Pomona wrestling's strong finish keys Top of the Rockies title - Colorado High School Activities Association

LAFAYETTE – In a season filled with challenging tournaments and duals, Pomona’s stretch run is all about getting the team ready to defend its Class 5A state championship.

The Panthers claimed four individual titles to go along with the team championship Saturday night at the Top of the Rockies Invitational at Centaurus High School. The Panthers finished with 207.5 points to hold off Brighton (175.5), defending 4A champion Pueblo County (169) and Pueblo East (152.5).

“Winning four finals is important,” Panthers coach Sam Federico said. “At this time of year you’ve got to win those finals matches.”

Pomona turns around this week and heads south for a dual with Pueblo County. The Hornets came away with three individual titles Saturday night.

“It’s a great dual. We match up really well with each other,” said Federico, whose team was missing a pair of ranked wrestlers at Centaurus. “They have great kids, and we match up good with them with some of our studs. It will be a fun dual.”

Pomona’s Colton Yapoujian finished first at 120 pounds because of an injury forfeit. Jason Romero earned a 7-5 decision at 160; Nolan Krone posted an 8-0 major decision at 170; and Brandon Micale notched a takedown in overtime to edge Brighton’s Tanner Aitken 6-4.

“We came in missing a few guys, and we knew we had to come out tough,” Krone said. “We came out and got the job done.”

Pueblo County also had a strong performance Saturday night, with Brendon Garcia taking first at 106 via an 8-4 decision. Grant Willits followed that up with a 12-2 major decision over Pueblo East’s Aaden Valdez at 132 pounds, and his twin brother, Hunter, took a 7-0 decision over Ryan Rochford of Rio Rancho, N.M.

Willits, a three-time defending champion, was facing a two-time state champion in Rochford.

“Last year I had a state champ in the finals as well,” Willits said. “I knew I was going to have to battle coming into this weekend, especially in the finals if I were to make it. I just made sure I had a really good warm-up with my brother, and I think that was really helpful.”

A number of individuals put together dominant tournaments. Pueblo East’s Jace Trujillo pinned his way through the 113-pound bracket, including a pin in 52 seconds in the finals over two-time 3A defending state champion Isaiah DeLaCerda of Alamosa.

Trujillo pinned Pueblo County’s Josiah Nava in 1:52 in the semifinals in a rematch of a 2016 state championship match.

“You feel okay on the first day,” Trujillo said. “On the second day, when you win, you feel great.”

Trujillo ran his record to 27-0 on the season, with every victory coming by pinfall.

“It’s not easy,” Trujillo said. “When I go out there I just think in my head ‘no mercy at all, and I’ve just got to do what I’ve got to do.’”

Fort Lupton senior Jody Sandoval, a two-time defending state champion in 3A, took first at 126 pounds with an 8-2 decision. Poudre’s Jacob Greenwood pinned his way through the 138-pound bracket, and Ponderosa’s Parker Benekas won by 6-0 decision at 145.

Brothers Trent and Cohlton Schultz owned the upper weight brackets. Trent, a senior from Mountain Vista, tallied an 18-2 victory by technical fall at 195. Cohlton, a sophomore at Ponderosa, posted five pins in two days. His quarterfinal pin in 11 seconds was the fastest of the tournament.

With just a few short weeks before regionals and state, the Top of the Rockies provided another chance to face elite competition and continue to prepare for the postseason.

“A lot of it’s personal now, personal things that kids need to work on,” Federico said of going forward. “We’re not changing anything big at this point. Just little things here and there that they need to improve on to do better at state.”