DENVER – Everything Blake Hawkins battled off the mat prepared him for his moment at the Class 3A boys wrestling state tournament at Ball Arena on Saturday in Denver.
The Eaton senior tore his LCL in the 2025 113-pound state title match, yet still came out on top. He endured an offseason knee rehabilitation that he said “wasn’t fun.”
This week he fought off a staph infection, banged up elbow and the distraction of an illness his sister was trying to shake off.
Through all that, Hawkins (41-9) reeled in a second straight state championship with a 7-0 win over Fort Lupton’s Isaiah Rodriguez (35-11) and wrapped a prep career as a four-time finalist. He outscored his opponents 28-0 and was motivated by a loss at regionals last week.
(Dan Mohrmann/ColoradoPreps.com)
The Fightin’ Reds won the team title with 149 points. Eaton went three-for-three in state title matches, as Hawkins, freshman Parker Wickam (138) and junior Paxton Pettinger (165) all stood atop the podium. Alamosa finished second with 119.5 points and Fort Lupton was third with 100 points.
“Pure domination this year,” Hawkins said. “That was the goal. I knew I was the best guy. I had a slip up at regionals last week and took a loss where I shouldn’t have. It stung but I am glad it happened.”
At heavyweight, a scouting report just gets in the way when Samuel Stockton prepares for a match.
Which is why Stockton doesn’t want any details of what his opponent across the mat does in a match. It’s a bold strategy that has paid off with back-to-back undefeated seasons.
The Resurrection Christian senior heavyweight claimed consecutive 3A state titles with a pin at 4:42 over Mullen junior Champion Dyes. A lack of detail didn’t stop Stockton (31-0) from pinning his way to the title.
“I don’t scout, if I do I’ll just get in my own head,” Stockton said. “I get all nervous. I just go out there and wrestle.”
It’s a title that puts a cap on a remarkable career. Stockton humbly admits, he didn’t know his prep career would end with so much success.
“Freshman year my goal was just to make varsity,” Stockton said. “And not even make it to state.”
In a battle of defending state champions named Jordan, it was Romero that pulled out the win
Abraham Lincoln senior Jordan Romero notched a 4-1 win over La Junta’s Jordan Gamez. Romero tallied the repeat at 126, while Gamez (34-5) stepped up in class after standing atop the podium at 120 in 2025.
In a back-and-forth match, Romero (36-1) pulled out the win after a furious scramble.
“I shot a low single, that’s my main move,” Romero said. “I can scramble out of it and am ready for it all when I get it in. I’m trying to elevate the leg as high as I can from there. He’s a state champ, I knew it was going to be a battle and I was going to have to scrap for the whole match.”
With his older brother Jacob Romero in his corner as an assistant coach, Jordan Romero achieved another moment his brother chased as a prep wrestler. Jacob, 22-years old, never made it to Denver, but was thrilled to inspire his younger brother.
It made all the trouble they’d get into wrestling around the house worthwhile.
“Weve traveled around the world,” Jacob said. “It’s like an investment. I invested in my baby brother and ultimately it paid off last year and this year. He’s a tough kid that has one of the strongest mindsets out there. He works 24-7. I don’t think he ever takes a break.”
Gunnison junior Zach Benson (43-0) capped an undefeated season at 144 pounds with a pin at 1:04 to claim his first state title. After he came out on top of an early scramble with Platte Valley sophomore Logan Vannest (44-9), Benson locked in an underhook and earned a quick rap of the mat from the referee.
While he exited the arena floor, a fan in the stands jokingly yelled out, ‘what took so long?’
As Benson barely broke a sweat, two beads slowly trickled down his temple, he said scrambles are where he is at his best.
“I feel like my strength and hip power keep me on top of things,” Benson said. “I am super comfortable in a scramble.”
Class 3A boys wrestling champions
| WEIGHT CLASS | CHAMPION | SCHOOL |
|---|---|---|
| 106 | Jeremiah Delacerda | Alamosa |
| 113 | Joseph Gamez | La Junta |
| 120 | Blake Hawkins | Eaton |
| 126 | Jordan Romero | Abraham Lincoln |
| 132 | Parker Wickam | Eaton |
| 138 | Uriah Martinez | Alamosa |
| 144 | Zach Benson | Gunnison |
| 150 | Isaiah Gallegos | Jefferson |
| 157 | Samuel Johnson | Salida |
| 165 | Paxton Pettinger | Eaton |
| 175 | Isaak Chavez | Mullen |
| 190 | Ritchie Bruno | Brush |
| 215 | Donavon Farrell | Berthoud |
| 285 | Samuel Stockton | Resurrection Christian |
Top 10 teams
| PLACE | TEAM | SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eaton | 149 |
| 2 | Alamosa | 119.5 |
| 3 | Fort Lupton | 100 |
| 4 | Mullen | 98.5 |
| 5 | Jefferson | 82 |
| 6 | La Junta | 81 |
| 7 | Valley | 75.5 |
| 8 | TCA | 72 |
| 9 | Bennett | 69 |
| 10 | Gunnison | 61 |
