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Tag: Arvada West

  • Bear Creek’s Garcia ready for one last match in 5A wrestling

    DENVER — Three years ago P.T. Garcia saw his freshman foray into the Class 5A state wrestling tournament end with a one-point loss in the state finals.

    What followed was a lesson in focus, and it led to back-to-back state titles for the Bear Creek standout. On Friday evening at Pepsi Center, Garcia moved to within one victory of joining an elite club of three-time state champions.

    “I have so many memories here,” Garcia said from the bowels of Pepsi Center after defeating Pomona freshman Jason Romero by technical fall, 17-1, in the 132-pound semifinals. “They’re all just kind of flooding back, all the way from my freshman year.”

    Garcia (35-0) will go for the three-peat in the finals Saturday night. The Bears senior will be matched up with Greeley West senior Adrian DeLaCruz, who defeated Ponderosa’s Devin House 5-2.

    There will also be the added bonus of having teammate Jaysen Yacobson joining him in the finals. Yacobson defeated Horizon’s Jackson Huffman 4-3 and will face Pomona’s Josh Rosales.

    Garcia expects there will be a flood of emotions once the Parade of Champions begins.

    “I’m going to sit down on the mat and look up and just realize where I am and how great that is and how much of an opportunity that is,” he said. “This year I get to have my good friend that I’ve been wrestling with since I was five years old.”

    Arvada West moved ever closer to capturing its first 5A state championship since 1992. The Wildcats advanced four individuals into the finals and are leading the field with 121 points. Cherry Creek, which has brothers Matt (113 pounds), Mitch (126) and Zach Finesilver (132) in the finals, is second with 73.5 points, followed by Ponderosa with 70.

    Junior Jimmy Rothwell pinned his way into the 138-pound final against Zach Finesilver. Arvada West’s Payton Tawater and Ponderosa’s Torry Williams will battle at 145; Tony Silva-Bussey meets Mountain Vista’s Dylan Formby at 170; and Devin Rothrock takes on Fossil Ridge’s Payton Tapia at 195.

    Silva-Bussey pinned both of his opponents Friday to move into his first title match.

    “I tried picturing this moment, going to the finals, making it there,” he said. “I never thought it would feel like this. I’m just so excited right now.”

    Even though the team championship is within the Wildcats’ grasp, Silva-Bussey and his teammates remain focused on Saturday’s matches first and foremost.

    “Right now we’re just focusing on individual stuff,” he said. “If the team title comes, then it comes. Until we get to that point, we’re mainly just focusing on individual stuff and seeing what we can do there.”

    A handful of wrestlers will be aiming to defend their 2013 titles. Mitch Finesilver and Coronado’s Jess Hankin, both of who took first a year ago, will battle at 126 pounds. Grand Junction’s Jacob Trujillo (160), Ponderosa’s Dylan Gabel (182) and Regis Jesuit’s Grant Neal (220) also are back in the finals. Mountain Range’s Jorge Rodriguez, a 2012 titlist, is in the 285-pound final against Chaparral’s Dane Drimmer. Both wrestlers have pinned their way through the tournament.

    Three previously undefeated wrestlers were knocked off Friday, including top-seeded Roman Ortiz of Rocky Mountain. Gateway’s Deyaun Trueblood scored a takedown to break a 1-1 tie and withstood a late stalling penalty for the 3-2 decision over Ortiz at 152 pounds.

    “Three or four days ago I wasn’t feeling too confident. I was beating up on myself,” Trueblood said. “But with the atmosphere here – I feel great. Nobody expects the regional runner-up to beat the No. 1 seed.”

    The sophomore placed sixth at state as a freshman and while he was understandably emotional Friday, Trueblood understands there is still one more match before he can truly celebrate. Next up is Fountain Fort-Carson’s Rashawn Benford.

    “I’m not accomplished yet,” he said. “It’s not over yet – not until you’re at the top of the podium.”

  • Returning champ Hankin under-the-radar in 5A wrestling tourney

    State wrestling
    More photos. (Tim Visser/TimVisserPhotography.com)

    DENVER — It’s not exactly a common scenario for a defending state champion to be flying under the radar, but Coronado junior Jess Hankin may be doing exactly that.

    One year after capturing the Class 5A state title at 113 pounds, Hankin is ranked third at 126 pounds, the only 5A division to feature another defending champion in Cherry Creek’s Mitch Finesilver.

    That’s why Hankin, who kicked off his 2014 state tournament Thursday night at Pepsi Center by pinning Aurora Central’s Jonnathan Quijada in three minutes, 44 seconds, isn’t necessarily feeling the pressure that often comes with defending a title.

