Colorado’s smallest schools collectively thumbed their noses at their larger counterparts Saturday night at the Pepsi Center.
First in line was Kevin LeValley, who wrote a new chapter in the storied annals of Limon and became Colorado’s 14th four-time champion, although he was far from the classification’s lone highlight. Three others won their third crown as seniors; Colorado said goodbye to one of its better, all-around small-school athletes, and the team chase lasted until the end.
LeValley’s prominent place in Badgers’ history couldn’t have been much sweeter – he used his favorite move, which he termed a “stack,” to pin Dove Creek’s Jacob Guynes in 3:50 to end his final match as a schoolboy (39-1 in 2006-07) with a referee’s slap of the mat at 145 pounds.
“What better way to end than with my favorite move?” LeValley said. “If it has to be over, it should end with that move, so it feels right.”
Headed to Bucknell, LeValley journeyed through his career with a sense of entering Badgers’ state-recognized team royalty as an individual. Among a long list, Limon is known for its outstanding football and track teams, and to be included, LeValley said, “I’m real excited. To represent Limon this way, it’s great.”
The parade of three-timers began with Merino’s Ross Brunkhardt, who won at 152 with a 4-2 decision of Dolores’ Mikey Swigart. He was 15-1 at the state meet over four seasons.
“This won’t hit me until later,” said Brunkhardt, who lost in the championship round as a junior. Of course, he added, “I think about the one I lost, but I lost (last season) to Joe LeBlanc. He’s not a bad kid to lose to.”
Meeker’s LeBlanc, next at 160, made fairly quick work of Rocky Ford’s Chris Schweizer. Ahead by double figures in the second period, LeBlanc, sixth as a freshman, won his third title in a row with a pin in 3:15.
West Point and Nebraska have shown recent interest. He was 32-0 on the season.
Most impressive, at heavyweight, was Nucla’s Tucker Lane, who had the fastest pin of the class, in 1:26. Lane was making his fourth finals appearance – he lost as a sophomore to four-time champion Torben Walters of Crowley County – and finished his prep career 149-4, 37-0 in 2006-07.
“It’s time to move on,” said Lane, who’s headed to Nebraska. “But this will always be a special memory for me.”
At 215, Brian Hendricks of Burlington, also an All-Colorado football player bound for Wyoming, won by a pin, topped his 25-0 season and was 62-0 since 2004-05.
Lane’s brother, Stryker, a sophomore, won at 189 with a pin in 4:42. Grant Hobbs of Dove Creek, 112, was undefeated in 37 matches.
Teamwise, Dove Creek, which could have been tied by Rocky Ford if Tucker Lane was pinned, earned its first wrestling title (141 points). Rocky Ford had 135.
