The next phase of winter state championships has begun as the state basketball brackets were released for Class 3A boys and girls on Sunday.
Play will begin on Friday as each bracket has eight host sites, with the top eight seeds hosting the first two rounds of the tournaments. After two rounds have been completed, the remaining eight teams will travel to DU’s Hamilton Gym next week to crown the state champions.
For the boys, Resurrection Christian takes the top overall seed after finishing the season 22-0. The Cougars capped off everything with a 57-46 win over Sterling in the Patriot League district championship game.
Other high seeds include No. 2 Vanguard, No. 3 Faith Christian, No. 4 Manual (the defending champion), No. 5 Centauri, No. 6 DSST: Byers, No. 7 Gunnison and No. 8 DSST: Montview.
(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
Two-time defending state champion St. Mary’s takes the top seed in the girls bracket. The Pirates’ lone loss of the season was to defending 5A champion Cherry Creek.
Other high seeds in the girls bracket are: No. 2 The Academy, No. 3 University, No. 4 Delta, No. 5 Pagosa Springs, No. 6 Centauri, No. 7 Lutheran and No. 8 Faith Christian.
Play for both brackets gets underway on Friday. The 3A bracket does not get reseeded heading into next week’s Great 8.
For two straight years, Eaton had “runner-up” labeled on it’s wrestling program. This year, they took one step further to the elusive team title.
“The monkey is not completely off our back yet,” Eaton coach Tony Mustari said. “We still have some work to do in the offseason to get better and fully take that team title home.”
Eaton’s Tanner True had one last chance to break the tie and vault his team into first place alone with his 285-pound division bout — and Valley could only watch.
“We wrestled our hearts out in every match we had,” Valley coach Ruben Lucero said. “If it was meant to be, it was meant to be.”
University’s Emanuel Munoz-Alcala held on for the 3-2 decision over True, resulting in the two-way tie between Eaton and Valley.
“We told him, ‘Worst case scenario, we have a split team title,’” Mustari said. “‘Go out and let it go. Wrestle like you do every day in practice.’ He wrestled from whistle to whistle and was always looking to score points — and that’s all we can ask.”
Jefferson placed third, while two-time defending champ Alamosa finished fifth.
Eaton’s Ryan Dirksen kept his team in front of the team race with a last-second pin of Jefferson’s Zander Condit.
(Cannon Casey/CHSAANow.com)
“We had no idea we would be that far,” Dirksen said after his match. “Knowing that now, it’s amazing I could do that for my team.”
Down to his last second and trailing 9-4, Dirksen had to go to work. He escaped a hold, then flipped Condit on his back for a pin as time expired. The judges gathered together and awarded Dirksen the win.
“I was just looking for a pin,” Dirksen said. “I was thinking, ‘Please, I know I pinned him.’ Once you get out there it kind of all goes blurry, and if you have the right mindset, it’s only you, the refs, and the mat.”
With the pin, Dirksen put the Reds in first place for the time being.
“These guys responded to the call tremendously this weekend,” Mustari said. “They come back and keep fighting, getting better every single time they step on the mat, and that’s all we can ask of them.”
Trailing in the team standings after Dirksen’s pin, Valley’s Jaziah Whaley held his team’s title hopes in his hands ahead of his bout.
“Going into that match, my coaches came and told me a major decision gets us the lead,” Whaley said. “That was the goal. Go out there and get the major.”
Whaley completed his undefeated campaign and individual 160-pound title defense with a major decision vs. Tanner Baumgartner (Weld Central).
“It’s unreal,” Whaley said. “The goal coming into high school was four [titles]. Settle for the next best thing: two.”
However, Whaley’s flurry of points in the third period meant much more than an individual title. His major decision resulted in a temporary tie at the top of the team standings with Eaton.
And, after the last match of the night, that tie at the top became permanent.
(Cannon Casey/CHSAANow.com)
[divider]
106-pound division
Roberto Estrada (Weld Central) won by decision, 3-0, over Matthew Medina (Eagle Valley) to complete his undefeated season with a state title in the 106-pound division.
“I wrote down a goal at the beginning of the year,” Estrada said. “State champ with a perfect season, and I did it tonight. Special night.”
