ALAMOSA – The Colorado High School Activities Association hosted its regional wrestling tournament at several different venues across the state with 43 competitors from the San Luis Valley qualifying for state competition.

Class 3A Region 4

The Alamosa High School boys wrestling team finished in fourth place and qualified seven wrestlers to the Class 3A State Meet at the Region 4 Tournament this past weekend at Pueblo Centennial High School.

The Mean Moose had five finalists with four of them bringing home individual championships.

Jeremiah DeLaCerda won at 106 pounds as he defeated Joseph Gamez of La Junta by a 10-3 decision. Uriah Martinez took the 126-pound championship with a 19-3 technical fall over Florence’s Gidone Cervantes. Dyson Woodward won the 150-pound title with an 8-7 decision over Salida’s Samuel Johnson. Jace Morgan won the 165-pound championship with a 13-8 decision over The Classical Academy’s Jackson Schipfer.

The remaining finalist Anthony Meder (113) finished second after losing to Eaton’s Blake Hawkins by a 15-5 major decision.

Two more Mean Moose finished in third place in their weight divisions. Pablito Rodriguez (120) pinned Eaton’s Nate Fetzer in 3:18, and Aaron Jordan pinned Pueblo Centennial’s Ezra Mestas in 1:26 in their respective third-place matches.

The remaining Alamosa wrestlers, Elijah Salazar (132), Caleb Quintana (138), Ryan Cordova (157), Andrew Gonzales (175), and Max Dokson (190) did not place.

The Classical Academy won the regional championship with 227 ½ points. Resurrection Christian was second with 203, La Junta was third with 195, Alamosa was fourth with 188, and Eaton was fifth with 180.

Team scores

The Classical Academy 227 ½, Resurrection Christian 203, La Junta 195, Alamosa 188, Eaton 180, Pueblo Centennial 115 ½, Salida 102, Lamar 90 ½, Florence 77 ½, Woodland Park 77, James Irwin 61, Sierra 52 ½, Mitchell 13, Manitou Springs 4.

Class 3A Region 3

The Centauri High School boys wrestling team won the Class 3A Region 3 Tournament which took place this past weekend at Grand Valley High School in Parachute.

The Falcons qualified eight competitors for the state tournament. They had five finalists with three of them winning championships.

Matthew Salazar won at 106 as he pinned Pagosa Springs’ Anthony Manazares in 4:30, Parker Buhr took the championship at 157 with a 17-1 technical fall over Moffat County’s Colt Call and Spencer Smith won by a 13-6 decision over Moffat County’s Zach Hedman at 175.

The other two finalists saw Tory Munson lost to Rifle’s Isaac Valencia in 57 seconds, and Dorian Quintana lose to Delta’s Ripp Lockhart in 5:44.

Also qualifying for Centauri were Nik Skadberg who took third place at 144, Konner Horton who was fourth at 132, and Aaden Quintana who was fourth at 190. Quintana had to win a wrestleback against Montezuma-Cortez’s Jacob Tso in 31 seconds to qualify.

Three more Falcons had to go to wrestlebacks but were defeated. Erik Garcia (113) lost to Montezuma-Cortez’s Bodie Stiegelmyer by a 15-0 technical fall, Levy Recinos (126) lost to Coal Ridge’s Jesse Richel by an 11-0 major decision, and Aiden Knecht (138) lost to Grand Valley’s Noah Carbajal by an 8-4 decision.

Cole Jackson (150) did not place.

Centauri scored 194 points. Grand Valley was second with 184, Delta was third with 166, Rifle was fourth with 134, and Gunnison was fifth with 128 ½.

Team scores

Centauri 194, Grand Valley 184, Delta 166, Rifle 134, Gunnison 128 ½, Bayfield 119 ½, Pagosa Springs 111 ½, Moffat County 100 ½, Montezuma-Cortez 76 ½, Basalt 47 ½, Middle Park 47, Steamboat Springs 34, Coal Ridge 17 ½.

Class 2A Region 4

The Center High School boys team finished second in the Class 2A Region 4 Tournament and the Vikings qualified six competitors for the Class 2A State Tournament.

Center had five finalists and all of them won individual championships.

Michael Archuleta won at 113 as he defeated Trinidad’s Jose Garcia by a 16-1 technical fall. Andree Meraz won the 144-pound title with a 12-6 decision over Custer County’s Jason Hemsath. Aaron Valadez took the 150-pound championship with a 7-0 decision over Walsenburg’s Giovanni Aldretti. Caden Ruggles won by a 17-2 technical fall over Del Norte’s Paul Neal at 157. Martin Palma won at 165 by pinning Las Animas’ Caleb Mobley in 3:20.

The Vikings’ final state qualifier was Nicolas Palma who took third at 120.

They almost had another qualifier as Derriq Thompson lost in a wrestleback at 175 pounds as he was pinned by Trinidad’s Dominic Edwards in 3:54.

Matthew Archuleta (126) and Noah Swanson (190) did not place.

Del Norte finished in seventh place and it had three state qualifiers. All were finalists who finished second.

In addition to Neal, Eulogio Garcia was second at 106 as he lost to Trinidad’s Santino Garcia Sanchez by an 11-4 decision. Wyatt McLehaney was pinned by Baca County’s Jeff Konkel in 1:29 at 215.

Also wrestling for the Tigers but not placing were Tomas Benvides (113), Anthony Conn (120), Ezra Gilliam (132) and Modesto Gutierrez (285).

Sierra Grande/Centennial placed 11th and had two state qualifiers. Diego Rodriguez was third at 113, and Bryant Tijerina was third at 132.