    “It’s really more motivation, especially seeing as how I was ranked third all year,” Hankin said. “It gives me a goal to work up to. I’m not the No. 1 guy, so it takes a lot of the pressure off as well.”

    Finesilver, who captured the 120-pound title as a junior, opened with an 11-1 major decision over Chaparral’s Dawson Cranmer. Ponderosa’s Kade Snider, the No. 2-ranked wrestler at 126, also advanced with a 7-2 decision over Fruita Monument’s Ian Konrad.

    Hankin led 9-2 in the second period of his match before securing the fall.

    “It’s not an ‘if-you-win.’ It’s a definite win,” Hankin said. “It’s not so much a confidence booster as it is just nice to get it out of the way.”

    That sentiment was a common one among the wrestlers Thursday. Each of the defending champions moved on to Friday morning’s quarterfinals, including two-time state champion P.T. Garcia at 132. The senior scored a technical fall of 22-7 over Liberty’s Grady Brewster.

    Grand Junction’s Jacob Trujillo (160), Ponderosa’s Dylan Gab el (182) and Regis Jesuit’s Grant Neal (220) also moved forward. Mountain Range’s Jorge Rodriguez (285), a 2012 state champion, needed only 19 seconds to notch a pin and advance.

    Arvada West sent eight of its 11 qualifiers into the quarterfinals to take the team lead with 24 points after the first day. Pine Creek, which advanced seven, is second with 21 points and Ponderosa is third with 19 points.

    No Wildcat was happier to be moving on than Taylor Bergquist. The junior had lost his opening match at state in overtime in each of his first two years, but Bergquist handled Ponderosa’s Tyler Turco with a 10-2 major decision at 152 pounds.

    “It was really disappointing. It’s heart-breaking,” he said of his previous state experiences. “It feels good this year to get the first one out of the way.”

    Bergquist moves on to face Boulder’s Martin Selby on Friday morning. His major decision helped to give the Wildcats an edge, especially considering it came against Ponderosa, which also sent 11 to state.

    “It’s a big boost. Any extra points you can get helps,” Bergquist said. “Ponderosa’s a tough team, and we’re tough too.”

    Legacy’s Ryan Deakin, who is undefeated this season, kept his perfect record intact with a lightning-quick pin of Rangeview’s Dominic Wenger in 28 seconds at 113 pounds.

    “It’s good to get that out of the way,” Deakin said, “but there’s still a lot of wrestling to be done.”

    It seemed almost anticlimactic to wait all day to wrestle only to spend 28 seconds on the mat, but Deakin didn’t view it that way.

    “Every time I go out there I’m just trying to go out there and dominate the kid,” Deakin said. “I turned him, so it worked out. Sometimes it doesn’t.”

    Among the other highlights from the first round included Finesilver’s three brothers joining him in the quarterfinals. Zach Finesilver notched a victory by pin at 138 pounds, and sophomore twins Josh (106) and Matt (113) also advanced.

    Denver East’s Maya Nelson, the first female to ever qualify for the 5A state tourney, notched a victory with a 13-9 decision at 120 pounds.

  • Latest On The Mat wrestling rankings released ahead of regionals

    Regionals are here. And so are the latest On The Mat wrestling rankings.

    This week brought new No. 1 teams in 4A, where Thompson Valley takes over for Broomfield, and 3A, where Valley overtakes Brush.

    Additionally, Cherry Creek bumped up from No. 5 to No. 2 in 5A, and Pomona went from No. 6 to No. 4.

    Newcomers included No. 8 Air Academy (4A), No. 9 Berthoud (4A), No. 6 Olathe (3A) and No. 10 Highland (2A).

    Complete team rankings for all classes are below.

    [divider]

    On The Mat Wrestling Rankings

    Tim Yount of On The Mat provides weekly wrestling rankings for teams and individuals in all weight classes. To see individual rankings, you can subscribe to On The Mat’s full rankings.

    To subscribe via PayPal, choose your subscription option on this page click on the corresponding PayPal button. To subscribe by mail or fax and pay by personal check, click here for a printable subscription form. Email Tim Yount at tim@onthematrankings.com with questions.

    To purchase individual weeks of the rankings (as opposed to the entire season), you will need to use the printable subscription form and pay by check. The season ranking subscriptions are offered at a discounted rate.

