3A Wrestling Week 6 Recap and Week 7 Preview

By Tyler Buhr

Week 6 of wrestling brought us arguably the biggest 3A tournament of the year and we will go over the details shortly as well as some other performances from week 6.  This time of year we tend to see a little shift in the wrestling community where a lot of the bigger tournaments have concluded and we shift to smaller league tournaments or dual format tournaments as to continue with mat time but can also give teams a chance to put a focus on health and stamina. 

Week 6 Recap

Mel Smith Invitational

30 team tournament, mostly consisting of 3A teams with some tough 2A and 4A teams sprinkled in.  7 of the current top ten teams in attendance.  Top ten team scores and individual finishers per team listed here:

1. Cedaredge (2A): 187 points – 1 Champion and 8 other medalists – 132 Ethan Hice 1^st, 106 Jared Roberts 4^th, 113 Liam Martin 4^th, 126 Josh Martinez 5^th, 144 Ethan Toothaker 2^nd, 150 Wylee Lorimor 6^th, 190 Kolter Mann 6^th, 215 Frankie Gargus 6^th, 285 Travis Gil 5^th
2. Canon City (4A): 175.5 points – 7 medalists – 120 Gavyn McCasland 2^nd, 126 Blaze Unpingco 4^th, 132 Dominic Lippis 5^th, 165 Elias Koonce 2^nd, 190 Jack Doughty 2^nd, 215 Ezekial Martinez 4^th, Ben Reish 3rd
3. Eaton: 144 points – Ranked 6^th as a team last week – 1 champ and 4 other medalists – 113 Blake Hawkins 2^nd, 132 Dylan Paris 4^th, 138 Ethan Deal 4^th, 157 Paxton Pettinger 3^rd, 190 Cal Sidwell 1^st
4. Centauri: 142.5 points – Unranked as a team last week – 1 champ and 3 other medalists – 106 Matthew Salazar 1^st, 120 Caden Casias 3^rd, 157 Parker Buhr 2^nd, 165 Troy Munson 6th
5. Brush: 141 points – Ranked 3^rd as a team last week – 3 champs and 1 other medal – 138 Nick Dardanes 1^st, 165 Austin Ley 1^st, 175 Ritchie Bruno 1^st, 190 Christaun Astorga 5th
6. Alamosa: 137.5 points – Ranked 4^th as a team last week – 1 champ and 5* other medals 106 Jeremiah DeLaCerda 3^rd, 106*(Non scoring wrestler) Jonovan Gutierrez 6^th, 113 Anthony Eugene Meder 3^rd, 120 Pablito Rodriguez 5^th, 126 Uriah Martinez 1^st, 150 Dyson Woodward 3^rd
7. Fort Morgan: 130.5 points – Unranked as a team last week – 2 medalist – 144 Jeremiah Mills 4^th, 190 Noah Aguirre 4th
8. Valley: 124.5 points – Ranked 2^nd as a team last week – 1 champ and 3 other medals – 138 Carlos Corral 5^th, 150 Garrett McGirl 4^th, 157 Nehemiah Whaley 1^st, 165 Rocky Hoffschneider 5^th
9. Resurrection Christian: 113 points – ranked 8^th as a team last week – 2 champs and 1 other medal – 144 Carter Gillespie 5^th, 215 Isaiah Johnson 1^st, 285 Samuel Stockton 1st
10. La Junta: 112.5 points – ranked 10^th as a team last week – 1 champ and 1 other medal – 106 Joseph Gamez 2^nd, 120 Jordan Gamez 1^st

Overall, a great tournament where we see some stacked brackets that included some of the highest ranked wrestlers all going at it before state.  Was interesting to see how some of it came out and will be exciting to see how it comes out the next time these wrestlers meet on the mat.  With some of these team performances I do expect the team rankings to be switched around a bit, I think we can contribute this to wrestlers returning to the lineups from injuries or other but also from some wrestlers competing higher than expected. 

2025 Top of the Rockies

The other major tournament that took place last week where 3A sent 3 top ten teams and a few others to compete in the tournament populated by some of the top 5A and 4A teams in the state. 

• Mullen would have the highest 3A finish with 85.5 team points finishing in 9^th. 1 champion and 2 other medals.  165 lbs Isaak Chavez 1^st, 285 lbs Champion Dyes 2^nd, 113 Antonio Herrera 6^th.
• Fort Lupton would come in 11^th with 80 points. 4 individual medals: 106 Isaiah Rodriguez 6^th, 126 Robert Ortiz 6^th, 138 Josiah Gonzalez 6^th, 175 Christopher Galicia 3^rd.
• Jefferson would finish 21^st with 49.5 points. 2 individual medals: 132 Samuel Rosales 3^rd, and 138 Isaiah Gallegos 2^nd.

Week 7 Preview

Like I mentioned earlier this week there is a tendency to pull back the intensity somewhat so teams are more spread out and in smaller numbers for the most part but still some good wrestling to be found. 

40^th Annual Les Mattocks Invitational – Abraham Lincoln High School – 1/25

3A teams going include: Abraham Lincoln, Alameda International, Alamosa, Arvada, Conifer, Denver West, Elizabeth, John F Kennedy, Middle Park, Salida, Sheridan, Skyview

2025 Mile High Classic – Thomas Jefferson High School – 1/25

3A teams going include: Florence, Fort Lupton, Jefferson, & Pueblo Centennial

2025 Duff Seaney Invite – Canon City High School – 1/25

3A teams going include: Delta, Gunnison, La Junta, Lamar, Manitou Springs, Rifle, Woodland Park