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Isaiah DeLaCerda’s heart hurt for his younger brother.

Elijah DeLaCerda, a sophomore at Alamosa, had just lost to Fort Lupton freshman Jacob Duran in the Class 3A 106-pound championship match Saturday night at the Pepsi Center.

But there was no time for Isaiah, an Alamosa senior, to offer consolation. He instead had to carry his brother’s pain into his own championship quest. Isaiah walked onto the mat moments after his brother’s loss and dominated the 113-pound title match, pinning Grand Valley sophomore A.J. Serna in the second period to win his third consecutive individual state title.

“It was disappointing because I wanted us to win together,” Isaiah DeLaCerda said. “This was the only chance we had to win together. I went out there kind of upset, but I just told myself that I had to do that for him and win for both us.”

Elijah DeLaCerda, who lost by an 8-3 decision, watched his older brother’s match from the edge of the tunnel a few dozen feet from the mat, tears welling in his eyes. As Isaiah walked off the mat in a subdued celebration of his third straight title, he wrapped his younger brother in a comforting hug.

The two have been wrestling together since they were 4 years old, each familiar with the agony-and-ecstasy nature of their sport. Each high and low was felt together, and Saturday night was no different.

“Those brother combinations are so good because they push each other,” said Alamosa assistant coach Rusty Johnson, whose squad was in the running for a team championship late Saturday.

Isaiah DeLaCerda was also thinking Saturday of his freshman season, when he lost the state title match by a narrow 2-0 decision, that thin line keeping him from being a four-time state champ.

“You don’t think about it too much until you’re down to the last one,” he said. “I wish I could have gotten the first one. But it made me want to work harder and make sure I got three.”

Elsewhere in 3A, Jefferson senior Kyle Cisneros beat Valley junior Brandon Damian by an 8-3 decision in the 132-pound championship to win his state record 177th career match. It also was the second consecutive state title for Cisneros.

Jody Sandoval, a Fort Lupton senior, earned a 2-0 decision over Monte Vista senior Moises Suarez in the 126-pound match for his third straight title.

Valley senior Aaron Trujillo won his second straight title with a 5-2 decision over Brandon Buhr of Centauri in the 145-pound championship. Trujillo’s victory was instrumental in helping Valley win a tightly contested race for the 3A team title.

Class 3A championship results

106 — Jacob Duran, Fr., Fort Lupton (43-3) dec. Elijah DeLaCerda (38-7), So., Alamosa, 8-3.

113 — Isaiah DeLaCerda, Sr., Alamosa (28-2) pin A.J. Serna, So., Grand Valley (44-4), 3:27.

120 — Joe Chavez, So., Centauri (44-4) major dec. Jimmy Rodriguez III, Fr., Jefferson (43-5), 17-3.

126 — Jody Sandoval II, Sr., Fort Lupton (46-1) dec. Moises Juarez, Sr., Monte Vista (37-6), 2-0.

132 — Kyle Cisneros, Sr., Jefferson (46-4) dec. Brandon Damian, Jr., Valley (39-5), 8-3.

138 — Noah Hermosillo, Sr., Eagle Valley (44-1) dec. Quinton Montague, Sr., Centauri (39-2), 9-4.

145 — Aaron Trujillo, Sr., Valley (40-3) dec. Brandon Buhr, Jr., Centauri (42-10), 5-2.

152 — Isaiah Salazar, Fr., Eaton (27-5) dec. Jimmy Laconte, Jr., Weld Central (43-3), 3-1.

160 — Kolsen Welham, Sr., Holy Family (37-4) major dec. Hayden Johnson, Jr., Steamboat Springs (36-8), 13-3.

170 — Josh Flanagan, Jr., Valley (44-4) dec. Mikinzie Klimper, Jr., Moffat County (40-7), 5-4.

182 — William Tyler, Sr., La Junta (32-7) dec. Nathan Johns, So., The Classical Academy (38-5), 3-2.

195 — Fabian Estrada, Sr., Alameda (34-2) pin Deven Mosman, Jr., Ridge View (24-4), 2:44.

220 — Oscar Lopez, Sr., Jefferson (35-2) dec. Evan Hoff, Sr., Grand Valley (25-4), 10-5, OT.

Hwt. — Ricky Ayala, Sr., Sheridan (24-5) dec. Logan Church, Jr., Delta (41-3), 3-2.

Team scores
Valley 102.5, Jefferson 99, Alamosa 98, Centauri 89, Sheridan 77, Platte Valley 69, La Junta 66, Fort Lupton 64, Eaton 58; Moffat County 56.5.