DENVER – It was a night of redemption at Ball Arena – none more so than for Highland.
The Huskies rode a strong final day to the team’s first state championship in boys wrestling, claiming the Class 2A crown behind individual titles from Wyatt Chase, Carter Jensen and Tyler Varra. Seniors Chase and Varra both lost in the championship round a year ago, but were clutch when it mattered most. Jensen, a junior, made it a clean sweep for the Huskies in the finals.
“It’s a (heck) of a way to end it all,” Varra said after winning at 144 pounds by technical fall, 16-0. “It’s bittersweet a little bit, because you know you won’t be able to do it again.”
Highland finished with 111 points, ahead of North Fork at 105.5 points. The Miners’ Braeden Flores was the only North Fork wrestler to reach the finals, and he won the championship at 157 via medical forfeit.
Varra’s victory had already made it so Flores’ match wasn’t a factor. The senior lost by one point a year ago to Merino’s unbeaten Coen Schmidt and placed fourth in 2024. He scored two takedowns and three near falls Saturday night to close the door on Akron’s Kaleb Grauer.
“We’ve gotten after it, and it showed down here,” Varra said. “We had some guys face adversity, but we showed up when it counts.”
Chase scored two early takedowns in the 190-pound title bout, which opened the night because of a change that features a drawn weight class. Chase pinned Yuma’s Daden Beauprez with 30 seconds remaining in the first period. The senior lost by technical fall in the 175 final last February.
(Dan Mohrmann/ColoradoPreps.com)
Jensen was taken down early by Dayspring Christian Academy’s Liam Deboer, but controlled the final two periods. A pair of near falls sparked a 16-3 major decision.
Collins joins three-time champion club
Austin Collins spent just more than seven minutes on the mat in four matches in his final trip to Ball Arena, and he walked away a member of an elite group.
Collins pinned his way through the tournament at 150 pounds, needing just one minute to take down Dayspring Christian Academy’s Elijah Martin on Saturday night. The title was his third, putting him in special company.
“I’m just so blessed to come out here and compete in the sport of wrestling that I love,” Collins said. “It’s been exciting and it’s been a fun ride, but now on to the next journey.”
Collins lost to Fowler’s Waitley Sharon 3-2 in the finals as a freshman, but responded with championships at 126 in 2024 and 132 a year ago.
“It pushed me a lot. It made me go back to the practice room to fix a few things,” said Collins, who is headed to the University of Wyoming in the fall to wrestle. “Just know that nothing’s given – everything’s earned.”
Buford lands elusive title
Highland’s seniors weren’t the only ones to savor another shot at glory. Crowley County senior Derrick Buford – after finishing as the runner-up in each of the previous two years – went out on top after a 7-1 decision in the 113-pound title match.
Buford scored all of his points in the opening minute against Ignacio’s Aven Bourriague.
“I’ve done it for so many years, and I finally got one,” Buford said. “I was able to persevere, and really I could not have done this without God. I think God was a big part of my journey.”
He notched two wins by technical fall to open the tournament, and pinned his semifinal opponent Friday night.
After finally getting his hand raised one final time Saturday night, he symbolically tossed his headgear onto the mat before walking away, leaving it all behind.
I’ve had those for 13 years,” Buford said. “I’ve never had a practice or a match without those things.”
Estrada caps unbeaten senior year
In one of the night’s marquee match-ups – a battle of the unbeatens – Burlington’s Anthony Estrada finished with perfection.
Estrada withstood two early takedowns by Buena Vista’s Carter Stromer at 215 pounds, getting an escape and a takedown late in the first period. He then took Stromer down early in the second and got him to his back, earning the pin at the 2:30 mark.
“He took me down twice in a row and I got that double. I realized I’m still in this match,” Estrada said. “It’s not over yet. I got the overhook, felt him pressure in and I hipped it and stuck it.”
(Dan Mohrmann/ColoradoPreps.com)
Estrada, who pinned his way through the tournament, finished a perfect 39-0. He also had the added bonus of being the second match of the night, instead of having to wait for the second-to-last match of previous years.
“I think it got me more prepared,” Estrada said. “I wasn’t waiting and looking around. I got my mind right and went in there.”
Other first-time champions on the night included Rocky Ford’s Omar Ocana at 285, who had been on the podium each of the previous two years. Monte Vista’s Mathieu Dean (106), Sedgwick County/Fleming’s Cooper Edson (120), Peyton’s Micah Horowitz (126), Colorado Springs Christian’s Forrest Craddock (138), Ignacio’s Lincoln Dekay (165) and Dayspring Christian’s Joseph Noce (175) also won their first titles.
Class 2A
| WEIGHT CLASS | CHAMPION | SCHOOL |
|---|---|---|
| 106 | Mathieu Dean | Monte Vista |
| 113 | Derreck Buford | Crowley County |
| 120 | Cooper Edson | Sedgwick County/Fleming |
| 126 | Micah Horowitz | Peyton |
| 132 | Carter Jensen | Highland |
| 138 | Forrest Craddock | CSCS |
| 144 | Tyler Varra | Highland |
| 150 | Austin Collins | Wray |
| 157 | Braeden Flores | North Fork |
| 165 | Lincoln Dekay | Ignacio |
| 175 | Joseph Noce | Dayspring Christian Academy |
| 190 | Wyatt Chase | Highland |
| 215 | Anthony Estrada | Burlington |
| 285 | Omar Ocana | Rocky Ford |
Top 10 teams
| PLACE | TEAM | SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Highland | 111 |
| 2 | North Fork | 105.5 |
| 3 | Burlington | 94.5 |
| 3 | Rocky Ford | 94.5 |
| 5 | Buena Vista | 93 |
| 6 | Cedaredge | 88 |
| 7 | Dayspring Christian Academy | 74 |
| 8 | Sedgwick County/Fleming | 72 |
| 9 | Wray | 71 |
| 10 | Ignacio | 67.5 |