    [divider]
    Go to: 5A | 4A | 3A | 2A

    Class 5A
    RK TEAM PVS
    1 Arvada West 1
    2 Cherry Creek 5
    3 Rocky Mountain 2
    4 Pomona 6
    5 Ponderosa 4
    6 Pine Creek 3
    7 Mountain Range 8
    8 Chaparral 7
    9 Grand Junction 10
    10 Fruita Monument 9
    Dropped out
    None.

    Class 4A
    RK TEAM PVS
    1 Thompson Valley 2
    2 Broomfield 1
    3 Windsor 3
    4 Discovery Canyon 5
    5 Pueblo South 4
    6 Pueblo County 8
    7 Pueblo Central 7
    8 Air Academy –
    9 Berthoud –
    10 Montrose 9
    Dropped out
    Palisade (6), Mesa Ridge (10).

    Class 3A
    RK TEAM PVS
    1 Valley 2
    2 Brush 1
    3 Centauri 3
    4 Lamar 8
    5 Monte Vista 4
    6 Olathe –
    7 Dolores Huerta 6
    8 Sterling 5
    9 Fort Lupton 7
    10 Alamosa 9
    Dropped out
    Buena Vista (10).

    Class 2A
    RK TEAM PVS
    1 Paonia 1
    2 Sedgwick County/Fleming 4
    3 Meeker 2
    4 Baca County 3
    5 Rocky Ford 5
    6 Swink 9
    7 Crowley County 7
    8 Norwood 6
    9 Merino 8
    10 Highland –
    Dropped out
    Center (10).

  • On The Mat wrestling ranking released as regionals near

    Wrestling’s regular season is rapidly winding down — the final day is Saturday. With regionals set for Feb. 14-15, the picture in terms of team rankings seems clear at the moment.

    The latest On The Mat wrestling rankings were released this morning, with few changes. The most notable movement was Pine Creek going from No. 5 to No. 3 in 5A.

    Complete team rankings for all classes are below.

    [divider]

    On The Mat Wrestling Rankings

    Tim Yount of On The Mat provides weekly wrestling rankings for teams and individuals in all weight classes. To see individual rankings, you can subscribe to On The Mat’s full rankings.

    To subscribe via PayPal, choose your subscription option on this page click on the corresponding PayPal button. To subscribe by mail or fax and pay by personal check, click here for a printable subscription form. Email Tim Yount at tim@onthematrankings.com with questions.

    To purchase individual weeks of the rankings (as opposed to the entire season), you will need to use the printable subscription form and pay by check. The season ranking subscriptions are offered at a discounted rate.

    [divider]
    Go to: 5A | 4A | 3A | 2A

    Class 5A
    RK TEAM PVS
    1 Arvada West 1
    2 Rocky Mountain 2
    3 Pine Creek 5
    4 Ponderosa 3
    5 Cherry Creek 4
    6 Pomona 6
    7 Chaparral 7
    8 Mountain Range 8
    9 Fruita Monument 9
    10 Grand Junction 10
    Dropped out
    None.

    Class 4A
    RK TEAM PVS
    1 Broomfield 1
    2 Thompson Valley 2
    3 Windsor 3
    4 Pueblo South 4
    5 Discovery Canyon 5
    6 Palisade 6
    7 Pueblo Central 7
    8 Pueblo County 8
    9 Montrose 9
    10 Mesa Ridge 10
    Dropped out
    None.

    Class 3A
    RK TEAM PVS
    1 Brush 1
    2 Valley 2
    3 Centauri 3
    4 Monte Vista 4
    5 Sterling 5
    6 Dolores Huerta 6
    7 Fort Lupton 7
    8 Lamar 8
    9 Alamosa 9
    10 Buena Vista 10
    Dropped out
    None.

    Class 2A
    RK TEAM PVS
    1 Paonia 1
    2 Meeker 2
    3 Baca County 3
    4 Sedgwick County/Fleming 5
    5 Rocky Ford 4
    6 Norwood 6
    7 Crowley County 7
    8 Merino 8
    9 Swink 9
    10 Center 10
    Dropped out
    None.

  • 5A Region 4 wrestling tournament moved from Arvada West to Bear Creek

    The 5A Region 4 wrestling tournament, set to be held on Feb. 14-15, has been moved from Arvada West to Bear Creek.

    With all but one of the Arvada West wrestling coaches remaining on restriction from coaching in the postseason, the board of directors felt it was appropriate to change the regional site.