113-pound division
Jefferson’s Angelo Lozado wrapped up a 6-1 decision against Alamosa’s Davion Chavez to give life to the Saints’ run at the 3A team title. This was Lozado’s second individual title.
120-pound division
Isaiah Gamez (La Junta) was looking for a third individual title, but Brady Hankin (Woodland Park) held off Gamez for an 11-6 decision. Hankin won the 106-pound title in 2019.
126-pound division
Jacob Duran (Fort Lupton) edged Johnny Masopust (Florence) in a 4-3 decision for his second individual title.
132-pound division
Zane Rankin (Lamar) repeated as the 132-pound champion after a hard-fought 2-1 decision over Zach Marrero (Strasburg).
138-pound division
Isaiah Rios (Valley) defended his 138-pound title vs. Lucas Comroe (Eagle Valley). Rios’ second individual title came off a clean 10-1 major decision.
(Cannon Casey/CHSAANow.com)
152-pound division
Cameron Lucero (Pagosa Springs) put a stop to any chance Jefferson had at the team title. Lucero won a 2-0 decision vs. Nick Gallegos (Jefferson) for his second individual title.
170-pound division
Mac Copeland (Bennett) pinned Cole Gray (Woodland Park) at the 4:40 mark.
182-pound division
Cody DuBois (Bennett) joined Copeland, his teammate, as an individual champion. DuBois’ major decision vs. Brian Paxton (Fort Morgan) solidified him as the 182-pound champion.
195-pound division
Nick Wellen (Brush) won by decision, 5-2, over Jeremiah Garcia (Platte Valley).
220-pound division
John Foutz (Bayfield) topped Cody Ponce (Eagle Valley) by decision, 4-1.
Kit Carson has taken over as the top-ranked team in Class 1A boys basketball this week.
The rankings, voted upon by coaches and select media members, are the official polls of the Association. During the regular season, they are released each Monday.
Voted upon by coaches and media members around the state. These rankings have no bearing on postseason seeding.
First-place votes are in parentheses.
Coaches and media members looking to vote should email rcasey@chsaa.org.
Class 5A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Rangeview (11)
21-0
128
1
3-0
2
Grandview (2)
16-5
103
2
1-1
3
Cherry Creek
17-4
88
4
3-0
4
Ralston Valley
18-3
80
5
2-0
5
Smoky Hill
17-4
79
3
3-0
6
Fairview
17-3
67
6
2-0
7
Columbine
17-3
48
7
2-0
8
Valor Christian
15-6
42
8
3-0
9
Boulder
18-3
29
9
3-0
10
Chaparral
15-6
21
10
1-0
Others receiving votes:
Eaglecrest 17, Denver East 8, Pine Creek 5.
Dropped out
None.
Class 4A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Mead (12)
20-1
120
1
3-0
2
Longmont
18-3
91
3
3-0
3
Northfield
17-4
89
2
1-1
4
Cheyenne Mountain
20-1
83
4
3-0
5
Glenwood Springs
18-3
59
6
3-0
6
Golden
15-6
56
7
1-0
7
Harrison
15-4
55
5
1-1
8
Skyline
16-5
23
–
2-0
9
Pueblo West
15-6
18
8
2-1
10
Erie
16-4
16
9
1-0
Others receiving votes:
Montrose 14, Pueblo East 12, Green Mountain 10, Thomas Jefferson 9, Silver Creek 5.
Dropped out
Montrose (10).
Class 3A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Resurrection Christian (15)
18-0
167
1
3-0
2
Lutheran (1)
16-2
152
2
1-0
3
Sterling
16-3
125
3
2-0
4
The Vanguard School
16-1
113
4
3-0
5
Faith Christian
15-3
107
5
2-0
6
DSST: Byers (1)
16-1
56
7
2-0
7
Alamosa
15-4
53
10
2-0
8
Manitou Springs
15-3
43
9
2-0
9
Eaton
15-3
38
8
2-0
10
Centauri
16-2
37
6
1-1
Others receiving votes:
Gunnison 14, DSST: College View 6, Manual 6, DSST: Montview 5, St. Mary’s 3, University 3, Coal Ridge 2, Eagle Ridge 2, Jefferson Academy 2, DSST: Green Valley Ranch 1.
