pueblo East’s Ryan Roth at 126. Serrano (37-0) earned his second title after going undefeated as a freshman as well.
VomBaur’s title – his second in three years – was bittersweet given that his younger brother, freshman Vance, lost in the final seconds of the 120-pound final to Discovery Canyon’s Patrick Allis.
“Each state tournament is the new most important moment of my wrestling career. I won my second title and I was the happiest I’ve ever been,” Will VomBaur said. “I was excited to watch my brother, and I was really hoping he could be here with me.
“We’ve been talking about this moment forever, and it just really hurts that he couldn’t join me. But I’m really proud of him and the way he wrestled.”
Allis gave up a late takedown to Vance VomBaur to fall behind by one point late in the third period, but was awarded a point after the freshman locked his hands. Allis escaped the hold in the final seconds for a 5-4 decision.
“I heard my coaches scream ‘get one, get one!’” Allis said. “I saw locked hands called and knew it was my chance to end it fast and not go to overtime. I got my quick one, just hung out and finally got my title.”
Will VomBaur had to ride it out in the ultimate tiebreaker after both he and Lucero picked up a point in the first tiebreaker.
The final was a rematch of the 2016 championship at 106 pounds.
“I really feel bad for him, to lose like that in a rideout,” VomBaur said. “It was his last year and I really feel for him, but that’s the sport of wrestling. It’s hard and it’s unfair sometimes.”
Perhaps the most emotional moment of the night belonged to Cheyenne Mountain senior Mike McFadden, who defeated Pueblo County’s Jaxon Garoutte 7-2 in the first tiebreaker.
McFadden sobbed as he embraced his teammates and coaches in the tunnels after the match.
“That life-long dream just came true,” McFadden said. “I wanted that so bad. When I got back to my hotel room last night, all I could think about was getting my hand raised at the end of tonight, and it happened.”
McFadden finished sixth as a freshman and fourth as a sophomore. He made it to the finals a year ago but placed second, leaving him one last opportunity to grab a championship. McFadden cradled Garoutte in the first tiebreaker to give him all the advantage he needed.
“When he tri-podded up, I saw the leg there so I just grabbed it,” McFadden said. “Even if I didn’t the turn I knew he wasn’t getting away.”
Pueblo County junior Brendon Garcia and Greeley Central junior Andrew Alirez put themselves into position to join the elite four-time champion club next year. Garcia defeated Pueblo Centennial’s Jacob Gonzales 7-5 in the sudden victory round at 106 pounds to claim his third consecutive crown.
Alirez dominated on his way to his third title, posting a 19-8 major decision at 145 pounds over Canon City’s Zac Hanenberg.
Air Academy senior Jason Hanenberg, Longmont’s Drake Engelking, Palisade’s Terrance Williams and Fort Morgan’s Dylan McBride brought home their first state titles. Hanenberg scored a last-second reversal to defeated Pueblo County’s Aaden Valdez 2-1 at 132 pounds.
Engelking posted an 8-2 decision over Thompson Valley’s Hunter Williams at 160. Williams survived a late comeback at 182 from Pueblo East’s Zion Freeman for an 8-7 decision. McBride earned a 9-5 decision over Mountain View’s Braden Barker at 195.
Pueblo County senior Dante Garcia closed his prep career out with his second title in three years. Garcia scored a takedown with 39 seconds remaining to defeat Pueblo East’s Dominic Robles 3-2.
The newly-created early signing period for Division I football recruits is here.
Wednesday marks the start of a three-day window where those athletes who are headed to Division I schools can sign.
Previously, all football recruits coming out of high school could only sign on the first Wednesday in February. That date remains as the regular signing period, and goes from Feb. 7, 2018 to April 1, 2018.
So far, Colorado’s Class of 2018 features 19 Division I football recruits, including 18 headed to FBS schools and one headed to an FCS program. Not all of that group will sign during the early period, as some will sign in February 2018, and others who have committed to service academies won’t complete the appointment process until next summer.
Included in that total are three players who have signed to both CU and CSU, and four with Wyoming.