  • No. 10 Chatfield downs Arvada West boys basketball, stays in control of Jeffco League

    Chatfield Arvada West boys basketball
    Chatfield senior Andrew St. Germain, left, keeps the ball out of reach of Arvada West senior Marcus Culhane during Tuesday night’s Class 5A Jeffco League game at Chatfield High School. The Chargers won their fifth straight conference game with a 65-57 victory. (Dennis Pleuss)

    LITTLETON — Arvada West’s boys basketball team had the opportunity Tuesday night to do a favor for the rest of the Class 5A Jeffco League.

    The Wildcats’ mission: Reel in the Chatfield Chargers.

    However, Chatfield didn’t want any part of giving up its two-game lead in the loss column to the rest of its pursuers in the balanced conference. The Chargers (14-3, 9-1 in league), ranked No. 10 in this week’s CHSAANow.com 5A boys hoops poll, came away with a 65-57 home victory over A-West.

    Chatfield Arvada West boys basketball
    Chatfield senior Thomas Walker, left, looks for a way around Arvada West senior Jacob Gillan on Tuesday night. (Dennis Pleuss)

    “(A-West) was fighting for a league championship tonight, too,” said Chatfield senior Andrew St. Germain, who led the Chargers in scoring with 17 points. “They are right there in the running. It was definitely a big game for both of us.”

    The Wildcats (11-7, 7-4) were coming off a tough loss last Friday to Bear Creek. It didn’t look good early for A-West as the defending conference champions jumped out to an 8-0 lead in the first few minutes.

    Chatfield forced three early turnovers and senior Darius Reiter (14 points) scored the first six points of the game to get the Chargers going. It didn’t help matters that A-West was without guard Luke Neff. The sophomore suffered a hit to the head in the loss to Bear Creek and wasn’t in the lineup Tuesday.

    “Our press is definitely our strength. Them not having one of their great players (Luke Neff) and top ball handlers was something we had to take advantage of,” St. Germain said.

    Despite the early lead, Chatfield coach Stephen Schimpeler knew A-West’s shooting capabilities would keep the Wildcats a threat to bounce back.

    “(A-West) is so dangerous. I think they are probably the best shooting team in the state,” said Schimpeler after Chatfield’s fifth-straight win. “I didn’t see the 8-0 run we had was a big deal.”

    The Wildcats found their shooting touch from long range quickly. A-West poured in seven 3-pointers by halftime and finished with a cool dozen on the night. Junior’s Thomas Neff (21 points) and Jesse Porter (17 points) did most of the damage with five 3-pointers each.

    A-West actually pulled even with Chatfield at 34-all early in the third quarter when Porter drained a 3-pointer with 6:23 left in the quarter.

    Chatfield Arvada West boys basketball
    Arvada West junior Thomas Neff, right, drives past Chatfield senior Darius Reiter on Tuesday night. Neff had a game-high 21 points, including five 3-pointers, in the Wildcats’ second straight league loss. (Dennis Pleuss)

    “I told our guys it’s hard to beat a team when they hit 12 3-pointers on you,” Schimpeler said. “It says a lot about our guys. I was proud of how we played defensively.”

    Chatfield senior Alec Wray was key in the fourth quarter. Wray poured in nine of his 14 points in the final quarter. The Chargers were 13-for-15 from the free-throw line in the final eight minutes to keep A-West at arm’s length.

    Chatfield’s defense creating turnovers offset A-West 3-point bombardment.

    “We just have to cut way back on turnovers. We had way too many,” Thomas Neff said. “We had 13 in the first half. That is really what hurt us the whole game.”

    Ralston Valley (13-5, 8-3) and Dakota Ridge (12-5, 7-3) are the closest threat to catching Chatfield in the league standings with a handful of conference games remaining.

    “Coach (Schimpeler) keeps saying we control our own fate,” St. Germain said. “That’s definitely a good position to be in, but we’ve got some big games coming up that we are all looking forward to.”

    Chatfield will have a quick turnaround. The Chargers host Bear Creek at 7 p.m. Wednesday. A-West’s next conference game will also be at home. The Wildcats host Standley Lake at 7 p.m. Friday.

    “Our league is about as good as it has been top to bottom in a long time, which is good,” Schimpeler said. “You’ve got to be ready to go every night.”

    Chatfield Arvada West boys basketball

  • On The Mat wrestling rankings add Fruita Monument

    Fruita Monument has rejoined this week’s On The Mat wrestling rankings at No. 9 in 5A.

    The No. 1 teams all stayed the same this week: Arvada West (5A), Broomfield (4A), Brush (3A) and Paonia (2A).

    Complete team rankings for all classes are below.

