CENTENNIAL — For about five minutes Saturday afternoon, Corey McNellis found himself cheering for Highlands Ranch. Considering McNellis is in charge of Ponderosa and its wrestling dynasty, it was a precarious situation.

But with the Mustangs on the verge of losing their six-year stranglehold on the Class 5A Region 1 title, McNellis had to hope Highlands Ranch heavyweight Michael Purcell would beat Pomona's Gage Boyd.

"You never like to depend on other teams to do your work for you," the first-year head coach said.

While it wasn't the preferred route, Purcell's pin of Boyd in 3:03 extended an epic run of dominance for the Mustangs and allowed them to hold on for a 215-213 victory over runner-up Pomona.

Pomona coach Pat DeCamillis could only shake his head at his team's close call.

"It may have come down to the heavyweight match as far as the team scores go, but we lost the tournament somewhere else," he said. "It wasn't Gage Boyd."

Another match that left Pomona wondering was the 135-pound title bout between the Panthers' Darrick Chavez and Overland's Josh Christopher, who stormed back from a 5-0 deficit to win 11-9 in overtime.

Pomona did have two champions, Dominic Madril (112 pounds) and Donny Haupt (215), among its eight state qualifiers. Ponderosa had five winners, so the Mustangs will prepare for a possible seventh straight state crown on a high note.

Jake Snider (140), Daniel Kelly (145), Steven Kelly (152), Stephone Kling (171) and Derek Good (189) all stood at the top of the award stand for the Mustangs.

Snider, a two-time defending state champion, trailed late in his 3-1 win over Green Mountain's Mikie Burgess, but never lost faith.

"I just had to keep my head in the match," the junior said. "It really didn't bother me that (Burgess) was ahead going into the third (period)."

Snider, Daniel Kelly and Grandview's Eric Wilson (119) stayed on pace to defend individual state titles. Other region champions were Columbine's Cody Weitzel (103), Green Mountain's Cort Siegele (125), Standley Lake's Gavin Peters (130) and Arapahoe's Jake Wilson (160).

CLASS 5A

REGION 1

Team scores — Ponderosa 215, Pomona 213, Grandview 149, Arapahoe 131, Eaglecrest 116 1/2, Standley Lake 107 1/2, Fountain-Fort Carson 95 1/2, Columbine 94, Doherty 90, Sand Creek 89 1/2, Green Mountain 80, Fairview 70 1/2, Highlands Ranch 66, East 60, Monarch 52, Overland 30.

Championship matches

103 pounds — Weltzel, C, tech. fall Hergert, Pom., 18-3; 112 — Madril, Pom., dec. Lujan, SL, 4-2; 119 — Wilson, Gra., dec. Jones, Pon., 11-5; 125 — Siegele, GM, dec. Balagana, Gra., 5-2; 130 — Peters, SL, pinned Moore, Eag., 5:14; 135 — Christopher, O, dec. Chavez, Pom., 11-9; 140 — Snider, Pon., dec. Burgess, GM, 3-1; 145 — D. Kelly, Pon., tech. fall Gomez, Pom., 16-1; 152 — S. Kelly, Pon., dec. Baldini, GM, 22-12; 160 — Wilson, A, def. Gabel, Pon., inj. default; 171 — Kling, Pon., dec. Takaki, SC, 10-0; 189 — Good, Pon., dec. Giron, Pom., 6-0; 215 — Haupt, Pom., dec. Todd, C, 9-5; Hwt. — Purcell, HR, pinned Boyd, Pom., 3:03.

Third-place matches

103 pounds — Adams, SL, dec. Chavez, Fa., 7-3; 112 — Ritz, Eag., dec. Hildreth, SC, 4-0; 119 — Ferrera, M, pinned Tran, Fa., 4:36; 125 — Hinojosa, Pon., dec. McGehan, Fa., 7-6; 130 — Christopher, East, dec. Jaquess, SC, 8-7; 135 — Cowan, M, dec. Gaither, C, 4-3; 140 — Harris, East, def. Gallegos, SC, inj. default; 145 — Fell, Eag., pinned Fite, FFC, 2:10; 152 — Lohndorf, Fa., pinned Starr, Gra., 5:54; 160 — Nissen, SL, pinned Johnson, Eag., 2:06; 171 — Martinez, Pom., dec. Johnson, A, 9-2; 189 — Harpster, A, dec. Hartman, D, 9-6; 215 — Wade, Gra., dec. Schoenberger, 5-1; Hwt. — Ellis, FFC, pinned Jimenez, D, 2:09.

