DENVER — A pair of defending state champions will headline a contingent of six local finalists at the state wrestling tournament after winning their semifinal matches Friday night at Ball Arena.
Loveland’s Saydee Lussenhop, at 120 pounds in Class 5A girls, and Resurrection Christian’s Samuel Stockton, at 285s in Class 3A boys, will both try to win back-to-back titles, while Thompson Valley (4A) will be represented by two wrestlers, Loveland (5A) one in boys and Berthoud (3A) one in boys.
Stockton, a senior who hasn’t lost since the state tournament his sophomore year, pinned Fort Morgan’s Mael Zannou in 1 minute, 25 seconds to advance to the championship match for the second year in a row. He will face Mullin’s Champion Dyes, who won the super heavyweight title two years ago but was upset in the semifinals last year.
“It’s just been fun,” Stockton said. “It’s my last state tournament. I’m just trying to have fun and enjoy it while I can because I know it’s my last one.”
Stockton said he hasn’t thought much about his undefeated run. His semifinal victory was the 100th of his career. He also said he’s going to be ready to go Saturday night.
Meanwhile, Lussenhop’s semifinal went down to the wire. She won a 3-0 decision over Discovery Canyon’s Presley Pulido. She got those three points with a takedown in the final period.
“I had wrestled her before,” Lussenhop said. “We knew how it would work. I definitely thought I could turn her when I picked top in the second period, but things don’t always work out. Semifinals, big lights. Everyone shows up under those, usually.”
In her championship match Saturday night, Lussenhop will face Allison McDaniel of Falcon, who upset top seed Phoebe Gutierrez of Adams City in the other 120s semifinal.
“This girl is new, so I don’t know how she’s feeling,” Lussenhop said of her opponent. “We’ll see how she performs under the state finals lights. It’s a big deal. I think it will be a great match. It will be just like last year. It should go all three periods. It will definitely be one to watch.”
Thompson Valley will have a pair of wrestlers in the Class 4A finals. Ty Eversman, who finished third as a freshman last year, won his semifinal match at 144s over Truland Steans of Riverdale Ridge with a pin in 5:08. Eversman will face top seed Chris LaLonde of Roosevelt in his championship match.
He will be joined in the finals by teammate Wyatt Malara. Malara, the top seed and top-ranked wrestler at 165s, won his semifinal by a 21-5 technical fall over Walker Percy of Windsor. He will face Thomas Martell of Air Academy in his championship match.
“It feels pretty good,” Malara said. “It’s my first time. I had a little history with (Percy), so I knew he’d be out there and ready to go with a couple of things in his toolbelt. But I went out there and wrestled and it worked out good.”
Loveland’s Bryce Hayman secured a spot in the 5A 190s final with a hard-fought, 4-3 decision over Chatfield’s Ryder Hoffschneider. Hayman worked his way from the middle of the bracket to the championship match, a spot he admits he didn’t think he could get to.
“I never thought I’d make it this far, to say the least,” an emotional Hayman said after his match. “I never thought I’d be in the finals. But, just recently, I started putting all my faith in God and it really helped. That’s why I’m here. All credit to him.”
Hayman will face top seed Emerson Claeys of Pomona in his final Saturday night.
The last local finalist is Berthoud’s Donovan Farrell, who won his semifinal match at 215s in 3A with a 9-5 decision over Alex McKenna of Delta. Farrell will face Andrew Richins of The Classical Academy in his final. Richins upset top seed Deshaun Salazar of University in the other 215s semifinal.
Staying Alive
Nine local wrestlers have worked their way back to Saturday’s consolation semifinals for a chance to wrestle for third or fifth place.
For the boys, those include Berthoud’s Jaxon Ficarra at 175s in 3A, Josh Stockton at 175s in 3A, Mountain View’s Cameron Cosner at 126s and Kael Kruetzer at 285s in 4A, Thompson Valley’s Jackson Eversman at 150s in 4A and Loveland’s Christian Carroll at 144s and Dominik Ortiz at 120s in 5A.
On the girls’ side, Berthoud’s Julia Schnell at 120s in 4A and Amiyah McGee at 100s in 5A also advance to the consolation semifinals.