    [divider]

    On The Mat Wrestling Rankings

    Tim Yount of On The Mat provides weekly wrestling rankings for teams and individuals in all weight classes. To see individual rankings, you can subscribe to On The Mat’s full rankings.

    To subscribe via PayPal, choose your subscription option on this page click on the corresponding PayPal button. To subscribe by mail or fax and pay by personal check, click here for a printable subscription form. Email Tim Yount at tim@onthematrankings.com with questions.

    To purchase individual weeks of the rankings (as opposed to the entire season), you will need to use the printable subscription form and pay by check. The season ranking subscriptions are offered at a discounted rate.

    [divider]
    Go to: 5A | 4A | 3A | 2A

    Class 5A
    RK TEAM PVS
    1 Arvada West 1
    2 Rocky Mountain 2
    3 Ponderosa 3
    4 Cherry Creek 4
    5 Pine Creek 6
    6 Pomona 5
    7 Chaparral 7
    8 Mountain Range 8
    9 Fruita Monument –
    10 Grand Junction 9
    Dropped out
    Fountain-Fort Carson (10).

    Class 4A
    RK TEAM PVS
    1 Broomfield 1
    2 Thompson Valley 2
    3 Windsor 4
    4 Pueblo South 3
    5 Discovery Canyon 5
    6 Palisade 6
    7 Pueblo Central 7
    8 Pueblo County 8
    9 Montrose 9
    10 Mesa Ridge 10
    Dropped out
    None.

    Class 3A
    RK TEAM PVS
    1 Brush 1
    2 Valley 2
    3 Centauri 3
    4 Monte Vista 4
    5 Sterling 5
    6 Dolores Huerta 6
    7 Fort Lupton 7
    8 Lamar 8
    9 Alamosa 9
    10 Buena Vista 10
    Dropped out
    None.

    Class 2A
    RK TEAM PVS
    1 Paonia 1
    2 Meeker 2
    3 Baca County 4
    4 Rocky Ford 3
    5 Sedgwick County/Fleming 6
    6 Norwood 5
    7 Crowley County 7
    8 Merino 10
    9 Swink 8
    10 Center 9
    Dropped out
    None.

  • Top of the Rockies serves as a primer for wrestling’s state tournament

    Rocky Mountain's Roman Ortiz, left, wrestled Thompson Valley's Mike Berg in the 152-pound championship match. (Brian Miller)
    Rocky Mountain’s Roman Ortiz, left, wrestled Thompson Valley’s Mike Berg in the 152-pound championship match. Ortiz won on a 3-0 decision. (Brian Miller)

    LAFAYETTE — There wasn’t a single individual standing atop the podium Saturday evening who wasn’t reveling in the moment of winning a prestigious wrestling tournament like Top of the Rockies.

    That said, thoughts were already starting to drift to potentially standing on a different podium next month.

    With the state wrestling tournament fast approaching, the Top of the Rockies at Centaurus High School offered a glimpse into the future. From Broomfield’s Phil Downing, who will be seeking a fourth state title, to top-ranked Arvada West seeking its first team crown in more than two decades, the two-day experience at Centaurus was a good barometer for what could be in store Feb. 20-22 at Pepsi Center in Denver.

    “It feels good because this is the premier tournament in the state of Colorado. (Centaurus Athletic Director) Paul Roper does an amazing job and he needs to be credited with that work,” Arvada West assistant coach Mark Schmidt said. “It gives us a little bit of confidence, but next year, no one is going to remember who won this tournament. They’ll remember who won the state tournament.”

    The Wildcats, who currently top the Class 5A On the Mat rankings, dominated the weekend. Arvada West finished with 200 points to outdistance Thompson Valley (155.5) and Broomfield (144).

    Bennie Pachello brought home the team’s only individual title in his first trip to the tournament with a 9-3 decision over Pueblo South’s Marcus Martinez at 132 pounds. Schmidt said he believes it’s the team’s first-ever champion at Top of the Rockies.

    “I feel like if we wrestle like we did at this tournament at state,” Pachello said, “then we’re going to bring home a state title.”

    Arvada West had three others reach the finals in addition to Pachello and a handful of additional placers. The team won on Saturday despite the fact that coach Ron Granieri is serving a school-imposed sanction based on a violation of CHSAA rules. Both Granieri and the team are on restriction from the postseason, though the school is currently working on a plan to have both removed from restriction.

    Downing’s contest with Miguel Barreras of Rio Rancho (N.M.) in the 160-pound final may have been the match of the night, judging by the crowd’s reaction. Downing trailed 4-3 before getting a penalty point and a reversal with 6.2 seconds remaining in the third period to post a 6-4 victory via decision.