Find a complete list of 2018 football recruits in this database.
Confirmed to have signed so far on Wednesday:
Ray Robinson, Highlands Ranch, with CU.
Chad Muma, Legend, with Wyoming.
Blake Stenstrom, Valor Christian, with CU.
Dimitri Stanley, Cherry Creek, with CU.
Issac Power, Ponderosa, with Baylor.
Florian McCann, Mullen, with CSU.
Trey McBride, Fort Morgan, with CSU.
Zach Watts, Windsor, with Wyoming.
Cameron Murray, Overland, with Wyoming.
A’Jon Vivens, Mullen, with CSU.
Adrian Jackson, Mullen, with Oregon.
Gunner Gentry, Grandview, with Wyoming.
Tate Wildeman, Legend, with Nebraska.
Willy Boatman, Kent Denver, with Northwestern.
Here’s a breakdown of Colorado’s football recruits in recent years:
Three local players opted to stay in-state and sign with Colorado State during football’s early signing period on Wednesday.
Fort Morgan’s Trey McBride and Mullen teammates A’Jon Vivens and Florian McCann III all signed National Letters of Intent with the Rams on Wednesday, the first day of the new early signing period for Division I football recruits. All three are seniors, and make up three of the 19 Division I recruits from Colorado so far.
Each of the three were named first-team All-State in their respective classifications.
The trio weren’t the only three to stay local: Highlands Ranch’s Ray Robinson, Valor Christian’s Blake Stenstrom, and Cherry Creek Dimitri Stanley all signed with the University of Colorado.
(Katie Pickrell/CHSAANow.com)
McBride, a tight end, is a three-sport athlete for Fort Morgan, playing baseball and basketball in addition to football. This past season, McBride had three total touchdowns, and 450 receiving yards on 30 catches in being named first team All-State in Class 3A.
As a junior, McBride caught 11 touchdown passes. In his career, he accounted for 31 total touchdowns.
“Trey is an unbelievable athlete,” Colorado State coach Mike Bobo said during the Rams’ Signing Day show. “For two years in a row, he’s been one of the best performers at our camp. I think he has a huge upside as a tight end. … He’s got a chance to be a really, really good player for us.”
Vivens accounted for 11 total touchdowns last season for Mullen in playing wide receiver and running back. He had 39 catches and 557 yards for six scores receiving, and also rushed 95 times for 705 yards and five scores.
“A’Jon is a special player,” Bobo said. “He’s a little bit of a do-everything type of player. He’s what I like to call a football player. He’s not just a receiver. He was a guy that (Mullen) coach (Tom) Thenell tried to get the ball in his hands, and that’s what you look for when you’re looking for a skill player: How do they use him? Do they try to use him and get the ball in his hands?”
“The thing I love about A’Jon is his toughness, his willingness to block, his willingness to put his face on somebody,” Bobo said. “He plays hard without the football.”
McCann, meanwhile, is a 6-foot-5, 280-pound tackle. He helped Mullen’s offense rush for 1,912 yards and 19 touchdowns, and throw for another 1,866 and 15 touchdowns.
“Florian is a guy that came to camp. We had not offered him a scholarship yet, and convinced him to come to camp and try to earn his scholarship,” Bobo said. “We had a lot of guys here from in-state that were really good offensive linemen, and Florian came and performed extremely well, and we offered him after that camp.”
Find a complete list of 2018 football recruits in this database.
The 2017 all-state football teams are presented by CHSAANow.com, ColoradoPreps.com and MaxPreps.
These teams were created following a lengthy process which included nominations from leagues, and then a vote of head coaches across the state.
Players were placed onto the first-team, second-team and honorable mention based upon the number of votes they received. In 5A-1A, spots were reserved for linemen and one kicker/punter, while 8-man reserved spots for linemen.
CHSAA does not determine who makes or doesn’t make the team; they are created entirely from the results of the coaches’ vote.
Roosevelt football beat Berthoud on Friday night in a key Class 3A matchup.
