His left knee something more like a wrapped-up, too-ripe grapefruit than a proper joint, Broomfield’s Jerry Huff leaned on the one thing remaining propping him up.
A last chance.
The 125-pound Huff, in his senior year, fought the toughest match of his season in the Class 4A semifinals Friday at Pepsi Center. Although with a busted bursa sac in his knee — something he drains before each match, only to have it rupture again and fill with fluid at first contact — every next match is the toughest.
The score tied 1-1 with eight seconds left, Huff got around Roosevelt’s C.J. York, getting behind York’s arms for a two-point score and a 3-1 victory.
“I was in a lot of pain,” Huff said. “But it’s my senior year. I just gotta get through it. It’s my last chance.
“In 20 years, no one will remember I had a busted bursa sack.”
But they will remember the state champion. Huff (38-5) hobbled to the state final, where he will face Greeley West’s Joseph Martinez (41-1), a winner by pin over Clayton Garza of Elizabeth at 2:38.
The state champion at 119 last season, after a 42-win season, the junior Martinez creates a tough task for Huff in the last match.
Martinez twice won by pins this tournament, including a first-round win over Pueblo South’s Casey Abeyta. A 9-3 decision over Montrose’s Drew Schumann in the quarterfinals was his tightest result.
If Huff’s finals berth is a last chance, Broomfield teammate Courtland Hacker will get a second opportunity. His pin of Greeley West’s Roy Garza at 119 pounds put Hacker into a second consecutive championship round.
Hacker hopes his result will turn out better. In 2009, Hacker was leading in the final seconds over Conifer’s Tony Peña. But Hacker tried a tilt and got reversed for two points in a 2-1 loss.
“Hopefully I don’t make the same mistakes as last year,” Hacker said. “I’ve thought a lot about this. I’ve just got to wrestle. If it’s the last 10 seconds again, and I’m ahead, I’m not gonna try some crazy moves or I’ll end up on my back. I’m not going to lose like that again.”
Hacker (38-4) faces Palisade’s Daniel Salazar (40-4) in the final.
Conifer’s Travis Himmelman, undefeated at 140 pounds, will wrestle for his second championship. He won as a freshman two years ago. But Himmelman was without a loss in last year’s semifinals before Pueblo County’s Bryce Sciumbato beat him.
“I just feel like a whole new wrestler this year,” said Himmelman (44-0). “I maybe took him too lightly last year. So I’m taking every match like it’s the hardest match I’ve ever wrestled.”
Class 4A title matches
103 pounds — Anthony Deleon, Fort Lupton, Sr. (38-6) vs. Emilio Martinez, Greeley West, Fr. (40-2)
112 — Darin Sisneros, Alamosa, Jr. (32-8) vs. Timothy Urenda, Pueblo South, Jr. (40-3)
119 — Courtland Hacker, Broomfield, Jr. (38-4) vs. Daniel Salazar, Palisade, So. (40-4)
125 — Joseph Martinez, Greeley West, Jr. (41-1) vs. Jerry Huff, Broomfield, Sr. (38-5).
130 — Nick Swanson, Wheat Ridge, So. (35-2) vs. Nick Babcock, Broomfield, So. (36-5)
135 — Casey Lynn, Montezuma-Cortez, Sr. (38-0) vs. Richie Bailey, Falcon, Sr. (38-4)
140 — Travis Himmelman, Conifer, Jr. (44-0) vs. Tyler Parker, Frederick, Sr. (41-1)
145 — Nathaniel Garcia, Windsor, Jr. (26-0) vs. Brandon Hoffman, Fort Morgan, So. (37-6)
152 — Dan Barringer, Lewis-Palmer, Sr. (44-0) vs. Curtis Ramsay, Windsor, Sr., (34-1)
160 — Robert Pickrell, Northridge, Sr. (26-1) vs. Blake Nygren, Roosevelt, Sr., (39-5)
171 — Josh VanTine, Broomfield, Sr. (39-5) vs. Bryce Gaber, Montrose, Jr. (40-3)
189 — Jordan Passehl, Montrose, Sr. (42-0) vs. Dwight Howes, Arvada, So. (43-1)
215 — Coltin Ostermiller, Ridgeview Academy, Sr. (40-6) vs. Braxten Franz, Montrose, Sr. (42-3)
HWT — Scotland Coyle, Longmont, Sr. (30-2) vs. Chris Maynes, Pueblo South, Sr. (31-3)
This article has been corrected in this online archive to reflect Travis Himmelman qualified for a second state championship round berth.