    “I knew I had to pull something out of me to come up with the win,” Downing said. “I dug down deep and just scored the last two points I needed.”

    With regionals just three weeks away, Downing’s thoughts are already on the postseason and trying to join the elite four-time state champion club.

    “I feel like I’m in the state finals sometimes. I think about it that much,” Downing said. “It’s nerve-wracking and it’s a lot of pressure, but I just need to do what I need to do win it and it will all take care of itself.”

    Another former state champion who took home first Saturday was Cherry Creek’s Mitch Finesilver. The senior edged Cheyenne East’s Brody Cress 6-5 at 126 pounds.

    “It feels awesome. That’s the gameplan the whole time – just go in, score points,” Finesilver said. “My team … I couldn’t have done it without them.”

    Finesilver’s twin brother Zach, advanced to the finals at 138 pounds before falling to Bryce Meredith of Cheyenne Central (Wyo.) 12-7. Younger brother Matt was also a finalist at 113 but fell 7-0 to Legacy’s Ryan Deakin.

    “It’s great. I love it,” Mitch Finesilver said of having his siblings competing Saturday night. “It’s always awesome to see your family do well.”

    Other champions included Pomona’s Tomas Gutierrez at 106 and Josh Rosales at 120; Colton Adams of Scottsbluff (Neb.) at 145; Rocky Mountain’s Roman Ortiz at 152; Omaha North’s (Neb.) JaCobi Jones (170) and JaVaughn Perkins (182); Cheyenne East’s Tevis Bartlett at 195; Grand Island’s (Neb.) Chase Reis (220); and Broomfield’s Austyn Harris at heavyweight.

    Meredith and Perkins were voted as the tournament’s Outstanding Wrestlers.

    [divider]

    Results

    Team Scores: Arvada West 200, Thompson Valley 155.5, Broomfield 144, Rocky Mountain 130, Cheyenne East 129, Cherry Creek 120.5, Omaha North 118, Pomona 116, Scottsbluff 113, Grand Island 106.5, Pueblo South 105.5.

    Championship Matches

    106: Tomas Gutierrez, Pomona, dec. Cody Fatzinger, Arvada West, 6-0
    113: Ryan Deakin, Legacy, dec. Matt Finesilver, Cherry Creek, 7-0
    120: Josh Rosales, Pomona, pin Steven Lahnert, Cheyenne East, :57
    126: Mitch Finesilver, Cherry Creek, dec. Brody Cress, Cheyenne East, 6-5
    132: Bennie Pachello, Arvada West, dec. Marcus Martinez, Pueblo South, 9-3
    138: Bryce Meredith, Cheyenne Central, dec. Zach Finesilver, Cherry Creek, 12-7
    145: Colton Adams, Scottsbluff, dec. Payton Tawater, Arvada West, 5-4
    152: Roman Ortiz, Rocky Mountain, dec. Mike Berg, Thompson Valley, 3-0
    160: Phil Downing, Broomfield, dec. Miguel Barreras, Rio Ranch, 6-4
    170: JaCobi Jones, Omaha North, maj. dec. Mason Harms, Cherry Creek, 13-2
    182: JaVaughn Perkins, Omaha North, pin Zach Stodden, Broomfield, 2:58
    195: Tevis Bartlett, Cheyenne East, pin Devin Rothrock, Arvada West, 5:09
    220: Chase Reis, Grand Island, pin Jacob Ornelas, FL, 3:40
    285: Austyn Harris, Broomfield, dec. Brett Schaeffer, Cheyenne East, 3-1, OT

  • Mountain Range returns to 5A wrestling rankings

    Mountain Range has returned to this week’s On The Mat wrestling rankings, and is ranked No. 8 in 5A.

    The No. 1 teams all stayed the same: Arvada West (5A), Broomfield (4A), Brush (3A) and Paonia (2A).

    Complete team rankings for all classes are below.

    [divider]

    On The Mat Wrestling Rankings

    Tim Yount of On The Mat provides weekly wrestling rankings for teams and individuals in all weight classes. To see individual rankings, you can subscribe to On The Mat’s full rankings.

    To subscribe via PayPal, choose your subscription option on this page click on the corresponding PayPal button. To subscribe by mail or fax and pay by personal check, click here for a printable subscription form. Email Tim Yount at tim@onthematrankings.com with questions.

    To purchase individual weeks of the rankings (as opposed to the entire season), you will need to use the printable subscription form and pay by check. The season ranking subscriptions are offered at a discounted rate.

