Why not?
That’s what Kevin LeValley can remember of his answer in 2004, when he was a freshman and was asked if he could become a four-time state wrestling champion.
Why not? He had just completed a 34-2 season with the 119-pound title in Class 2A and recalled being caught up in the moment. Sure, the question might have been a simple formality for any ninth-grade champ, but it got LeValley thinking.
Why not him?
LeValley prides himself on working and training harder than anyone he knows, and his skills are quite formidable.
“I’ve been preparing myself all summer,” said the Limon senior, who is 113-5 in his career. “I’ve been wrestling and training real hard and competing at big tournaments. I’m trying to take this season like I have the past three years.”
Since each of those past three seasons ended in a state title, LeValley is poised to become just the 14th four-time state champion in state history. But he would be the first from a Limon school steeped in athletic accolades, tradition and support.
“The whole community is behind you,” LeValley said.
After earning a 4-3 victory in the 119-pound final against Calhan’s Corey Hazen, LeValley won the 130- pound final by a 7-4 decision. He clinched the 140-pound final as a junior with a technical fall against Paonia’s Shane Smith.
In early November, LeValley won the 18-and-under, 152-pound bracket of the Monster Match Nationals wrestling tournament. He plans to cut down to 145 pounds this season and will remain there so he can compete later at the Senior Nationals tournament. A wrestling career at Pennsylvania’s Bucknell University awaits LeValley after high school, though he is eager to digest his final prep run one match at a time.
“He’s pretty good at handling the different pressures,” Limon coach Cameron Soester said.
And he’s pretty focused on making school and state history. Why not?
WRESTLING
RETURNING STATE PLACERS
STATE CHAMPIONS
CLASS 5A
103 -Zeke Hofer, Ponderosa, So. (39-5)
119 – Tyler Graff, Loveland, Jr. (44-0); also champion at 103 in 2005.
171 – Willie McClure, Pomona, Sr. (40-4)
Hwt. – Marcus Felker, Thornton, Sr. (36-1); also fifth at heavyweight in 2005.
CLASS 4A
103 – Dale Schull, Fort Lupton, So. (37-0)
119 – Sal Guerrero, Fort Lupton, Jr. (39-2); also third at 112 in 2005.
152 – Cody Yohn, Alamosa, Jr. (40-3)
189 – Sonny Yohn, Alamosa, Sr. (43-0); also champion at 171 in 2005.
215 – David Marone, Broomfield, Sr. (35-3); also second at 189 in 2005 and fourth at 145 in 2004.
CLASS 3A
112 – Bryson Gray, Olathe, Sr. (38-2); also third at 103 in 2005.
119 – Ethan Martinez, St. Mary’s, Jr. (34-1)
CLASS 2A
103 – Grant Hobbs, Dove Creek, Sr. (43-1); also second at 103 in 2005.
112 – Daniel Espinoza, Antonito, Sr. (40-2); also second at 112 in 2005 and third at 103 in 2004.
135 – Lance Gallegos, Arrupe Jesuit, Sr. (26-3); also second at 130 in 2005.
140 – Kevin LeValley, Limon, Sr. (42-0); also champion at 130 in 2005 and at 119 in 2004.
152 – Joe LeBlanc, Meeker, Sr. (35-2); also champion at 145 in 2005 and sixth at 130 in 2004.
160 – Matt Stiasny, Dove Creek, Sr. (40-3)
215 – Tucker Lane, Nucla, Sr. (37-1); also second at 189 in 2005 and champion at 171 in 2004; Brian Hendricks, Burlington, Sr. (37-0)*; also third at 189 in 2004.
OTHER RETURNING PLACERS
CLASS 5A
Second place
103 – Paul Montoya, Brighton, Jr. (36-8)
112 – Kory Johnson, Pine Creek, Sr. (35-5); also sixth at 103 in 2005 (both in Class 4A).
135 – Casey Cruz, Wasson, Sr. (40-1); also fourth at 119 in 2005 and second at 103 in 2004.
140 – Mike Conklin, Fort Collins, Sr. (40-6)
145 – Patrick Armstrong, Ponderosa, Sr. (32-8); also fourth at 140 in 2005.
152 – Brandon Doyle, Poudre, Sr. (35-3)
215 – Nick Bauman, Legacy, Sr. (34-5); also fifth at 215 in 2005.
Third place
103 – Phillip Grout, Northglenn, Jr. (36-4)
112 – Daniel Kelly, Ponderosa, So. (41-8)
119 – Lorenzo Garcia, Northglenn, Sr. (32-3)
125 – A.J. Maestas, Adams City, Sr. (20-6)
140 – Jesse Snider, Ponderosa, Sr. (40-8); also second at 130 in 2005 and third at 119 in 2004.
