4A wrestling: Pueblo County makes history with school’s first championship
DENVER – State championship history doesn’t have to wait anymore for Pueblo County High School in boys sports.
For the first time, since the school opened in 1953, the Hornets can celebrate a boys state title.
The Hornets wrestling team made sure of that Saturday.
Pueblo County’s Grant Willits (126), Justin Davis (132), Hunter Willits (152) and Dante Garcia (182) all took home gold medals, powering the Hornets to the Class 4A state title during the state wrestling tournament at the Pepsi Center.
“This means a lot,” said Pueblo County coach Eddie Soto, who has been the boss of the Hornet program since 2010 and was chosen 4A coach of the year. “The school really deserves this and these boys really deserve this. They put in the work all year round and to make history. This is something they will never forget.”
Pueblo County finished with 203.5 points, easily outdistancing runner-up Greeley Central (121).
The Hornets also had Josiah Nava (113 pounds, second place), Nathan Bonham (106, third), Chris Sandoval (138, second), Jayson Davis (170, sixth), Donovan Rincon (195, third) and heavyweight Devon Mraovich (sixth), who is the lone senior on the squad, all place. Pueblo County took 12 wrestlers to the state tourney out of 14 weights.
“These guys all feed off each other and they make each other tough,” said Soto, whose team finished second at state last season to Thompson Valley. “Iron sharpens iron. All these guys had high goals and they wanted us to win state. It is a really fun room. Anybody who appreciates wrestling would love watching our practice.”
This was the highest point total for a Pueblo wrestling team to capture state. This is the fifth wrestling team state championship in Pueblo history – the others were Pueblo South (1997, 2004 and 2005, all in 4A) and Pueblo Central (1993, 5A).
The Hornets point total wasn’t the only Pueblo history they made. Hunter Willits became the first Steel City wrestler to win three state wrestling titles in a row, after snaring titles at 132 pounds as a freshman and 138 pounds as a sophomore. Hunter registered a 17-2 technical fall over Mesa Ridge’s Devin Roettger.
“Our whole team trained to win state all year and all the hard work paid off and this is happiness and joy for everybody,” Hunter said. “It’s amazing and electrifying to be the first wrestler to win three state championships in a row in Pueblo. I know how many great wrestlers have come through Pueblo, so it’s incredible to set this record.”
While Hunter was putting his name in the Pueblo record book, Grant, his fraternal twin, was getting a measure of redemption after he suffered heartbreak a year ago at state. Grant beat Thompson Valley’s Vlad Kazakov 10-5 in the finals.
Grant used a takedown and near fall to end the second period to take a 7-5 lead, that he would never surrender.
A year ago, Grant, who was competing at 113 pounds was on the cusp of making Pueblo prep history. Grant and Hunter were trying to become the first wrestlers in Pueblo prep history to win back-to-back state championships in their freshman and sophomore seasons.
As freshmen, Grant won 4A state at 106 pounds and Hunter was tops at 132 pounds, and they also became the only twins from Pueblo to win state.
That back-to-back Willits plan, however was derailed in unexpected fashion.
The morning of Feb. 20, 2015 at the Class 4A state tourney, Grant failed to make weight and was disqualified for the final two days of the tournament.
Grant, with a 3-pound weight allowance, could weigh up to 116 pounds and he weighed in at 116.1 pounds on four different scales at the Pepsi Center.
“This means everything to win state as a team and as an individual after I missed weight and wasn’t able to compete with my team last year,” Grant said. “I was able to erase all those memories from last year. It’s also truly awesome to win the first boys state title at Pueblo County because every time you look at it people will remember the first boys state title.
“They might have a hard time remembering the second, third or fourth state title, but they always will remember the first, and that’s what makes this one the best.”
Wrestling glory is nothing new for the Willits family.
Rick Willits, the twins’ father and assistant coach for the Hornets, won a Class AAA state championship at 132 pounds in 1980 while competing for Pueblo East. The elder Willits then went on to win an NAIA national championship at 150 pounds at Adams State College in 1985.
With a slew of talent returning, Soto also is already brimming with confidence for next season.
“I’m very excited for these boys and I know they will keep working to get even better,” Soto said.
Scoring a hat trick
Discovery Canyon’s Sam Turner (138 pounds), Thompson Valley’s Parker Simington (160), and Fort Morgan heavyweight Toby McBride each ended their prep state wrestling careers with their third state titles.
Turner beat Pueblo County’s Chris Sandoval in a dramatic match.
The score was 1-1 at the end of regulation and Turner won 2-1 23 seconds into the fourth overtime with an escape.
“I didn’t have a lot of energy left,” Turner said. “I had to pull it out.
Turner won state at 120, 132 and 138 pounds his finals three years. He also was second at state as a freshman at 106 pounds.