    [divider]
    Go to: 5A | 4A | 3A | 2A

    Class 5A
    RK TEAM PVS
    1 Arvada West 1
    2 Rocky Mountain 2
    3 Ponderosa 3
    4 Cherry Creek 5
    5 Pomona 4
    6 Pine Creek 6
    7 Chaparral 7
    8 Mountain Range –
    9 Grand Junction 10
    10 Fountain-Fort Carson 9
    Dropped out
    Fruita Monument (8).

    Class 4A
    RK TEAM PVS
    1 Broomfield 1
    2 Thompson Valley 2
    3 Pueblo South 3
    4 Windsor 4
    5 Discovery Canyon 5
    6 Palisade 6
    7 Pueblo Central 7
    8 Pueblo County 8
    9 Montrose 9
    10 Mesa Ridge 10
    Dropped out
    None.

    Class 3A
    RK TEAM PVS
    1 Brush 1
    2 Valley 2
    3 Centauri 4
    4 Monte Vista 5
    5 Sterling 6
    6 Dolores Huerta 3
    7 Fort Lupton 7
    8 Lamar 8
    9 Alamosa 9
    10 Buena Vista 10
    Dropped out
    None.

    Class 2A
    RK TEAM PVS
    1 Paonia 1
    2 Meeker 2
    3 Rocky Ford 3
    4 Baca County 4
    5 Norwood 5
    6 Sedgwick County/Fleming 6
    7 Crowley County 8
    8 Swink 7
    9 Center 9
    10 Merino –
    Dropped out
    Dove Creek (10).

  • Top 5A teams wrestle at tough Arvada West Invite

    Arvada West wrestling Invitational
    Bear Creek senior PT Garcia, right, measures up Greeley West senior Adrian Delacruz in the first period of the 132-pound championship Saturday night. Garica, two-time state champion, had the quickest pin (1:20) in the title bouts. (Dennis Pleuss)

    ARVADA — The Arvada West Invitational has had the reputation of being a “mini-state” wrestling tournament with the high caliber of competition it assembles.

    The 50th version of the annual tournament was no exception.

    “It’s pretty deep,” Pomona senior Josh Rosales said after his 9-5 victory over Bear Creek senior Jaysen Yakobson in the 120-pound final. “There has always been a ton of talent here. The toughest teams and the toughest kids.”

    Arvada West wrestling Invitational
    Arvada West senior Tony Silva-Bussey gets up after pinning Cherry Creek senior Mason Harms in the 170-pound championship match Saturday night. A-West took three individual title, along with winning the team championship at the 50th annual Arvada West Invitational. (Dennis Pleuss)

    This week’s On The Mat wrestling rankings provided by Tim Yount had Arvada West, Rocky Mountain, Ponderosa, Pomona and Cherry Creek as the top five in 5A. All were at Arvada West High School on Saturday, along with No. 7 Chaparral, No. 9 Fountain-Fort Carson and No. 10 Grand Junction from 5A. Not to mention the No. 2 team in 4A, Thompson Valley.

    Top-ranked A-West will for sure keep its top ranking after pulling away from Thompson Valley late in the tournament. The Wildcats won three individual titles to overtake the Eagles for the tournament team title.

    “Our goal was to win it, make a statement,” A-West senior Tony Silva-Bussey said after scoring a third-period pin of Cherry Creek senior Mason Harms in what was a bout between the No. 1 and 3 ranked wrestlers in 5A at 170 pounds. “We are showing we are one of the best in 5A.”

    The Wildcats other two individual champions were junior Payton Tawater (145) and junior Devin Rothrock (195). A-West had a tournament-high nine wrestlers place in the top four.

    “It’s one of those practice rooms that you dream about going into,” said Silva-Bussey about A-West’s team depth. “At every weight there is someone to challenge you.”

    The top-ranked wrestlers were sure up to the challenge in the championship finals. All 10 wrestlers who were ranked No. 1 in 5A won their matches, including senior PT Garcia, a two-time state champion from Bear Creek.

    In his final A-West Invitational, Garcia looked like a true seasoned veteran. The senior was loose and enjoying the moment, even helped out during a third-place match being the towel tapper to let the referee know the period was over.

    Arvada West wrestling Invitational
    Thompson Valley sophomore Parker Simington, left, tries to break the grip of Arvada West junior Payton Tawater during the 145-pound championship bout Saturday. Tawater took a 8-4 decision. (Dennis Pleuss)

    “I’ve definitely matured,” said Garcia, who scored the quickest pin (1:20) in the title matches. “When I was a freshman in this tournament I remembered I was really nervous. I didn’t perform my best. I eventually learned to go out relaxed, calm, focused and have fun.”

