DENVER — Pomona keeps on piling up the Class 5A boys wrestling team trophies.
The Panthers won their seventh straight team title Saturday night at Ball Arena to close out the 3-day state tournament. Pomona is just one short of tying Ponderosa’s record of eight straight team titles set between 2003-2010.
“All the time. All the time,” Pomona junior Derek Barrows said when asked about how much the Panthers think about chasing Ponderosa’s record. “We talk to our younger guys about how they will be the record-breaking team. We don’t only represent this team. We represent all the Pomona teams from the past.”
A year after Pomona had just one individual state champion while racking up 250 team points, the Panthers had five individual state champs — freshman Lincoln Valdez (106), along with juniors Angel Serrano (138), Barrows (144), Kalob Ybarra (165) and Emmitt Munson (175) — crowed Saturday night.
“We learned a lot from last year. We didn’t like that,” Pomona coach Sam Federico said. “We felt like we lost after losing five finals. That was not fun.”
Pomona was a perfect 5-for-5 in the title bouts, racking up 235 team points. Ponderosa finished second in the team standings with 202 points.
“Last year it didn’t even feel like we won,” Barrows said of Pomona going 1-for-6 in the title bouts. “This year, everyone is going to have a smile on their face. It has been a way better year.”
Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Public Schools
It wasn’t smooth sailing by any means for the Panthers’ seventh straight team title in the largest classification. In fact, Ponderosa held a 9-point lead in the 5A team race before the consolation semifinals got going Saturday.
Pomona responded in a big way Saturday morning with senior Tyler Capps (150), juniors Zaidyn Quinonez (120), Emerson Claeys (190), Maddux Najera (215), along with sophomore Logan Dellow (113) all battling back to place third in their respective weight classes. The five combined to go 10-0 in the consolation semifinal and place matches.
“It defintely helped tremendously with our team points,” Valdez said of the five 3rd-placer for the Panthers. “Our coach always says to wrestle our match and focus on your match. Team points will come if you do your job.”
Pomona actually won all 15 matches Saturday in the consolations and five wins the title bouts.
“That’s incredible,” Federico said of the Panthers going undefeated in 15 matches Saturday, something that has never been done during the 5A state tournament. “They woke up this morning knowing what they had to do and they did. We beat some good guys today.”
Pomona turned the two-horse team race into a runaway.
“Every year we talk about this being a team,” Barrows said. “If you lose you can’t just go out there and quit. You have to go out there and take third (place) for the team. I was so proud of them. It was truly amazing.”
The Panthers had 213 points heading in the title bouts. Ponderosa was at 192 points before the finals, but the Mustangs did have six wrestlers in the finals.
The Mustangs ended up with two individual state champions with sophomore Jack Simpson and senior De’Alcapon Veazy.
The lone head-to-head match-up in the finals for the Panthers and Mustangs was at 144 pounds. Barrows — 120-pound state champion in 2023 — squared off against Ponderosa junior Michael Lopez Jr., who claimed the 126-pound title last year. Barrows won the highlighted match 4-2.
“It’s great to be back,” Barrows said of getting back on top of the podium who won state at 120 pounds as a freshman. “I was ready this season. I told everyone that I would die before I lost another match down here. I never want to feel like I felt last year ever again.”
Barrows spread the joy of winning a state championship with Arvada West senior Auston Eudaly right after the area-rival won his match at 150 pounds.
“We’ve grown up together,” Barrows said of hugging Eudaly after the rival won his first state title. “To watch one of my friends, and pretty much by brother, go out here and achieve one of his dreams it was great. It was amazing.”
Eudaly was a 4-time state qualifier, but had never finished on top of the podium.
“I was so excited. Seriously, I don’t know how to explain it,” Eudaly said. “It is such a great feeling walking off that mat winning a state title.”
Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Public Schools
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Class 5A
| WEIGHT CLASS | CHAMPION | SCHOOL |
|---|---|---|
| 106 | Lincoln Valdez | Pomona |
| 113 | Jr Ortega | Grandview |
| 120 | Ian Bacon | Vista Peak |
| 126 | Jack Simpson | Ponderosa |
| 132 | Elijah Banks | Pine Creek |
| 138 | Angel Serrano | Pomona |
| 144 | Derek Barrows | Pomona |
| 150 | Auston Eudaly | Arvada West |
| 157 | Billy Greenwood | Poudre |
| 165 | Kalob Ybarra | Pomona |
| 175 | Emmitt Munson | Pomona |
| 190 | De`Alcapon Veazy | Ponderosa |
| 215 | Eli Stevens | Northglenn |
| 285 | Tatum Williams | Fruita Monument |
Top 10 teams
| PLACE | TEAM | SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pomona | 235 |
| 2 | Ponderosa | 202 |
| 3 | Grandview | 137.5 |
| 4 | Pine Creek | 108 |
| 5 | Fruita Monument | 95 |
| 6 | Cherokee Trail | 80 |
| 7 | Poudre | 74.5 |
| 8 | Brighton | 72 |
| 9 | Chatfield | 60.5 |
| 10 | Erie | 41 |
