Hooper wins state championship, Regis third at 5A state
wrestling
Raiders have five of city's eight placers for best-ever
finish
By Courtney Oakes
The Aurora Sentinel & Daily Sun
DENVER | Regis' Super Six produced a Terrific Three on Feb.
17 at the Pepsi Center.
Highlighted by 140-pounder John Hooper's state championship
victory, five of Regis' six qualifiers for the Class 5A
state wrestling tournament placed in the top five and the
Raiders miraculously took third as a team - the best finish
in school history - behind five-time champion Ponderosa and
Legacy.
Hooper won a 9-5 decision over Brighton's Dietrick Turney in
a rematch of the Region 3 final a week earlier to put the
cherry on top of Regis' stunning tournament performance.
Hooper, who placed fourth last season and was Aurora's only
returning placer, finished the season 43-3.
Heavyweight Ryan Tauer took second after he was pinned in 50
seconds by Thornton's Marcus Felker in the Raiders' other
finals appearance, while 171-pounder Matt Strohm was fourth
and Danny Bieshaar at 125 pounds and 160-pounder Pasha
Tabatabai each finished fifth.
Wasson's Casey Cruz pinned Grandview's Tyler McGoffin in the
135-pound final, denying the Wolves a third state title to
go with the championships won in 2006 by Jon Brascetta and
Curtis McNary. Sophomore Eric Wilson battled his way all the
way through the consolation bracket to take third at 103
pounds, giving the Wolves two placers among their city-best
eight qualifiers.
Rangeview 135-pounder Adam Jerome captured sixth as the
eighth Aurora placer.
|