Wrestlebacks

112 pounds — Godin, Gra., dec. Hildreth, SC, 2-1; 135 — Gaither, C, dec. Brown, East, 8-1; 140 — Stubblefield, D, def. Gallegos, inj. default; 145 — Fite, FFC, dec. Cayou, HR, 13-2; 189 — Ozekin, Gra., pinned Hartman, D, 4:44; 215 — Schoenberger, FFC, pinned Ellert, A, 3:37; Hwt. — Jiminez, D, pinned Campton, C, 5:50.

REGION 2

Team scores — Pine Creek 233, Loveland 220 1/2, Mountain Range 213, Coronado 167 1/2, Heritage 132, Fort Collins 129 1/2, Mountain Vista 108, Adams City 83, Boulder 70 1/2 , Aurora Central 68 1/2, Arvada West 60, Smoky Hill 53 1/2, Palmer 35, Horizon 10, Montbello 4.

Championship matches

103 — J. Martinez, PC, def. William Montrey, AC, 15-0; 112 — Sikorski, PC def. Mitz, MR, 9-4; 119 — Vasquez, Love. def. Ibanez, ACen, 17-7; 125 — McElhany, Coro. def. George, PC, 14-1; 130 — Miller, Her., def. E. Martinez, PC, injury default; 135 — Kreimier, Love., def. G. Martinez, PC, 9-5; 140 — Burak, Coro., def. Brumley, MR, 17-3; 145 — Burghardt, Coro. def. Jefferies, Love., 5-0; 152 — Deaguero, ACity def. Garza, MR, 5-3 OT; 160 — Dunkelberger, MR, def. Miller, SH, 6-4; 171 — McMahon, MR def. Huber, FTC, 8-7; 189 — Wessell, Bou. pinned Stevens, PC, 3:04; 215 — Medbery, Love., def. Lockwood, PC, 17-1; Hwt. — Stuht, Love. pinned Spaulding, FTC, 2:15.

Third-place matches

103 — Leingang, Love. def. Gavaldon, FTC, 4-1 OT; 112 — Henrickson, Love. pinned Nguyen, ACen., 2:29; 119 — Hays, Coro. def. Tanstrum, PC, 4-2; 125 — Ortiz, ACity def. Apodaca, MR, 18-3; 130 — Hutton, AW def. Benitez, FTC, 10-3; 135 — Werth, FTC def. Holley, Her., 4-2; 140 — Molina, PC pinned Conahan, MV, 2:01; 145 — Roberts, AW def. Maes, ACity, 10-4; 152 — Olson, Coro. def. Meyer, SH, 8-2; 160 — Pellow, Pal. def. Breen-Martin, MV, 1-0; 171 — Brandt, PC pinned Durrant, Her., 3:56; 189 — Annis, MR, pinned Smith, MV, 1:36; 215 — Ehrlich, Coro. pinned Steppan, Her., 1:18; Hwt. — Erle, Her., pinned Gutierrez, MV, 4:26.

Wrestlebacks

103 — Gavaldon, FTC pinned Solomon, Her., 2:54; 119 — Snyder, MR def. Tanstrum, PC, 2-0; 125 — Johnson, Love. pinned Apodaca, MR, 4:50; 160 — Breen-Martin, MV def. Turley-Rule, Bou., 7-4; 171 — Durrant, Her. pinned Hinkle, Pal., 2:02.

REGION 3

Team scores — Chaparral 215 1/2, Legacy 185, Lakewood 149, Fruita Monument 128 1/2, Westminster 111, Brighton 111, Air Academy 100, Durango 99 1/2, Regis 97 1/2, Gateway 93, ThunderRidge 77, Chatfield 52, Abraham Lincoln 45, Thornton 38, Dakota Ridge 27, Hinkley 13.

