DENVER — The girls state wrestling tournament had reached historic proportions by the time it ended late Saturday night at Ball Arena.
The first four-time girls state champions were crowned in Pomona’s Persaeus Gomez and Calhan’s Ciara Monger, the team reign of Chatfield — which had existed since before the sport had reached officially sanctioned status — came to end as Pomona grabbed the crown and a variety of individuals put the finishing touches on undefeated seasons.
The spotlight shown brightest on Gomez and Monger, who won their first individual titles back in 2021 when the tournament was contested in Pueblo due to the coronavirus pandemic and capped their careers as the sport’s first four-time winners with wins by fall in front of appreciative crowds at Ball Arena.
Gomez became the first four-time winner with a pin of Canon City sophomore Kate Doughty, which gave her a 130-pound to go with her 120-pound crown in 2022, a 118-pound title in 2022 and 115-pound championship in 2021. It also finished off her third career undefeated season and gave her a final prep record of 108-1.
“I was a little more nervous for this one than usual, but I think it’s a good thing for me to be nervous,” Gomez said. “It keeps me level-headed. She (Doughty) is a really good competitor, and it doesn’t take a lot for a wrestler to be dangerous.
“It was an amazing feeling, it still is, but it’s just one milestone I’ve reached. Tomorrow, I’ve got to get back to work.”
Monger said that nerves always play a factor in her matches, but she silenced them with her performance in the 235-pound final against Fort Lupton’s Anastacia Salazar, who she pinned in the late stages of the second period.
That gave her back-to-back 235-pound titles to go with the 215-pound wins she had in 2021 and 2022. Monger also finished off an undefeated season — the first of her since her freshman year — as she had a 33-0 final mark.
“I’m so excited, I’m shaking right now,” Monger said. “I reflect on my career all the time, it’s a big deal. Every year, but especially this year, I just wanted to look at every match one at a time and not worry about the future.
“I love this feeling, I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
The undefeated theme was common throughout the night, as Fort Lupton senior Rylee Balcazar capped a 45-0 campaign with a second-period win by fall over Pueblo Central’s Acelyn Duran.
Loveland senior Sierra Lynn Moskalski needed only 31 seconds to pin Widefield’s Myka Martinez in the 145-pound final to finish 31-0, while Gomez’s Pomona teammate, Desza Munson, ended her season 42-0 with a 16-0 win by technical fall over Mead’s Ashley Booth and Brighton’s Matilda Hruby capped an incredible 40-0 freshman season with a 23-second pin of Claris McCoy of Central Grand Junction at 170 pounds.
On a night of utter dominance, Eaglecrest’s Gianna Falise — who had not earned a state place in either of her previous two trips to state — became the 190-pound state champion with a first-period pin of Douglas County’s Elizabeth Sandy.
Pomona and Grand Junction Central had jockeyed for the team championship and it eventually went to the Panthers with 135.5 points. The Warriors hung around despite only one wrestler (McCoy) make it to the finals.
The Panthers, meanwhile, had champions in Gomez, Munson (who won as a sophomore and finished as a runner-up last season), freshman Justice Gutierrez (100 pounds) and sophomore Timberly Martinez (a two-time winner at 135).
“It was amazing to bring as many girls as we did and make that team title come true,” Gomez said.
Discovery Canyon’s Mia Hargrove won her second straight state championship as her late shot on Loveland’s Lindsey Lopez broke a tie for a 3-1 victory, while Mesa Ridge’s Isabella Cross won the 110-pound title this season after she topped the 125-pound bracket last season.