Dropped out
None.
Class 2A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Highland (14)
16-1
149
1
2-0
2
Yuma (1)
15-2
133
2
2-0
3
Limon
16-2
109
4
3-0
4
Fowler
16-2
94
5
2-0
5
Denver Christian
13-3
79
3
0-1
6
Ignacio
14-2
66
6
2-0
7
Mancos
14-3
55
7
2-0
8
Sedgwick County
17-1
51
8
2-0
9
Sanford
13-4
31
9
1-0
10
Crested Butte
15-2
23
–
2-0
Others receiving votes:
Vail Christian 21, Holly 7, Wray 4, Dawson School 1, Heritage Christian 1, Peyton 1.
Vista PEAK (5A), Montrose (4A) and Cotopaxi (1A) have joined this week’s girls basketball rankings.
The rankings, voted upon by coaches and select media members, are the official polls of the Association. During the regular season, they are released each Monday.
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.
Four new teams joined this week’s boys basketball rankings: Columbine (5A), Chaparral (5A), Erie (4A) and Alamosa (3A).
The rankings, voted upon by coaches and select media members, are the official polls of the Association. During the regular season, they are released each Monday.
This week’s girls basketball ranking added just two newcomers across the five classes: Meeker (2A) and Elbert (1A).
The rankings, voted upon by coaches and select media members, are the official polls of the Association. During the regular season, they are released each Monday.
Fleming has taken over atop the Class 1A girls basketball rankings this week.
The rankings, voted upon by coaches and select media members, are the official polls of the Association. During the regular season, they are released each Monday.
Voted upon by coaches and media members around the state. These rankings have no bearing on postseason seeding.
First-place votes are in parentheses.
Coaches and media members looking to vote should email rcasey@chsaa.org.
Class 5A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Grandview (12)
14-2
153
1
2-0
2
Valor Christian (4)
16-1
141
2
2-0
3
Cherry Creek
14-2
132
3
3-0
4
Highlands Ranch
13-4
105
4
2-0
5
Regis Jesuit
13-4
98
5
1-0
6
Ralston Valley
12-3
77
6
0-1
7
Fossil Ridge
13-2
74
7
2-0
8
Fruita Monument
16-2
26
9
1-0
9
Cherokee Trail
11-6
23
8
1-1
10
Fountain-Fort Carson
14-1
11
–
2-0
Others receiving votes:
Vista Peak Prep 11, Denver East 10, Chaparral 9, Mountain Vista 8, Denver South 1, ThunderRidge 1.
Dropped out
Vista Peak Prep (10).
Class 4A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Mullen (12)
12-5
159
1
1-1
2
Pueblo West (5)
16-1
155
2
2-0
3
Sand Creek
15-1
129
4
2-0
4
Green Mountain
15-2
113
3
1-1
5
Berthoud
17-1
104
5
2-0
6
Holy Family
14-4
80
6
2-0
7
Erie
15-2
43
7
1-0
8
Falcon
12-4
39
8
0-1
9
Thompson Valley
16-1
28
9
2-0
10
Sierra
12-4
27
10
2-0
Others receiving votes:
George Washington 19, Montrose 10, Ponderosa 8, Air Academy 6, Glenwood Springs 5, Evergreen 4, Cheyenne Mountain 3, Canon City 1, Greeley Central 1, Pueblo County 1.
Dropped out
None.
Class 3A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
St. Mary’s (10)
14-1
108
1
3-0
2
Lutheran (1)
13-1
103
2
2-0
3
Centauri (1)
13-1
101
3
1-0
4
Pagosa Springs
12-2
93
4
2-0
5
The Vanguard (1)
13-1
62
8
3-0
6
The Academy
14-0
59
6
3-0
7
Alamosa
12-3
56
5
1-1
8
Delta
11-3
53
7
2-0
9
University
13-2
40
9
2-0
10
Eaton
12-3
21
10
2-0
Others receiving votes:
Manitou Springs 7, Platte Valley 5, Cedaredge 4, SkyView Academy 3.
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.
