DENVER — Mead senior Carter Woods endured a heartbreaking end to his state championship bid at Ball Arena. Leading with 19 seconds remaining in his 4A 190-pound semifinal against Pueblo’s Elijah Contreras, Woods suffered a takedown and pin.
Woods, who has earned podium finishes all four years with the Mavericks, rebounded Saturday to secure his second straight bronze medal.
Mead Secures Multiple Podium Finishes
Mead placed three boys wrestlers on the podium: Liam Kelly took fourth at 165 pounds, while Eric Hansen finished fifth at 150 pounds. In the girls division, Morgan McDonald advanced to the 5A-G 115-pound final Saturday night, and Grace Sierra placed sixth at 130 pounds.
Holy Family’s Adam Moore Claims Bronze
Holy Family sophomore Adam Moore targeted his first state title but settled for third place at 3A 157 pounds, marking his second consecutive podium appearance. Moore mounted a fierce comeback in the semifinal’s final period against Pagosa Springs’ Colton Lucero but fell short, 7-6.
Holy Family also celebrated Tyler McCracken in fourth at 113 pounds and Nester Pino in sixth at 106 pounds. Breezy Johnston competed in a girls final Saturday night, with Graci Baker taking fourth at 4A-G 155 pounds.
Broomfield Wrestlers Reach Top Six
Broomfield’s Shayla Martinez captured the 5A girls 190-pound title, concluding the season undefeated. Her sister, Bella Barajas, finished sixth at 5A-G 170 pounds. In boys action, Ethan Brown placed sixth at 5A 138 pounds, and Nicholas Penfold earned fourth at 157 pounds after semifinal losses Friday.
Monarch and Legacy Standouts
Monarch junior Levi Carlucci, ranked fourth in 5A 165 pounds preseason, overcame a tough quarterfinal loss to Chatfield’s Dominic Meli with three consolation victories, securing fourth place for the second year in a row.
Legacy senior Matthew Clifton reached the semifinals for the second straight season before exiting the winner’s bracket Friday. After third place last year at 132 pounds, he finished fifth Saturday. “It’s all about perspective at the end of the day,” Clifton, a Colorado School of Mines commit, said. “A lot of guys lose in the sport and don’t do what they can to bounce back. Your mind is your biggest muscle and you’ve got to take care of it.”
Erie Returns to Podium
Erie’s Tyler Muir rebounded from missing the podium last year to take fifth at 5A 157 pounds, his second such finish in three seasons. Teammate Wyatt Walston placed fourth at 215 pounds.
Other notable boys results included two top-six finishes each for Broomfield and Erie in 5A, one each for Monarch and Legacy, and three podium spots for Holy Family in 3A.
