Weston Dalton was overwhelmed after winning a Class 4A state wrestling title Saturday night.
The Pueblo East junior sprinted through an empty tunnel at Ball Arena to find a quiet space. He slunk to the floor and leaned against a hallway door for a moment alone. Call it a sweet release.
“Sometimes you can’t contain your emotions as much as you’d like,” Dalton said. “I needed to give myself a second to embrace it.”
Pueblo East claimed the 4A team championship with 135.5 points and two individual titlists: Dalton (145) and senior Xavier Freeman (220). Defending 4A champion Cheyenne Mountain placed second with 124.5 points. Pueblo East has now won two wrestling state championships over the past four years (2019 and ’22).
“I’m kind of speechless. There’s just so much stress yesterday and today. But it feels great. We’re the champion in 4A,” said Pat Laughlin, the Eagles’ 16th-year head coach. “I’m really happy for my assistants, our wrestling parents and the kids. Itap just so awesome. … Itap a total team effort and feels great when it can all come together.”
Dalton earned a 7-0 decision over Falcon senior Tyler Valdez. His long-awaited return atop the podium proved especially sweet.
Dalton won the 120-pound title as a freshman. Then, at the state tournament last year in Pueblo, he fell short of an expected repeat. Dalton went undefeated before losing to in the 132-pound final. A crushing defeat.
But Dalton embraced a different perspective heading into this season.
“Weston had such a good attitude about that whole thing. He was like: It happened. But I’m not going to let it happen again,” said Laughlin. “He took that as a springboard for motivation to get him going.”
During the season Dalton began his day with sunrise workouts before class. Up next, a several-mile run, followed by practice with his high school team. It didn’t stop there.
“I work out three times per day and sometimes four,” Dalton said. “The motivation and the drive are greater than I’ve ever felt.”
Dalton completed his junior season with a 41-3 record. His only losses were against elite out-of-state competition.
“That kid has gone to national tournaments all over the country,” Laughlin said. “He just has really great technique and a lot of experience behind it. … He’s got people running from him. He’s a hammer. That kid is tough.”
Dalton has received college recruiting interest from Division I programs such as Nebraska and Oregon State. He’s got one more year at East to capture a third state title. He isn’t done yet.
“Last year was rough. I thought I’d have two (titles) by then and three now,” he said. “But itap a journey. I strive to be the best.”
4A — 145: Weston Dalton (Pueblo East) def. Tyler Valdez (Falcon), Dec 7-0
