Video: Jeffco wrestling teams take 7 individual state titles

While the venue was different this year for the 2021 state wrestling championships, Jeffco wrestling teams from Columbine, Chatfield and Pomona came home from Pueblo with a load of first-place medals along with the Class 5A boys wrestling team title. Columbine seniors Jack Forbes (195 pounds) and Zach Schraeder (285 pounds) both repeated as state champions. Chatfield senior Jacob Badger (182 pounds) finished off a perfect 23-0 record by winning his first state title.
Pomona needed to rally in the place matches to overcome Ponderosa for the Class 5A team title. The Panthers claimed its third straight team title, fifth in six years and eight team title since 2000. Pomona had four individual state champions with sophomore Jakob Romero (120 pounds), junior Elijah Olguin (126 pounds), junior Daniel Cardenas (145 pounds) and senior Franklin Cruz (220 pounds). Cruz claimed his third state championship title. Cardenas also won his third and has a chance to join the elite 4-time state championship club next year. Cardenas would actually be the first Pomona wrestler to become a 4-time state champion.
Jefferson had three state placers in the Class 3A state tournament. Juniors Daniel Soto (113 pounds) and Angelo Lozado (126 pound) both took fourth place. Senior Alberto Zelaya battled his way to a third-place finish at 170 points.
Video by Jeffco Public Schools multimedia specialist Jack Maher.