For starters, it was a top-10 win, with the No. 5 Roughriders topping the No. 8 Spartans. Second, it was a win in the Class 3A Tri-Valley League, which is probably the best league in the state regardless of classification. Third, Roosevelt is now 5-2.
But most importantly: It helped the Roughriders move up in the 3A RPI standings from No. 13 to No. 8.
Roosevelt rallied from down 12-7 to take a 15-12 lead at halftime, and led 22-12 after three quarters.
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2A: (6) Sterling 56, Fort Lupton 28
Sterling quarterback Bodie Hume threw six touchdowns in the first half of Sterling’s 56-28 win over Fort Lupton. That ties the state record.
Hume finished with seven touchdowns; he only played one series in the second half.
The six touchdowns in a half are now tied for the most in state history. Hume is the seventh player to do that. His seven touchdown passes are tied for the fifth-most in state history.
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4A: (10) Skyline 70, Greeley Central 44
Skyline junior Jeremy Hollingsworth rushed for six touchdowns and more than 350 yards in a wild win over Greeley Central. He now has scored 26 touchdowns this season.
The Falcons are 6-1 this season.
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3A: Fort Morgan 17, (6) Silver Creek 7
Fort Morgan not only pulled off the upset, but moved to 2-0 in the Northern League. Both conference wins followed a three-game losing streak.
“We changed it up this week,” Mustangs coach Harrison Chisum told the Colorado Preps Scoreboard Show. “We had a lot of competitions and a lot more fun in practice, and it kind of helped with our energy level.”
Donovan Moya had an interception return for a score to help Fort Morgan win on Friday.
“He’s a competitor, and that was a huge pick-six to start the second half,” Chisum said.
Both teams are now 4-3 this season.
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6-man: (1) Stratton/Liberty 63, (3) Otis 6
The Knighted Eagles are 7-0 after this latest win.
“We’re really excited about the win, an really excited about the way we’ve been playing,” coach Toby Kechter told the Scoreboard Show.
Kechter praised his line.
“The kids just blocked their hearts out,” he said. “The effort’s just been great.”
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Notables:
Highlands Ranch, ranked No. 9 in 5A, is now 6-1 after beating Fountain-Fort Carson 38-24. “Our guys overcame some penalties and a couple of turnovers, and played really well tonight to overcome those things,” interim coach David May told the Scoreboard Show.
The Falcons will face No. 1 Valor Christian next week. The Eagles are now 7-0 after a 41-7 win over Lakewood. Luke McCaffrey had three total touchdowns, including a kickoff return for a score. Valor has won 17 games in a row.
Sedgwick County, top-ranked in 8-man, rolled to a 57-14 win over Merino. Sedgwick County is now 7-0 and has won 17-straight games.
8-man No. 5 Haxtun rebounded from a loss to beat No. 10 Caliche 38-20.
6-man No. 4 Peetz also rebounded from a loss by topping No. 10 Fleming 39-26. Tre Fehringer threw three touchdown passes for the Bulldogs.
2A No. 4 La Junta won its rivalry game with Lamar, winning 40-0 in the Whistle Game.
In 6-man, Sierra Grande is now 6-1 after shutting out Aguilar 60-0. Five different players had rushing touchdowns, including two each from Dakota Aragon and Dylan Milner.
South Park has matched its win total from last season after beating Pikes Peak Christian 30-6. The Burros are 4-3 in 6-man.
Wins No. 322 for coaches Scott Yates (Kent Denver) and Chris Brown (West Grand). Kent Denver, No. 1 in 2A, beat Englewood 38-0. West Grand, No. 2 in 8-man, beat Rangely 46-0.
In 4A, Rampart got an important 17-13 win over Montrose to move to 2-0 in the Pikes Peak League.
Jaylen Thomas rushed for 243 yards and three scores as Vista Ridge beat Coronado 35-14 in another 4A Pikes Peak matchup.
Austin Coalson helped Eaton improved to 5-2 this season with two touchdown passes in the team’s 46-6 win over The Academy.
Dakota Key rushed for three touchdowns and Alec Lewis threw for two as Legacy beat Aurora Central 44-0 in 5A. Legacy is 4-3.
