After capturing the state title in 2008 in the 103-pound weight class, Lamar’s Josh Jaime finished second at 119 last season. After having reached the pinnacle as a sophomore, the runner-up finish was devastating.
“It makes me want it that much more,” said Jaime, a senior competing at 125 this season. “I want it. I need it. It (stinks) coming in second place when you’ve already had one.”
Jaime pinned Anthony Muth of Salida in 3:29 in the semifinals Friday night and will take on Clay Flot of Platte Valley (runner-up at 125 last season) in tonight’s title match.
Jaime also has the fourth- ranked Savages in the hunt for the team title with a classification-best 121 points, 10 better than defending champion Centauri.
Tough call.
It was tough to pick a favorite in the 152-pound semifinal between Dan Barringer of Lewis-Palmer and Jordan Gutierrez of Broomfield.
Gutierrez, the titlist at 135 last year, entered top-ranked at 152. But Barringer was without a loss this season. In the end, Barringer (44-0) got the best of Gutierrez (34-6) in the most surprising match of the night. Ask the winner.
“I’m pretty stoked,” Barringer said. “Something was up with him tonight. He might have been sick or injured. Because he’s a great wrestler.”
Barringer earned a third consecutive pin. He had Gutierrez on his back three times in the first period.
“I remember coming here when I was a little kid and telling my dad and older brothers I’m gonna be there someday in the final. And now I am.”
Barringer goes against Windsor’s Curtis Ramsay (34-1) today.
No respect?
Maybe Mike Lozano feels a little like Rodney Dangerfield because he’s not getting much respect. After all, the Holly junior did win a 2A state championship last year at 160 pounds, but he wasn’t listed as a returning champion in this weekend’s program being sold by the Colorado High School Activities Association at the Pepsi Center. Not to mention his name was also misspelled.
That’s OK, however, because maybe Lozano (36-2), who placed fourth at 152 pounds as a freshman, will get the respect he’s earned. He’s scored three pinfalls — two Friday — to reach today’s championship match.
Around 5A.
Only three of tonight’s finalists are undefeated. Arvada West’s Vicente Gallegos (135 pounds, 26-0), Max Wessel, Boulder (189, 40-0) and Loveland’s Connor Medbery (215, 42-0) have made it through unscathed. . . . Medbery also surpassed 1,000 yards rushing in football. . . . South’s Marlon Williams (125) and Gibril Kamara (130) failed to make weight in the consolation rounds and were disqualified. . . . The last big-school program other than Ponderosa to win the team title was Standley Lake in 2002. . . . Rocky Mountain’s Jeremy Luna (135) had the only overtime win in the semifinals, 6-4 over Derek Loche of Ralston Valley. . . . Poudre’s Clay Roth needed a takedown in the final seconds to edge Josh Schoenberger of Fountain-Fort Carson 7-6.
3A tidbits.
The 103-pound title bout this year will be an all-A.J. thing. Salida sophomore A.J. Salazar (36-3) will take on freshman A.J. Rees (37-6) of Discovery Canyon. . . . Four 3A wrestlers have an opportunity for an undefeated season: Nick Adams of Discovery Canyon (130 pounds), Ryan Gallegos of Grand Valley (145), Matt Addington of Florence (160) and Clint Myers of Salida (189). . . . Eight of the classification’s nine former champions are still alive, with only Grand Valley’s Tyler Miles out after losing to Centauri’s Iver Sandoval 12-10 in a 152-pound semifinals match.
