Rafael Munoz didn’t have to leave Iowa, where he posted a 37-4 record during his junior year, to return for
The Class 3A 145-pound state champion came back for unfinished business, mainly winning the team crown for the Beetdiggers. The transfer sit-out rule left him with only 14 matches – all wins – coming into the state tournament. He left with an 18-0 record for his senior year and the 145-pound title after a 6-3 decision over Roosevelt’s Brandon Montoya (33-8).
Brush led Roosevelt 179-165 in the team race going into the 145-pound class and went on to claim the first crown in school history with 193 points. Roosevelt repeated in second place with 170 points. Florence was third at 141 points.
Brush won four individual titles, three in head-to-head competition with Roosevelt.
First, Brush’s Cody Cole pinned Arrupe Jesuit’s Vincente Gallegos, and Aaron Quinlin won a 7-3 decision over Roosevelt’s Nathan Heuer at 171 pounds. Then Nick Dreitz pinned his fourth straight opponent, Roosevelt’s Dustin Frank, at 215 pounds.
“Since Day 1 people have said Roosevelt is No. 1. They told us that since football. I wasn’t here last year. My folks moved to Iowa,” Munoz said. “I wanted to come back here and win a state title. I love this program and I want to give Coach (Dave) Uhrig a state title.”
For all its tradition, Brush never won a wrestling title.
“We were never lucky enough to win it,” said Uhrig, in his 19th year as the Beetdiggers’ coach. “You just hope every year for the best.”
Brush came in ninth last season.
While Munoz was in Iowa a year ago, Dreitz was with the Brush basketball team. He said he wrestled a little in middle school and might have wrestled a year ago if he hadn’t blown out an ACL.
A state champion in his first year lettering in wrestling, Dreitz is headed to Fort Hays State on a football scholarship.
Ahead 1-0 after two periods, Munoz was the aggressor in the final period. One of the most animated winners of the night, he pounded his chest and pointed repeatedly at the large contingent that made the 90-minute drive from Brush.
“I’ve been working for this for four years,” Munoz said. “It was my goal. It came true.”
Centauri junior Mitchell Polkowske finished with the most wins in 3A, capping a perfect 47-0 season with a 12-1 major decision over Monte Vista’s Justin Prieto in the 135-pound class.
Natalie Meisler can be reached at 303-954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com.
