Three-day grind awaits Colorado wrestling teams at Pepsi Center

Whether teams are going for a repeat, a four-peat or even attempting to win a state championship for the first time, the state wrestling tournament certainly isn't lacking for intriguing storylines.

Seasons and championship dreams are on the line when wrestlers take to the mats Thursday afternoon at the Pepsi Center in Denver – first-round matches for Class 3A and 2A start at 3 p.m., while 5A and 4A go at 7:15 p.m. The Parade of Champions is 6:30 p.m. Saturday, followed by finals in all four classifications.

Three of the four defending champs will bring at least 10 individuals to state, while a new winner will be crowned in 4A for the first time in two years after Broomfield moved to the 5A ranks.

While depth is important, it isn't everything.



"One win down at the Pepsi Center helps," said Arvada West coach Ron Granieri, whose Wildcats took home the 5A crown a year ago. "It's really important, and it's a whole 'nother tournament. It's a whole 'nother season that you start (this) week. But it could all change. You could go down there with five people and win the state tournament.

"They just have to wrestle."

Here is a look at teams and individuals to watch headed into the three-day event:

Class 5A

The four regional winners – Arvada West, Grand Junction, Pomona (Arvada) and Pine Creek (Colorado Springs) – bring a combined 41 individuals to state, led by an even dozen for A-West and Pine Creek. Pomona trumped the rival Wildcats to win the Top of the Rockies last month.
Defending champion: Arvada West
Returning state champions (current weight class): Tomas Gutierrez, Jr., Pomona (113 pounds); Ryan Deakin, Jr., Legacy (Broomfield) (126); Payton Tawater, Sr., Arvada West (152); Jacob Trujillo, Sr., Grand Junction (160); Deyaun Trueblood, Jr., Pomona (170); Devin Rothrock, Sr., Arvada West (220).
Most state qualifiers: Arvada West, Pine Creek (12); Grand Junction (9); Pomona, Coronado (Colorado Springs) (8); Ponderosa (Parker) (7).
Wrestler to watch: Jacob Trujillo, Grand Junction. Trujillo is seeking his third consecutive state title and is 41-0 headed into the state tournament.
Weight class to watch: The 145-pound bracket will crown a new champion, but it will be a dogfight to get there. Second-seeded Jimmy Rothwell of Arvada West was the runner-up at 138 a year ago, while top-seeded Danny Murphy of Rocky Mountain (Fort Collins) placed third in the same class. Grand Junction freshman Josiah Rider is one to keep an eye on – Rider was handed his first loss of the season in the Region 2 finals last weekend by Camden Roach of Chaparral (Parker), but had won 43 in a row prior to that.

Class 4A



With Broomfield no longer in the way, 4A is the only classification guaranteed to have a new top team. Other than a two-year run by Windsor in 2011-12, no team other than Broomfield has won state since Northridge (Greeley) in 2008. Thompson Valley (Loveland) and Windsor each bring 12 individuals to state, but there are plenty of other teams looking to cash in on the opportunity.
Defending champion: Broomfield (now in 5A)
Returning state champions: Grant Willits, So., Pueblo County (113); Josh Villa, Sr., Windsor (126); Sam Turner, Jr., Discovery Canyon (Colorado Springs) (132); Hunter Willits, So., Pueblo County (138); Parker Simington, Jr., Thompson Valley (160); Toby McBride, Jr., Fort Morgan (220).
Most state qualifiers: Thompson Valley, Windsor (12); Pueblo West (11); Greeley Central (10); Pueblo County, Cheyenne Mountain (Colorado Springs) (9).
Wrestler(s) to watch: Grant and Hunter Willits, Pueblo County. The sophomore twins both captured titles as freshmen and will be pursuing a second while trying to help the Hornets chase the team championship.
Weight class to watch: At 126 pounds, a rematch of the 2014 finale between Windsor's Josh Villa and Pueblo South's Michael Ramirez could be in store. The two battled in the 113-pound title match a year ago, with Villa pinning Ramirez in the third period.

Class 3A

Perhaps the most interesting classification of the four, the 3A field includes three returning champions who captured titles in 4A a year ago. Valley (Gilcrest) is the defending team champion, but Lamar has the state's biggest contingent at 13 wrestlers. Five teams qualified at least 10 individuals, and three more are sending nine.
Defending champion: Valley
Returning state champions: Sage Budd, Sr., Mead (Longmont) (132, won in 4A); Ruben Lucero, Sr., Valley (132); Joseph Prieto, Sr., Holy Family (Broomfield) (145); Jimmy Fate, Jr., Berthoud (145, won in 4A); Joel Contreras, Sterling (152); Brendan Gonzales, Sr., Valley (160); Seager Oliver, Sr., Montezuma-Cortez (182, won in 4A); Jacob Ornelas, Sr., Fort Lupton (220).
Most state qualifiers: Lamar (13), Valley (12), Delta, Platte Valley (Kersey) (11), Olathe (10), Brush, Dolores Huerta Prep (Pueblo), Fort Lupton (9), Sheridan, Sterling (8).
Wrestler to watch: Conrad Cole, Brush. Two years ago Cole captured his first state championship, but he missed out on a repeat opportunity last winter after dropping a decision in 120-pound title match to Olathe's Trenton Piatt. Now a senior, Cole carries a 37-2 mark and the top seed into the 126-pound bracket, where he'll try and finish on top.
Weight class to watch: At 145 pounds, two former state champions are in the mix, along with a third-place finisher who is the current top seed. Holy Family's Joseph Prieto won his title at 138 last season, and Berthoud's Jimmy Fate was first at 145 in 4A. Olathe's Austin Shank took third at 132 pounds, and all three could walk away with the championship.

Class 2A

Paonia and senior Jesse Reed are the ones to watch headed into the 2A tournament. The Eagles are pursuing a fourth consecutive state championship, and Reed is going after his fourth individual title. Paonia has three returning state champions, but Rocky Ford and Centauri (La Jara) – down from 3A – each qualified 12 individuals and will attempt to dethrone Paonia. Meeker's T.J. Shelton and Centauri's Jareb Aziz have the chance to land a third championship, and Shelton is only a junior.
Defending champion: Paonia
Returning state champions: Jonathan Andreatta, So., John Mall (Walsenburg) (113); Talon Harris, Sr., Norwood/Nucla (120); Jose Duran, Jr., Monte Vista (126, won in 3A); Jesse Reed, Sr., Paonia (126); Bo Pipher, Jr., Paonia (138); Ryan Nordyke, Sr., Holly (145); Blake Denton, Sr., Swink (145); Zach Milner, Sr., Paonia (160); T.J. Shelton, Jr., Meeker (170); Jareb Aziz, Sr., Centauri (195, won in 3A).
Most state qualifiers: Rocky Ford, Centauri (12); Paonia (10); Meeker, Sedgwick County/Fleming (9); Hotchkiss, Swink (8); Norwood/Nucla, Yuma (7).
Wrestler to watch: Jesse Reed, Paonia. Reed can become only the 18th wrestler in Colorado prep history to win four state titles and the first in 2A since Crowley County's Torben Walters (2002-05). His bracket includes another former champion in Monte Vista's Jose Duran, who won at 113 in 3A last winter.
Weight class to watch: Another bracket that yields two former state champions is at 145. Swink's Blake Denton captured top billing in the same weight a year ago, while Holly's Ryan Nordyke took first at 138. What makes this potential matchup even more interesting: As sophomores in 2013, Denton and Nordyke wrestled in the third-place match, with Denton earning a 5-4 decision.