145 – Joe Meinhart, Fruita Monument, Sr. (31-13)
152 – Garrett Lanham, Centaurus, Jr. (39-11)
171 – Jeff Quinlan, Highlands Ranch, Jr. (32-5)
189 – Sal Howes, Arvada, Sr. (41-6)
Fourth place
103 – Evan Atencio, Thornton, Sr. (30-8)
112 – Dominic Valenzuela, Centaurus, Jr. (30-9)
119 – Oliver Yaney, Air Academy, Jr. (33-12)
130 – Trevor Schuch, Pomona, Sr. (24-4)
135 – John Hooper, Regis, Sr. (38-8)
140 – Micah Burak, Coronado, Sr. (36-5)
145 – Nick Johnson, Monarch, Sr. (28-12)
171 – Jordan Weber, Legacy, Sr. (42-6)
Fifth place
103 – Gavin Peters, Standley Lake, So. (41-11)
130 – Seiji Hashimoto, Thornton, Sr. (40-5)
152 – Matthew Murphy, Chaparral, Sr. (36-10); also fifth at 140 in 2005.
171 – Jacob Terada, Northglenn, Jr. (25-7)
Sixth place
103 – Dominic Madril, Pomona, So. (26-14)
112 – Alaonzo Montoya, Brighton, So. (29-11)
171 – Ben Hicks, Pine Creek, Sr. (35-5) (at Class 4A)
CLASS 4A
Second place
103 – Gabe Gomez, Broomfield, So. (30-8)
119 – Cory Casady, Broomfield, Jr. (32-5); also third at 103 in 2005.
160 – Johnny Ortega, Thompson Valley, Jr. (37-3); also third at 145 in 2005.
171 – Brendan Best, Eagle Valley, Sr. (27-10); also fifth at 171 in 2005.
189 – Josh Larson, Windsor, Sr. (30-3)
Hwt. – Tim Saucedo, Northridge, Jr. (32-8)
Third place
103 – Cutter Garrison, Montrose, Sr. (40-7)
112 – James Conrardy, Rifle, So. (32-7)
119 – Samuel Soto, Fort Morgan, Jr. (26-18)
125 – Justin Gonzales, Northridge, So. (41-8)
130 – Easton Ramirez, Northridge, Jr. (31-5); also fourth at 103 in 2005.
145 – Ryan Buck, Fort Morgan, Jr. (35-4)
152 – Tim Long, Rifle, Sr. (37-7); also fourth at 135 in 2005.
Fourth place
103 – Jesse Meis, Alamosa, Jr. (36-9)
112 – Brice Boling, Moffat County, Sr. (38-13)
119 – Ben Armendariz, Mullen, Sr. (38-9)
130 – Scott Schaeffer, Greeley C., Jr. (34-10)
135 – Austin Stubas, Cheyenne Mtn., Sr. (34-9)
140 – Rodney Hesse, Greeley Central, Jr. (35-5)
160 – Josh Rangel, Greeley Central, Jr. (27-9)
189 – Justin Waterman, Greeley West, Jr. (32-9)
Fifth place
103 – Zach Maes, Mullen, Sr. (36-5)
112 – Victor Sanchez, Pueblo So., Sr. (33-8); also second at 103 in 2005 and fourth at 103 in 2004.
125 – James Rowell, Thompson Valley, Sr. (36-8); also sixth at 112 in 2005.
135 – Matt Basquez, Pueblo East, Sr. (26-8)
145 – Brice Wolf, Greeley Central, So. (34-7)
160 – Tyler Thompson, Rifle, Sr. (29-10)
171 – Darren Christopher, Windsor, Sr. (30-5)
189 – Nick Navratil, Moffat County, Sr. (33-10)
Sixth place
103 – Jeremy Aguero, Pueblo South, So. (27-11)
112 – Eric Zamora, Fort Lupton, Sr. (29-12)
119 – Andrew Wright, Mont.-Cortez, Sr. (14-8)
130 – Joe Waples, Mullen, Sr. (37-8)
152 – Matt Chavez Fort Morgan, Jr. (29-15)
215 – Matt Parker, Sand Creek, Sr. (26-8)
CLASS 3A
Second place
103 – Jake Eitzen, Estes Park, So. (37-4)
112 – John Bailey, Florence, Sr. (37-2); also fourth at 103 in 2005.
125 – P.J. Gallegos, Roosevelt, Sr. (19-4); also third at 119 in 2005 and fifth at 112 in 2004, both at Highland.
152 – Tim Frank, Roosevelt, Sr. (35-7)
160 – Brandon Kammerzell, Eaton, Sr. (37-3)
171 – Kyle Martinez, Olathe, Sr. (23-6); also fourth at 160 in 2005.
Hwt. – Austin Kinnison, Highland, Jr. (30-4); also sixth at 189 in 2005.