Championship matches

103 pounds — Boyd, Chap, dec. Velasquez, AL, 12-5; 112 — Fry, B, dec. Hamby, Du., 9-3; 119 — Penning, Du., def. Rosales, Lak., inj. default; 125 — Nelson, Chap., tech. fall Carlson, Leg., 3:17; 130 — McDowell, Chap., pinned Wessel, Leg., 1:01; 135 — Reed, Chap., dec. Onorato, R, 6-2; 140 — Frazer, Lake., dec. Marquez, W, 2-0; 145 — Hollister, AA, pinned Willis, G, 1:47; 152 — Julian, Chap., dec. Southard, Leg., 7-4; 160 — Thurston, Chap., dec. Johnson, 15-4; 171 — Morgan, Lake., dec. Termentozzi, FM, 12-4; 189 — Mitchell, Leg., pinned Whirlow, Du., 1:02; 215 — Manhart, TRidge, dec. Tucker, 3-1; Hwt. — Alcala, W, pinned Diehl, Chap., 1:51.

Third-place matches

103 pounds — Peterson, Du., dec. Padilla, B, 5-1; 112 — Rosales, Lak., pinned Dubberly, Leg., 3:43; 119 — Thayer, Chat., pinned Monahan, TRidge, 4:35; 125 — Gonzales, FM, dec. Bunn, B, 8-6; 130 — Mungin, G, dec. Garcia, B, 7-4; 135 — Case, B, dec. Rios, Lake., 4-0; 140 — Atencio, R, dec. Hill, AA, 5-0; 145 — Slinkard, R, dec. Fernandez, Leg., 7-2; 152 — Crowley, R, dec. Freeman, G, 4-3; 160 — Munsey, TRidge, dec. Fierro, G, 3-2; 171 — Prisciotta, R, dec. Anderson, W, 10-2; 189 — Peters, Lake., dec. Jackson, 10-2; 215 — Remy, FM, dec. Romero, 5-0; Hwt. — Wilson, TRidge, dec. Martin, FM, 3-0.

REGION 4

Team scores — Rocky Mountain 185, Northglenn 180, Central (G.J.) 171, Centaurus 169, Cherokee Trail 139, Douglas County 117 1/2, Grand Junction 110 1/2, Poudre 96, Cherry Creek 94 1/2, Rampart 79, Bear Creek 64, Liberty 62, Ralston Valley 60, Rangeview 54, South 43, George Washington 6.

Championship matches

103 pounds — M. Gurule, CGJ, tech. fall Buccieri, CT, 18-3; 112 — Schmitt, RM, dec. J. Gurule, CGJ, 3-0; 119 — Grout, Nor., pinned Guillen, GJ, 3:41; 125 — Valenzuela, Cent., won by forfeit over J. Rodriguez, CGJ; 130 — D. Rodriguez, CGJ, dec. Dondellinger, Centaurus, 8-1; 135 — Laureles, RM, dec. Hirstine, CC, 6-3; 140 — Abu-Okal, Nor., dec. Beauveis, Centaurus, 5-4; 145 — DePontibrand, DC, tech. fall DeMarrias, Nor., 15-0; 152 — Hales, CT, pinned Stearns, Nor., 3:07; 160 — Bekkedahl, Pou., dec. Niven, Lib., 7-0; 171 — Roth, Pou., dec. Flynn, Nor., 3-2; 189 — Norgard, RM, dec. Goetsch, Centaurus, 7-2; 215 — Jackson, Lib., dec. Beach, DC, 5-1; Hwt. — Smith, RM, pinned Sterling, Ramp., :38.

Third-place matches

103 pounds — Tellis, CC, dec. Thompson, GJ, 9-4; 112 — Stockley, Pou., dec. Delgado, Centaurus, 4-2; 119 — Luna, RM, dec. Mata, RV, 7-4; 125 — Loche, RV, maj. dec. Gorham, CT, 12-0; 130 — D. Wilson, DC, pinned J. Wilson, Ramp., 2:59; 135 — Hoffschnieder, GJ, maj. dec. Short, CGJ, 9-0; 140 — Casey, GJ, dec. Myers, Lib., 11-6; 145 — Carson, RM, pinned Summers, CGJ, 3:19; 152 — Shumaker, DC, pinned Lash-Lopez, Centaurus, 2:15; 160 — McGuinnis, Ran., dec. Weldehiwet, South, 12-8; 171 — Lookian, CC, dec. Kovach, RM, 4-2; 189 — Brown, Ramp., dec. Delmonico, BC, 5-3; 215 — Kirk, CC, dec. Jordan, CT, 9-6; Hwt. — Rosales, CGJ, dec. Scheufele, Centaurus, 5-4.