2/17/2007 1:23:00 AM 

Three Aurora wrestlers make 5A finals
Regis’ Hooper and Tauer, Grandview’s McGoffin get title shots

By Courtney Oakes
The Aurora Sentinel & Daily Sun

DENVER | For the second year in a row, three Aurora wrestlers get their shots at winning a Class 5A state wrestling championship.

Regis teammates John Hooper and Ryan Tauer and Grandview's Tyler McGoffin each advanced through the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds of the 5A tournament Feb. 16 at the Pepsi Center, setting themselves up to finish the season as the state's best if they win the Feb. 17 finals.

Besides the three finalists, Aurora has guaranteed placers in Regis 171-pounder Matt Strohm and Rangeview 135-pounder Adam Jerome. Six other city wrestlers are still alive in the consolation bracket.

Hooper at 140 pounds and heavyweight Tauer are seeking Regis' first state championship since 1994 and collected three pins and a major decision between them to help the Raiders climb into fourth place as a team with 59 points going into the final day. Five of Regis' six state qualifiers could place.

McGoffin gives the Wolves at least one finalist for the third year in a row, and will try to match the feat accomplished last year when Jon Brascetta and Curtis McNary won the school's first-ever titles.

McGoffin defeated Rangeview's Jerome by an 11-1 major decision in an all-Aurora semifinal at 135 pounds, earning a chance to give the Wolves at least one champion in consecutive years. He will face Wasson's Casey Cruz, who won his third straight match in the tournament by pin when he stuck Ponderosa's Zach Valdez in 5:37 in the semifinal. Cruz is 39-0 on the season, while McGoffin is 38-4.

Hooper, the top seed at his weight, recovered from a first day that was disappointing by his standards and pinned both Arvada West's Darian Roberts and Grand Junction's Tyler Young - who was 44-2 coming into the match - to earn a championship berth opposite Brighton's Dietrick Turney. Hooper (42-3) beat Turney 9-2 for the Region 3 championship Feb. 10.

Like McGoffin, Tauer faces an undefeated opponent in the state championship match. After pinning Kennedy's Jonathan Uncapher and winning by an 11-2 major decision over Palmer's Jon Russel in the semifinals, Tauer's final challenge is Thornton's Marcus Felker, who comes into the title match with a 33-0 mark. Tauer is 40-3.

Strohm nearly joined his two teammates in the finals, but lost a tough 4-3 decision to Coronado's Micah Burak in a 171-pound semi. He assured himself of placing in the process and will face either Highlands Ranch's Jeff Quinlin, who beat him late in the Region 3 final a week early, or Chaparral's Jake Julian for the right to advance to the third-place match.

Pasha Tabatabai, who led Ponderosa's Patrick Armstrong into the third period before losing in the quarterfinals at 160 pounds, rebounded to dominate Columbine's Mitch Schubert and keep his chances of placing alive.

Danny Bieshaar lost to Centaurus' Dominic Valenzuela, who later advanced to the 125-pound final, in his opening match, but has won two wrestlebacks to put himself a match away from the placing round. He needs to beat Doherty's Sean Martinez to assume himself of at least sixth.

Despite his semifinal loss to McGoffin, Jerome will place in his second state appearance. He awaits the winner of the bout between Fort Collins' Cam Williams and Nate Granahan with the winner making the third-place match.

Besides McGoffin, Grandview still has potential placers in 103-pounder Eric Wilson and heavyweight Cody Gilmore.

Smoky Hill's Nolan Myers is also alive, winning by a 10-1 major decision over Aurora Central's Ricardo Villalobos to keep his quest going to reach the podium at 119 pounds.

Aurora Central's placing hopes rest on the shoulders of 135-pounder Daniel Armijo, who dominated Eaglecrest's Ryan Olvera for a 10-0 major decision in the second round of consolations. Armijo would earn his way onto the podium with a win over Durango's Rhett Breed.