Third place
103 – Phillip Sheridan, Centauri, So. (37-8)
112 – Cody Cole, Brush, Sr. (38-3); also sixth at 103 in 2005.
125 – Justin Prieto, Monte Vista, Jr. (27-16)
189 – David Clark, Platte Valley, Jr. (31-7)
Hwt. – Troy Appel, Lamar, Sr. (30-8)
Fourth place
103 – Cole Kembel, Brush, So. (30-8)
112 – Ely Martinez, St. Mary’s, So. (32-7)
119 – Cody Haga, Ignacio, Sr. (38-11); also second at 103 in 2005.
125 – Phillip Gallegos, La Junta, Jr. (23-8)
130 – Levi Treadway, Gunnison, Sr. (34-10)
135 – Travis Darling, Ignacio, Sr. (33-9)
145 – Dustin Caldwell, Gunnison, Sr. (22-7)
160 – Aaron Quinlan, Brush, Sr. (13-3); also sixth at 152 in 2005.
Fifth place
103 – Dylan McKie, Yuma, Jr. (28-11)
112 – Zach Trujillo, Monte Vista, Jr. (31-12)
119 – Dan Frank, Roosevelt, So. (36-11)
130 – Miky Koonce, Florence, Sr. (32-10)
135 – Casey Seifert, Sheridan, Jr. (37-7)
140 – Brandon Montoya, Roosevelt, So. (28-10)
145 – Zach Scholl, Monte Vista, Sr. (24-14)
160 – Chris Diaz, Olathe, Sr. (22-22)
Hwt. – Tommy Lester, Eaton, Jr. (21-6)
Sixth place
112 – Gersain Diaz, Yuma, Jr. (25-12)
119 – Mitchell Polkowske, Centauri, Jr. (37-11)
125 – Roy Westbrook, Bayfield, Sr. (30-18)
130 – Jordan Larsen, Bayfield, Jr. (33-12)
171 – Eric Lee, Gunnison, Sr. (23-18)
215 – Mike Mazzucca, Salida, Sr. (21-9)
Hwt. – Scott Wilkins, Salida, Sr. (28-12)
CLASS 2A
Second place
103 – Justin Iacovetto, Soroco, So. (36-6)
119 – Wade Beiriger, Center, Sr. (29-7); also sixth at 112 in 2005.
125 – Richard Apodaca, Arrupe Jesuit, Sr. (23-6); also third at 112 in 2005.
130 – Drake Smith, Dolores, Jr. (37-10) and Chris Penny, Burlington, Sr. (33-5)*; also fifth at 112 in 2005.
152 – Ross Brunkhardt, Merino, Sr. (39-3); also champion at 152 in 2005 and at 135 in 2004.
160 – Chris Schweizer, Rocky Ford, Sr. (38-4)
Third place
103 – Edwin Cruz, Del Norte, Jr. (31-11)
112 – Joel Schlegel, Soroco, Sr. (38-6); also fourth at 103 in 2005.
119 – Colten Huskey, Dove Creek, So. (42-1)
125 – Dustin Weitzel, Dolores, Sr. (39-5); also fifth at 112 in 2005 and second at 103 in 2004.
130 – Chris Holzworth, Fowler, Sr. (28-3); also second at 119 in 2005.
140 – Jonathan Franklin, Holyoke, Sr. (36-7)
145 – Mikey Swigart, Dolores, Sr. (44-5); also second at 140 in 2005.
171 – Tanner Ridgway, Paonia, Sr. (34-7); also second at 160 in 2005.
Hwt. – Brock Freidenberger, Rocky Ford, Sr. (28-7)
Fourth place
103 – Ty Sickels, Nucla, So. (34-13)
119 – Wacey Smith, Merino, Sr. (29-8)
125 – Hugh Hardman, Norwood, So. (38-7)
130 – Daniel Coffey, Lyons, Jr. (29-7)
140 – Frank Christianson, Akron, Sr. (30-11)
215 – Ramiro Dominguez, Fowler, Sr. (25-8)
Hwt. – Bryan Crespin, John Mall, Jr. (24-7)
Fifth place
103 – Bryant McCuistion, Fowler, Sr. (29-9)
135 – Jake Harris, Dolores, Sr. (18-8)
140 – Zack Meyer, John Mall, Sr. (26-2)
215 – Josh Olsen, Calhan, Sr. (30-6)
Sixth place
103 – Drew Ritchey, Wray, Jr. (29-15)
112 – Mark Bejarano, Paonia, Jr. (26-11)
119 – Brad Dillon, Nucla, Sr. (27-17)
130 – Devon Raswold, Simla, Sr. (23-7)
152 – Eric Stiasny, Dove Creek, Sr. (35-12)
171 – Jacob Jurney, Rocky Ford, Sr. (33-10)
189 – Stryker Lane, Nucla, So. (32-8)
*Denotes classification change