“People say there’s more pressure or even less pressure if you’ve won state before, but it’s the same thing every time,” Turner said. “It’s the most nerve-racking experience of your life and there’s no way you can prepare for it. I just knew I had to dig deep and in overtime, you don’t really like to think about what you can do wrong, you want to think about more what you have to do right and stay solid.”
Simington was dominate, scoring a 20-5 technical fall over Longmont’s Drake Engelking with 40 seconds left in second period.
“This is extremely exciting and I’m very grateful for the opportunity,” said Simington said. “It’s crazy to think this was my last high school match, but when I look back on it, there’s no better way to have end this way.”
Simington, who going to attend the Air Force Academy and wrestle, won state at 145 pounds as a sophomore and at 160 pounds his final two years.
Fort Morgan’s Toby McBride made it three state titles in a row as he edged Pueblo East’s Jacob Robles 6-3.
McBride won state at 220 pounds as a sophomore and junior. He also ended his wrestling career and he’s signed to play football – as a defensive end – with Colorado State University in Fort Collins.
McBride finished the season with a 29-0 record – 27 by pins – with the exception of his two matches against Robles. He also beat Robles 6-2 at the Top of the Rockies tournament in January at Centaurus High School.
“He’s a tough wrestler and he know how to wrestle heavyweight,” McBride said. “He’s the best wrestler I’ve wrestled all year and he’s a great competitor. The difference (Saturday) was that I was able to wrestle hard get takedowns and do what my coaches told me.”
Pueblo East makes history
While Pueblo County was basking in glory, Pueblo East was making some noise of its own.
East’s four state finalist – Andrew Lucero (106), Jace Trujillo (113), Trent Fair (132) and heavyweight Jacob Robles – was the most wrestlers the school has ever had competing for state titles on championship night. East’s finished fifth in the team standings with 108 points.
Trujillo actually made history of his own as he became the first freshman wrestler at Pueblo East, which opened in 1959, to take state. Trujillo pinned Josiah Nava 17 seconds into the first overtime period.
Prior to Saturday, Trujillo had a 0-2 record against Nava this season. Nava won state at 106 pounds a year ago.
“This is the best feeling in my life,” said Trujillo, who had a 33-4 season record. “I was just aggressive and never stopped.”
Veteran Pueblo East coach Pat Laughlin praised Trujillo.
“It’s amazing to see Jace win as a freshman,” Laughlin said. “Jace is a phenomenal kid and he wrestled a great match.”
Lucero, a sophomore, never wrestled against Windsor freshman Will Vombaur before Saturday, and came up short, dropping a 10-3 decision.
Fair and Pueblo County’s Justin Davis met for the first time this season and Fair was upended 5-2. Fair’s rise to a runner-up finish is impressive considering he started the season at 145 pounds and he didn’t compete at 132 pounds until regionals last weekend.
Robles was trying to become the first Pueblo East wrestling back-to-back state champion. Robles won state at heavyweight last year, but dropped a tough 6-3 decision to Fort Morgan’s McBride.
Greeley Central’s Alirez stars
Freshman Andrew Alirez capped a perfect season in grand fashion, defeating Air Academy Jason Hanenberg 12-5 at 120 pounds.
Alirez, who was ranked No. 2 in the state by On The Mat, posted a 45-0 mark. Hanenberg, a sophomore, was ranked No. 1 in state.
“I love to wrestle and go out there and compete,” Alirez said. “This feels great and shows if you work hard in the room, you win and that’s what I’ve done all season long. I worked hard and won.”
Freshman glory, Part II
At 106 pounds, Windsor’s Will Vombaur started his prep wrestling career with ultimate glory as the freshman won state over Pueblo East’s Andrew Lucero. Lucero, a sophomore, placed fourth at state at 106 pounds a freshman.
“I’m feeling great,” said Vombaur, who finished the season with a 41-3 record. “I knew I had to keep up the pace and eventually I would get my shot. I was just waiting for my opportunity on top. I knew I could turn him and I just never stopped. Every time it got hard in practice, I just pictured myself in the state finals match and (Saturday) I got to do it for real, and I feel great.”
Mesa Ridge roars
Samuel Freeman, a senior, capped his career off in style defeating Mountain View’s Erik Lobato-Contreras 8-2 at 145 pounds in the finals.
“This feels amazing,” said Freeman, who placed sixth at 138 pounds as a junior.
Freeman’s teammate Deric Cruz (195 pounds) also took home a gold medla.
Perfect season
Winning stare is hard enough, but also doing with a perfect record is far from easy.
Glenwood Springs’ Myles Wilson did both with his victory over Greeley Central’s Andrew Rojas 6-3.
Wilson, a junior, finished his memorable year with a 48-0 record. This was his first state title. He was a runner-up as a sophomore at 152 pounds.
“This was very gratifying to win,” Wilson said. “This feels good and what I put all the work in for.”
Rounding out the final state winner was Fort Morgan’s Alex Mai (220 pounds).