Also wrestling for the Panthers bit not placing were Aden Gallegos (106), Garrick Pettigrew (120), Patrick Sanchez (126), Daniel Rodriguez (138), Dakota Rael (157) Joseph Diem (165), Daniel Sanchez (190) and Giovanni Jacquez (215).

Sargent took 12th place and had one qualifier in Jaycian Sierra who was second at 132 after losing to Walsenburg’s Taylor Torres by a 12-2 major decision.

Donovan Heineman (126) did not place.

Antonito did not score in the tournament. The Trojans had three wrestlers compete in Matthew Bradley (126) Steven Valasquez (138) and Antonio Velasquez (285).

Highland was the tournament champion with 209 ½ points, followed by Center with 156 ½, Las Animas with 128 ½, Swink with 118, and Primero with 104 ½.

Team scores

Highland 209 ½, Center 156 ½, Las Animas 128 ½, Swink 118, Primero 104 ½, Trinidad 102, Del Norte 77 ½, Rye 77, Walsenburg 72, Peyton 60, Sierra Grande/Centennial 58, Sargent 38 ½, Baca County 29, Custer County 20, La Veta 9, Antonito 0.

Class 2A Region 2

Monte Vista took second place at the Class 2A Region 2 Tournament this past weekend in Ignacio.

The Pirates qualified six wrestlers to the state tournament. They had three finalists with two of them winning championships.

Matthew Rodriguez won the 113-pound title by defeating Cedaredge’s Liam Martin by injury default, and Kevin Cisneros won at 150 pounds with a 7-1 decision over Hayden’s Ethan Silva.

Jacob Pacheco took second place at 165 after a 7-5 decision loss to Ignacio’s Lincoln DeKay.

Also qualifying were Mathieu Dean who a third at 106 pounds, Elijah Baumgardner who was third at 132, and Jeremiah Baumgardner who was third at 175.

Monte Vista almost had another state qualifier as Jon Enderle lost in a wrestleback to West Grand’s Landon Lockhart in 4:30.

The remaining Pirates, Jaxon Owsley (120), Stetson Romero (126), Kyler Lake (144), Porter Shawcroft (157), Julian Pacheco (190), Jose Zamarripa (215) and Joshua Salazar (285) did not place.

Cedaredge was the team champion with 251 points, followed by Monte Vista with 165, Meeker with 133 ½, Hayden with 121 ½, and Olathe with 111.

Team scores

Cedaredge 251, Monte Vista 165, Meeker 133 ½, Hayden 121 ½, Olathe 111, West Grand 110 ½, Mancos 88 ½, Dove Creek 75 ½, Ignacio 68 ½, Norwood 62, Nucla 57 ½, Rangely 53 ½, Dolores 38 ½, Soroco 29 ½, Gilpin County 22, Platte Canyon 14.

Girls Class 4A Region 3

The Alamosa girls team finished in fifth place at the Class 4A Region 3 Tournament at Canon City.

The Lady Mean Moose also qualified four wrestlers to the state meet. Three of them were finalists with two of them winning championships.

Gizelle Meraz won at 115 pounds by pinning Holy Family’s Jayci Pounders in 39 seconds, and Samantha Maestas pinned James Irwin’s Daniella Apodaca in 4:32 at 120.

Kennedy Hillis took second at 110 pounds. She lost to Mitchell’s Taytum Soppe Cope in 1:45.

The final qualifier was Leah Pintor who took third at 100 pounds. She pinned Brush’s Nayeli Cardenas in 2:35.

Shaya Martin (125) did not place.

Holy Family won the tournament with 140 points, followed by Strasburg with 132 ½, Canon City with 123 ½, Evergreen with 95 ½, and Alamosa with 95.

Team scores

Holy Family 140, Strasburg 132 ½, Canon City 123 ½, Evergreen 95 ½, Alamosa 95, Manitou Springs 69, Mitchell 65, Jefferson 59, Abraham Lincoln 57, James Irwin 52 ½, Arvada 47, Custer County 39, Brush 34, Englewood 25 ½, Middle Park 25, Denver West 19, John F. Kennedy 0.

Girls Class 4A Region 1

Antonito took eighth place at the Class 4A Region 1 Tournament this past weekend in La Junta.

The Lady Trojans qualified three wrestlers to the state tournament. Lauren Gallegos took third at 125, Alyssa Abeyta was fourth at 105, and Eliana Garcia was fourth at 110.

Anaiya Romero (120) lost a wrestleback against Calhan’s Cynthia Romero in 3:33.

Eliza Garcia, (115), and Sophia Rendon (130) did not place.

Monte Vista placed 10th and had three state qualifiers.

Torrina Herrera finished second at 115 pounds, losing to Walsenburg’s Ivey McAlhany in 3:41.

Malia Martinez-Castro was third at 170, and Kaliah Stucky was fourth at 155.

Elena Baumgardner (105), and Mikaela Molina (190) did not place.

Del Norte

Del Norte had only one competitor in Jessamy Pacheco (105) who did not place.

Pieblo Central was the regional champion with 244 ½ points, followed by Lamar with 190 ½, Calhan with 136 ½, La Junta with 96, and Walsenburg with 72 ½.

Team scores

Pueblo Central 244 ½, Lamar 190 ½, Calhan 136 ½, La Junta 96, Walsenburg 72 ½, Ignacio 67 ½, Woodland Park 64, Antonito 57, Las Animas 45 ½, Monte Vista 44, County Line 39, Trinidad 36 ½, Florence 36 ½, Del Norte 4, Gilpin County 0.

State tournament begins on Thursday

The Colorado High School Activities Association’s state wrestling tournaments will begin on Thursday at Ball Arena in Denver. It will conclude on Saturday night.