Brush wins first Colorado high school state wrestling title since 2007
DENVER – In the Class 3A ranks, Brush wasn’t considered a state championship contender in the preseason. However, when the dust settled at Ball Arena Saturday, Brush was basking in state glory.
The Beetdiggers were celebrating state supremacy, thanks to crowning state champ Nick Dardanes (138 pounds), Austin Ley (165 pounds) and Ritchie Bruno (175 pounds) and placing a total of six wrestlers.
The Beetdiggers edged Alamosa, 132.0-110.5 for the coveted team title, while Eaton took third at 107.5.
“We had some guys injured and we started to put things together two weeks before regionals,” said Brush coach Chad Cox, who is in his second season directing the program. “This is what we thought the lineup would be and it just took the whole season to get there.”
The last time Brush won state was in 2007 in Class 3A.
“We gave it everything we had, and I couldn’t be prouder of these guys,” said Cox, who graduated from Brush in 1988. “It has been a journey, and my youngest son (Levi) is a senior, so I have been with these kids from the youth side, and I coached middle school and high school at the same time, and it has been fun to watch and see what these kids accomplished because of all the work they put in.”
Dardanes (58-3) outlasted Pueblo Centennial’s Jason Soto 7-3 in the finals. Dardanes, a senior, claimed his second-consecutive state crown. He was the state champ at 132 pounds last year.
“This doesn’t feel as sweet as the first one, but I know I have put in the work, and I deserve this one more,” Dardanes said. “I just had to stay ahead of everybody else. I was already at the top and I had to stay there. I had to keep grinding every day because everyone was trying to catch up to me.
“Winning the team title is almost sweeter than winning the individual title because all the work myself and my teammates have put in paid off.”
Brush’s state championship quest received a big boost with Levi Cox (144 pounds) and Christaun Astorga (215 pounds) each taking fourth, and Riley Tuck putting together a fifth-place effort at 190 pounds. Brush qualified 11 wrestlers for the state tourney.
“Having all three of those guys come back and place was enormous,” Coach Cox said. “It took a lot of pressure off our other guys and allowed us to win this state title.”
Alamosa made things interesting when Jeremiah DeLaCerda won state at 106 pounds with a 12-7 decision over Centauri’s Matthew Salazar.
The Mean Moose’s team championship dream vanished when Eaton’s Blake Hawkins (49-5) stopped Alamosa’s Anthony Meder with a 13-4 major decision at 113 pounds.
Alamosa’s Uriah Martinez (38-4) tried to get his team back on the winning track but was outlasted by Lincoln’s Jordan Romero (36-2) 4-1 in sudden-death overtime at 126 pounds.
Brush’s Lay (47-4) pinned Fort Lupton’s Christopher Galicia for his win.
Bruno (35-1) put an exclamation point on Brush’s memorable season with a 5-4 win over Mullen’s Isaak Chavez (31-1).
- Tracy Renck/CHSAANow.org
Six teams, 84 individuals win state wrestling titles in Colorado
DENVER - Five teams and 84 individuals were crowned state champions Saturday, the final day of the 2025 Colorado High School Activites Association's Wrestling State Championships, at Ball Arena.
Over the course of the three days, over 1,300 wrestlers competed with one champion being named in each weight class across all six classification.
One wrestler concluded his career undefeated at the state championship event, as Traven Sharon of Fowler won his fourth-straight title.
Among the teams, three first-time champions were crowned, as Cedaredge won its first title in 2A boys wrestling, Pueblo Central won the inaugural 4A girls wrestling and Grand Junction Central captured the 5A girls wrestling title for the first time. Pomona continued to dominate, winning its 12th title overall and seventh-straight in 5A boys wrestling, while Brush won its second overall title and first since 2007 in 3A boys wrestling and Pueblo East won its fourth overall and first since 2023.
During Friday evening's session, CHSAA honored its coaches with 20+ years of service: BrianAdam HuffordBittler (NorthglennMountain Vista), MichaelRob StellingMcCabe (NorthglennNucla), BobbyDavid MatthewCroissant (NiwotValley), KyleBob LowSisler (ArapahoeUniversity), JeffEzra HarringtonPadock (MountainMonarch), RangeTeejay Rose (Olathe), DavidTodd BenedictMcMenimen (Vista PeakBayfield), EdShannon SotoPalmer (PuebloCuster County), Steve Gerrard (Thompson Valley), Mike Luhring (Cherry Creek), Jarion Beets (Ponderosa), Lance Marshall (Rangeview), Delfino Rodriguez (Skyview), Chris Flynn (Gunnison), Ina Gomez (Walsenburg), Jason Brewer (Monarch), Jose Ibarra (Skyview), Dan Wrona (Regis Jesuit), Wayne Rainford (Falcon), Jim Flynn (Heritage), Jeff BUck (Cherokee Trail) and Dennis Dobson (Heritage).
