DENVER – The Alamosa High School boys wrestling team placed second in Class 3A and the girls finished eighth in Class 4A at the Colorado High School Activities Association state tournaments this past weekend at Ball Arena.

The Mean Moose boys scored 110 ½ points, trailing only Brush with 132.

“We had a really good night on Friday,” said Alamosa coach Rusty Johnson. “We did ok tonight. I felt like we should have won a couple more matches.”

The Mean Moose wrestling program also took home three individual championships – one boys and two girls.

“The girls did terrific and won two titles, and the boys won one,” Johnson said. “So we were 50%, We won three and lost three tonight. But I can’t be more proud of these guys. They all plugged away and worked hard. We went way further this year than anyone expected us to. We were maybe a Top 10 team at the start of the season. We just worked hard and plugged away and we finished really strong.”

Winning Alamosa’s only boys title was junior Jeremiah DeLaCerda at 106 pounds. He defeated Centauri’s Matthew Salazar for the title.

“It feels amazing to come out here and compete,” DeLaCerda said.

Salazar drew first blood as he recorded a takedown in the first period. The lead remained 3-0 until the second when DeLaCerda scored an escape and then a takedown. He then got six points in near-falls, but Salazar got a reversal late in the period and DeLaCerda led 10-5.

DeLaCerda got two more near-fall points in the third period. Salazar got another reversal, but it was too little, too late.

“I just stayed calm and remember what my coaches taught me,” DeLaCerda said.

For DeLaCerda, he continued the family tradition of championships. His oldest brother, Isaiah, won three straight championships from 2015-17, and another brother, Elijah, was on state championship teams in 2018 and 2019. His older sister, Sarah, was a girls champion in 2022.

“It feels amazing to have family support and being behind you and knowing that you can win no matter what.”

Alamosa had three other boys finalists that finished in second place. Sophomore Anthony Meder (113) lost by a 13-4 major decision to Eaton’s Blake Hawkins, sophomore Uriah Martinez (126) lost by a 4-1 decision to Abraham Lincoln’s Jordan Romero in overtime, and senior Dyson Woodward (150) was pinned by Salida’s Samuel Johnson in 5:11.

The Mean Moose had one more placewinner as Jace Morgan took sixth at 165 pounds.

The remaining two Alamosa wrestlers, Pablito Rodriguez (120) and Aaron Jordan (285) were both eliminated in the consolation round.

For the girls, sophomore’s Gizelle Meraz (115) and Samantha Maestas (120) both won championships.

“It’s really nice,” Meraz said.

“It’s pretty cool,” Maestas said. “It’s been my dream for a long time after watching my brother come out here and wrestle. It’s a great feeling overall.”

Both made quick work of their opponents. Meraz pinned Walsenburg’s Ivey McAlhaney in 1:44, and Maestas pinned Berthoud’s Julia Sewell in 1:50.

“I just wanted to take my shot and be aggressive,” Meraz said.

“I was just going what I usually do, and going what I feel most comfortable with,” Maestas said. “Setting up and being calm.”

Alamosa had two other state qualifiers for the girls tournament. Leah Pintor (100) and Kennedy Hillis (110) were both eliminated in the consolation round.

Pueblo Central easily won the girls 4A team championship with 194 points. Skyview was second with 82 ½, followed by Lamar with 76 ½, Severance with 71, and Canon City with 68.

Alamosa loses two state qualifiers in Woodward and Morgan.

“We have a lot of guys coming back and our room is full of really young guys this year,” Johnson said. “I have a couple guys who didn’t qualify who were close and they’re going to be picking it up. We’re going to work hard on getting them here next year. I have an eighth grade class that’s pretty good. Our middle school is doing really well right now. We have them cooking along pretty good.”

Centauri

Aside from Salazar, The Centauri High School boys team had one other state finalist in senior Parker Buhr who won the Class 3A state championship at 157 pounds.

Buhr pinned Eaton’s Paxton Pettinger in 5:38 to win the title.

“It’s a little surreal,” Buhr said. “I’ve been dreaming about this my whole life and it finally happened.”

Pettinger scored the first points with a takedown, but Buhr got an escape. Pettinger recorded another takedown for a 6-1 lead at the end of the first period.

Pettinger got an escape to start the second period, but Buhr recorded a takedown to close within a 7-4 deficit at the end of the second period.

Buhr opened the third period and then got a takedown. He then turned Pettinger onto his back to record the win.

“I was down a lot and a lot of guys would have given up,” Buhr said. “But my coach and my family always told me to have grit. That’s what it was and it showed. A little bit of grit.”

Buhr is not sure if he will continue wrestling.

“I’m not sure,” Buhr said. “I’m pretty sure this was my last match.”

The Falcons placed fourth in the team standings with 88 points.

Centauri had two additional placers. Spencer Smith was fourth at 175, Troy Munson finished fifth at 165,

Konner Horton (132), Niklas Skadberg (144), Aaden Quintana (190), and Dorian Quintana (215) were all eliminated in the consolation rounds.

Center

Center had one finalist in the Class 2A state tournament as senior Aaron Valadez won the championship at 150 pounds.

“I owe a lot to God, because without God, I wouldn’t be here,” Valadez said. “I’m just thankful for my teammates and my family for supporting me. I’ve worked all my life for this and I finally did it.”

Valadez defeated Wray’s Samuel Meisner by a 2-0 decision in the championship match.

There was no score after the first period, but Valadez got a reversal in the second. That proved to be the championship winner as there was no more scoring afterwards.

“I wanted to stay aggressive and ride him,” Valdez. “I’m happy. I’m very happy.”

Valadez hasn’t decided whether he will keep wrestling in college.

“I’m not sure yet,” Valadez said. “I’ll let God decide what I do next.”

The Vikings finished seventh in the Class 2A team standings with 80 ½ points.

Four of the Vikings’ remaining state qualifiers were placewinners. Caden Ruggles was third at 157, Michael Archuleta was fourth at 113, Andree Meraz was sixth at 144, and Martin Palma was sixth at 165,

Nicolas Palma (120) was eliminated in the consolation round.

Monte Vista

Monte Vista was ninth in the 2A team standings with 68 points.

Five of the Pirates’ qualifiers were placers in their weight divisions. Kevin Cisneros was third at 150, Jacob Pacheco was third at 165, Mathieu Dean finished in sixth place at 106, Matthew Rodriguez took sixth at 113, and Jeremiah Baumgardner was sixth at 175.

Elijah Baumgardner (132) was eliminated in the consolation bracket.

Del Norte

Del Norte was 39^th in Class 2A with four points.

Eulogio Garcia (106), Tomas Benevides (113), Paul Neal (157), and Wyatt McLehaney (215) were all eliminated in the consolation round.

Sargent

Sargent’s sole representative, Jaycian Sierra (132) was eliminated in the consolation bracket.

Sierra Grande/Centennial

Sierra Grande/Centennial’s two qualifiers, Diego Rodriguez (113), and Bryant Tijerina (132) were both eliminated in the consolation rounds.

Cedaredge won the Class 2A state championship with 141 ½ points, followed by North Fork with 138, Wray with 126, Rocky Ford with 110 ½, and Highland with 102 ½.