By: Carter Williams
Five wrestlers represented Eaton at the Pepsi center for the state wrestling tournament. Of those, in the 152 class Cody Bean (13) and Michael Cardona (14) did not place, but not to take away from the hard work and dedication that it takes to make it to the tournament. Bean was beat in his first match, which left it possible, but not probable for him to win a state title. His placing seemed to be in the realm of possibilities as he won his second match against William Hickel, a junior from grand Valley. With one match away from placing, Bean fell short, getting pinned in the third period.
Cardona had a similar story in his class 160. Cardona, like Bean, lost his first match, then won his in a pin. Cardona then, only one match from placing at least sixth, lost to senior Austin Vance of Middle Park. Vance later went on to place fifth.
Riley Jones (14) went into the tournament as the fourth ranked wrestler in the class 182. Many considered Jones to be the dark horse of the class, and gave him a chance to possibly win the title. Jones pinned his first two opponents in the first and second periods respectively. Jones, riding his momentum, came to a road block as he faced number one ranked Jareb Aziz, a sophomore from Centauri High School. Though Jones gave a great fight, he was pinned by Aziz in the second period, effectively ending Jones’ hopes at a title. Aziz went on to win the state championship.
Jones was not done wrestling though. He then wrestled Koby Close, a senior from Buena Vista, a wrestler that Jones had beat earlier this season. Jones pinned Close in the first period, taking third place at state.
In class 106, Channing Lewis (13) had his last shot at a title, but fell short, coming away with third place. Lewis pinned Gunnison sophomore Justin O’Dell in his first match, but was pinned by Tel Kelley of Alamosa in his second match. Lewis then won by tech fall against freshman Patrick Esparsen of Centauri. In his third place match, Lewis beat Colby Duncan of Sterling 10-1 to walk away from high school wrestling with a third place finish, a mark that Lewis says he is perfectly content with.
Dalton Shoop (13) took home his second straight state championship on saturday, Feb. 23. Shoop pinned his way through the tournament, pinning Cole Zyweic, a senior from Clear Creek in the first period in just one minute and 18 seconds. Shoop then had to wrestle familiar opponent Jayce Montoya from Sheridan High School. He had no problems with Montoya, pinning him in just 38 seconds. He then had a bit of a tougher task in the simi-final round when he met Jacob Ornelas of Florence. Shoop beat Ornelas earlier this season in a tournament, but only by three points. This time was a different story. He pinned the sophomore in one minute and 28 seconds to advance to the finals.
Shoop had made it to his finals match for the second straight year to face Platte Canyon Senior Justice Reddick. Reddick and Shoop had never met before this match. Shoop said the suspense building up to the match just about killed him. “I was standing in the tunnel before my match thinking, ‘I just want to hit something,’” Shoop joked. “I pretty much just sat in the locker room by myself most of the time leading up to the match,” Shoop said, “I went and watched a few matches of my friends, but it was mostly just a waiting game.”
Shoop added that he was trying to prepare for his title match the same way he prepares for all his matches. The match was the only one that went out of the first period, but Shoop again got a pin, this time one minute and 43 seconds into the second period. Reddick shot at Shoop, and he used his great ground work that has been Shoop’s biggest asset this season. Shoop turned Reddick onto his back and got the pin to clinch his second straight state title. “I did what I always do.” Shoop said, “I wait for them to shoot and then I use my ground work to win. It worked all season and that match was no different.” Shoop also said that he has great coaches and community support. He said he couldn’t have done it without them and thanks everyone who supported him through his journey of becoming the fourth two-time state champion in Eaton history.