Four-Time Champion (with video of championship finals match)
- 2A Boys, 126: Traven Sharon (Fowler) - Watch full match
Three-Time Champions
- 3A Boys, 132: Samuel Rosales, Jefferson
- 4A Boys, 120: Isaiah Harrison, Mountain View
- 5A Girls, 140: Timberly Martinez, Pomona
Two-Time Champions
- 2A Boys, 132: Austin Collins, Wray
- 2A Boys, 165: Tripp DuVall, Holly
- 2A Boys, 175: Cade Blunt, Meeker
- 3A Boys, 138: Nick Dardanes, Brush
- 3A Boys, 175: Ritchie Bruno, Brush
- 4A Boys, 113: Drake Vombaur, Severance
- 4A Boys, 132: Deven Lopez, Pueblo East
- 4A Boys, 144: Chris LaLonde, Roosevelt
- 4A Boys, 175: Leister Bowling, Mead
- 4A Boys, 215: Evan Perez, Windsor
- 5A Boys, 144: Derek Barrows, Pomona
- 5A Boys, 157: Billy Greenwood, Poudre
- 5A Boys, 165: Kalob Ybarra, Pomona
- 5A Girls, 105: Katey Valdez, Doherty
- 5A Girls, 135: Hayden Newberg, Vista Ridge
- 5A Girls 155: Matilda Hruby, Brighton
Undefeated Champions
- 2A Boys, 138: Coen Schmidt, Merino
- 2A Boys, 215: Tavery Chappell, Wray
- 3A Boys, 215: Isaiah Johnson, Resurrection Christian
- 3A Boys, 285: Samuel Stockton, Resurrection Christian
- 4A Boys, 120: Isaiah Harrison, Mountain View
- 4A Boys, 215: Evan Perez, Windsor
- 4A Girls, 100: Acelyn Duran, Pueblo Central
- 4A Girls, 135: Kate Doughty, Canon City
- 5A Girls, 100: Justice Gutierrez, Pomona
- 5A Girls, 115: Jaydin Cuevas, Prairie View
- 5A Girls, 145: Dakota Hull, Westminster
- 5A Girls, 235: Mariah Gonzalez, Poudre
Blog Coverage
Team Champions
2A Boys: Cedaredge (First overall)
3A Boys: Brush (Second overall, first since 2007)
4A Boys: Pueblo East (Fourth overall, first since 2023)
5A Boys: Pomona (12th overall, seventh straight)
4A Girls: Pueblo Central (First overall)
5A Girls: Grand Junction Central (First overall)
Individual Champions
Class 2A Boys
- 106: Jared Roberts, Cedaredge
- 113: AJ Jaramillo, Dolores Huerta
- 120: Cash Martinez, Cedaredge
- 126: Traven Sharon, Fowler
- 132: Austin Collins, Wray
- 138: Coen Schmidt, Merino
- 144: Scotty Engel, Sedgwick County/Fleming
- 150: Aaron Valadez, Center
- 157: Charlie Miller, North Fork
- 165: Tripp DuVall, Holly
- 175: Cade Blunt, Meeker
- 190: Ira Sittner, Highland
- 215: Tavery Chappell, Wray
- 285: Cody Netherton, Las Animas
Class 3A Boys
- 106: Jeremiah DeLaCerda, Alamosa
- 113: Blake Hawkins, Eaton
- 120: Jordan Gamez, La Junta
- 126: Jordan Romero, Abraham Lincoln
- 132: Samuel Rosales, Jefferson
- 138: Nick Dardanes, Brush
- 144: Isaiah Gallegos, Jefferson
- 150: Samuel Johnson, Salida
- 157: Parker Buhr, Centauri
- 165: Austin Ley, Brush
- 175: Ritchie Bruno, Brush
- 190: Cal Sidwell, Eaton
- 215: Isaiah Johnson, Resurrection Christian
- 285: Samuel Stockton, Resurrection Christian
Class 4A Boys
- 106: Tristan Pino, Sand Creek
- 113: Drake Vombaur, Severance
- 120: Isaiah Harrison, Mountain View
- 126: Julian Espinoa, Pueblo East
- 132: Deven Lopez, Pueblo East
- 138: Niko Fernandez, Pueblo East
- 144: Chris LaLonde, Roosevelt
- 150: Adrian Czyszczon, Windsor
- 157: Brandon Dean, Sand Creek
- 165: Robert Kendall, Windsor
- 175: Leister Bowling, Mead
- 190: Jack Doughty, Canon City
- 215: Evan Perez, Windsor
- 285: Elias Timms, Mesa Ridge
Class 5A Boys
- 106: Lincoln Valdez, Pomona
- 113: Jr Ortega, Grandview
- 120: Ian Bacon, Vista Peak
- 126: Jack Simpson, Ponderosa
- 132: Elijah Banks, Pine Creek
- 138: Angel Serrano, Pomona
- 144: Derek Barrows, Pomona
- 150: Auston Eudaly, Arvada West
- 157: Billy Greenwood, Poudre
- 165: Kalob Ybarra, Pomona
- 175: Emmitt Munson, Pomona
- 190: De'Alcapon Veazy
- 215: Eli Stevens, Northglenn
- 285: Tatum Williams, Fruita Momunment
4A Girls
- 100: Acelyn Duran, Pueblo Central
- 105: Emma Faczak, Bennett
- 110: Velma Bailey, North Fork
- 115: Gizelle Meraz, Alamosa
- 120: Samantha Maestas, Alamosa
- 125: Lilliana Limon, Sierra
- 130: Ella Schultz, Severance
- 135: Kate Doughty, Canon City
- 140: Vivienne Gitke, Strasburg
- 145: Lillianna Lopez, Pueblo Central
- 155: Madilyn Gitke, Strasburg
- 170: Bralynn Arroyo, Wiggins
- 190: Mackenzee Steinbar, Wiggins
- 235: Sofia Cabrera, Skyview
5A Girls
- 100: Justice Gutierrez, Pomona
- 105: Katey Valdez, Doherty
- 110: Saydee Lussenhop, Loveland
- 115: Jaydin Cuevas, Prairie View
- 120: Remington Zimmerer, Regis Jesuit
- 125: Amelia Bacon, Vista Peak
- 130: Makena Heston, Columbine
- 135: Hayden Newberg, Vista Ridge
- 140: Timberly Martinez, Pomona
- 145: Dakota Hull, Westminster
- 155: Matilda Hruby, Brighton
- 170: Anabelle Gerrard, Loveland
- 190: Shayla Martinez, Broomfield
- 235: Mariah Gonzalez, Poudre
