DENVER
| A state
championship rematch
is in the works, as
Grandview senior
Eric Wilson and
Northglenn senior
Philip Grout will
decide the 119-pound
title at the Class
5A state wrestling
tournament Saturday
night at the Pepsi
Center.
Wilson prevailed
last season when the
two tangled for
state supremacy in
5A at 112 pounds and
Grout won when the
two met a few weeks
before the end of
the regular season
at the Arvada West
Invitational.
Grout assumed the
No. 1 ranking with
that win and he and
Wilson appeared
destined to collide
for the state
championship, which
they will do
Saturday night after
each won decisively
in Friday's
semifinals.
Championship finals
in Classes 2A-5A
begin shortly after
the Parade of
Champions at 6:30
p.m.
It feels awesome,
I'm ready to go for
tomorrow night,
said Wilson, who
shut out Durango's
Ty Penning 6-0 in
the semifinals. I
had to take it one
match at a time,
because anybody can
be beaten at Pepsi
Center. I'm still
focused on my goal
of getting that
state title again.
Wilson stands at
43-4 after his three
state victories, a
pin of
ThunderRidge's
Bryant Monahan in
the first round, a
7-3 decision over
Grand Junction's
Anthony Guillen and
his win over
Penning, who he
knows well from
offseason training.
Grout has lost just
once in 42 matches
this season and has
made quick work of
his state opponents
with a technical
fall victory and two
by pins, including a
2-minute, 45-second
pin of Lakewood's
Isiah Rosales in the
semifinals.
Wilson won last
season's meeting 2-0
in overtime, while
Grout won the Arvada
West meeting 11-6.
Wilson is determined
not to make the
missteps that Grout
capitalized on in
that match.
Phil's an awesome
wrestler and he
caught me a couple
of times when I made
mistakes, Wilson
said. I just have
to wrestle my match,
be smart and go
after it.
Ten other Aurora
wrestlers in eight
weight classes
remained alive in
the consolation
bracket including
Gateway senior
Justin Freeman, who
lost in overtime to
Fairview's Scott
Lohndorf in a
152-pound semifinal
with one more
victory assuring
them of at least
sixth place.
Third-round
consolation matches
begin at 12:30 p.m.
Saturday.
By virtue of making
the semifinals,
Freeman is assured
of placing in his
second trip to the
state tournament.
Freeman lost to
Lohndorf at state
for the second year
in a row, this time
giving up a takedown
in overtime to lose
a 3-1 decision. He
could have some
company on the medal
stand from senior
teammates Brent
Willis and Ronato
Fierro, who are each
a win from placing
at 145 and 160
pounds,
respectively.
Besides Wilson,
Grandview which
was tied with
Westminster for 12th
with 32 points after
the semifinal round
still has placing
hopes in 112-pounder
John Godin,
152-pounder Josh
Starr and
215-pounder Penn
Wade.
Four other Aurora
teams have a chance
for one placer:
Cherokee Trail with
sophomore Christ
Buccieri at 103
pounds, Eaglecrest
with senior Dan
Moore at 130 pounds,
Overland with senior
Josh Christopher at
135 pounds and Regis
with freshman
152-pound John
Crowley. Crowley
could face Freeman
who he beat in the
Region 3 third-place
match Feb. 14 in
the consolation
semifinals if he can
beat Adams City's
Joey Deaguero.
CLASS 5A
STATE WRESTLING
TOURNAMENT
At Pepsi
Center, Denver
Aurora
championship match,
Feb. 21, 6:30 p.m.
119 pounds
Eric Wilson (43-4)
(Grandview) vs.
Philip Grout (41-1)
(Northglenn)
Aurora
semifinals, Feb. 20
119 pounds
Eric Wilson
(Grandview) dec. Ty
Penning (Durango),
6-0
152 pounds
Scott Lohndorf
(Fairview) dec.
Justin Freeman
(Gateway), 3-1 (OT)
Aurora
quarterfinals, Feb.
20
103 pounds
Josh Martinez (Pine
Creek) dec. Chris
Buccieri (Cherokee
Trail), 11-2
119 pounds
Eric Wilson
(Grandview) dec.
Anthony Guillen
(Grand Junction),
7-3
130 pounds
Daniel Rodriguez
(Central G.J.) maj.
dec. LaDaris Mungin
(Gateway), 17-2
Caleb McDowell
(Chaparral) dec. Dan
Moore (Eaglecrest),
5-3
135 pounds
Gabrian Martinez
(Pine Creek) maj.
dec. Josh
Christopher
(Overland), 10-0
145 pounds
Daniel Kelly
(Ponderosa) maj.
dec. Brent Willis
(Gateway), 18-6
152 pounds
Justin Freeman
(Gateway) dec. Ethan
Olson (Coronado),
11-4
Steven Kelly
(Ponderosa) dec.
John Crowley
(Regis), 14-9
160 pounds
Jake Wilson
(Arapahoe) dec.
Shawn Miller (Smoky
Hill), 13-6
215 pounds
Conor Medbury
(Loveland) pinned
Penn Wade
(Grandview), 4:11