    Legacy sophomore Ryan Deakin had a blast staying undefeated with a 27-0 record, while defending a tough opponent in Thompson Valley sophomore Vladyslav Kazakov in the 113 final. Deakin, who placed third at state last year at 106, was one of five unbeaten wrestlers who left A-West with their unblemished records intact.

    The other four undefeated wrestlers are Garcia (21-0) and Rothrock (13-0), along with two Rocky Mountain grapplers — 138-pounder Danny Murphy (21-0) and 152-pounder Roman Oritz (21-0).

    “I’m just focused on the wrestling,” Deakin said about not focusing on staying undefeated. “The wins and losses will take care of themselves.”

    Ortiz, a junior, stayed undefeated after a tight match against Fountain-Fort Carson senior Rashawn Benford. The No. 1 and 2 ranked wrestlers at 152 pounds in 5A had already faced off once this season. Ortiz got the better of Benford again with a 3-1 decision.

    “This time both were trying to figure out each other’s weakest spots. I knew (Benford) was going to come back with fire wanting to beat me this time,” Ortiz said. “I just kept my ground and did good against him. I’ll probably meet him in the state final.”

    In the final championship match, Coronado senior Joe Hunt nearly pulled off the biggest upset of the night. Hunt had No. 1 ranked Dane Drimmer almost pinned in the first period. Drimmer was able to get the better of Hunt, pinning him midway through the third period.

    [divider]

    Results

    Team:
    1. Arvada West 193.5
    2. Thompson Valley 179
    3. Rocky Mountain 150.5
    4. Cherry Creek 105.5
    5. Coronado 98
    6. Ponderosa 91.5
    T7. Chaparral 82
    T7. Pomona 82
    9. Grand Junction 62
    10. Greeley West 61.5
    T11. Bear Creek 51
    T11. Central Grand Junction 51
    T13. Grandview 43
    T13. Legacy 43
    15. Fountain-Fort Carson 42
    16. Brighton 32

    Championship matches:

    106: Hunter Matney, Ponderosa, dec. Cody Fatzinger, Arvada West, 6-4
    113: Ryan Deakin, Legacy, dec. Vladyslav Kazakov, Thompson Valley, 5-1
    120: Josh Rosales, Pomona, dec. Jaysen Yakobson, Bear Creek, 9-5
    126: Mitch Finesilver, Cherry Creek, major dec. Vincent Casados, Arvada West, 15-1
    132: PT Garcia, Bear Creek, fall Adrain Delacruz, Greeley West, 1:20
    138: Danny Murphy, Rocky Mountain, dec. Zach Finesilver, Cherry Creek, 6-2
    145: Payton Tawater, Arvada West, dec. Parker Simington, Thompson Valley, 8-4
    152: Roman Ortiz, Rocky Mountain, dec. Rashawn Benford, Fountain-Fort Carson, 3-1
    160: Jacob Trujillo, Grand Junction, dec. Konnor Schmidt, Rocky Mountain, 8-1
    170: Tony Silva-Bussey, Arvada West, fall Mason Harms, Cherry Creek, 5:08
    182: Dylan Gabel, Ponderosa, fall David Eusea, Thompson Valley, 3:20
    195: Devin Rothrock, Arvada West, tech-fall Luiz Perez, Rocky Mountain, 20-4
    220: Dan Macoubrie, Rocky Mountain, dec. Daniel Chavez, Pomona, 7-0
    285: Dane Drimmer, Chaparral, fall Joe Hunt, Coronado, 5:03

    Arvada West wrestling Invitational
    Arvada West freshman Cody Fatzinger, top, works on turnover over Ponderosa freshman Hunter Matney during the 106-pound championship match Saturday night at the 50th Arvada West Invitational. (Dennis Pleuss)
    Arvada West wrestling Invitational
    Legacy sophomore Ryan Deakin takes a look at the clock while staying on top of Thompson Valley sophomore Vladyslav Kazakov in the 113-pound championship match Saturday. Deakin was one of five wrestlers to leave the Arvada West Invitational with their undefeated record intact. (Dennis Pleuss)
    Arvada West wrestling Invitational
    Pomona senior Josh Rosales, left, takes a look up to the clock during his 120-pound championship match against Bear Creek senior Jaysen Yakobson on Saturday night. Rosales won a 9-5 decision. (Dennis Pleuss)