With defeated opponent Giovonni Aldretti of Walsenburg observing at left, Mancos' Levi Martin receives congratulations from coach Ty Penning after winning the 2024 CHSAA State Championships' Class 2A, 144-pound third-place bout by a 7-6 margin.
Joel Priest/Special to The Journal
DENVER – On a busy Saturday on the Ball Arena floor, Southwest Colorado’s top wrestlers put the finishing touches on a season full of memorable achievements. At the end of the final weekend of the season, four local wrestlers added their names to the growing list of podium finishers at the 2A state championships.
Mancos earned two third-place finishers, as senior Levi Martin bounced back from a broken leg to compete in the final couple weeks of the season – and caught his stride in his final matches of his high school career with a 3-0 record on Saturday to capture third at the 144-pound division.
Mancos' Levi Martin is presented to fans Saturday, February 17, inside Ball Arena in Denver after defeating Walsenburg's Giovonni Aldretti 7-6 in the 2024 CHSAA State Championships' Class 2A, 144-pound third-place bout.
Joel Priest/Special to The JournalMancos' Levi Martin cradles Holyoke's Tyson Mosenteen en route to winning the Class 2A, 144-pound consolation-bracket bout by first-period pin Saturday, February 17, at the 2024 CHSAA State Championships inside Ball Arena in Denver.
Joel Priest/Special to The JournalMancos' Levi Martin inverts Walsenburg's Giovonni Aldretti during the 2024 CHSAA State Championships' Class 2A, 144-pound third-place bout Saturday, February 17, inside Ball Arena in Denver. Martin defeated Aldretti 7-6.
Joel Priest/Special to The JournalMancos' Brandon Vannest is presented to fans inside Denver's Ball Arena after beating Ignacio's Lincoln deKay 2-1 in Class 2A, 150-pound consolation-bracket action Saturday, February 17. Defeated by his fellow San Juan Basin Leaguer early in the 2024 CHSAA State Championships, Vannest turned the tables with third place at stake and won 2-1.
Joel Priest/Special to The JournalMancos' Brandon Vannest attempts to elevate Ignacio's Lincoln deKay during Class 2A, 150-pound consolation-bracket action Saturday, February 17, inside Ball Arena in Denver. Defeated by his fellow San Juan Basin Leaguer early in the 2024 CHSAA State Championships, Vannest turned the tables with third place at stake and won 2-1.
Joel Priest/Special to The JournalDove Creek's Teagan Larimore is presented to fans inside Denver's Ball Arena after beating Rocky Ford's Jadiss Rodriguez 5-4 in Class 2A, 126-pound consolation-bracket action Saturday, February 17, at the 2024 CHSAA State Championships.
Joel Priest/Special to The JournalDove Creek's Teagan Larimore connects with a cross-face across the jaw of Walsenburg's Taylor Torres during Class 2A, 126-pound consolation-bracket action Saturday, February 17, inside Ball Arena in Denver. Larimore prevailed 5-4 to earn a team-best fifth place at the 2024 CHSAA State Championships.
Joel Priest/Special to The JournalMancos' Cole Dainty-Guilfoyle restricts County Line's Keenan Smith with a half-nelson during Class 2A, 175-pound consolation-bracket action Saturday, February 17, inside Ball Arena in Denver. Dainty-Guilfoyle pinned Smith early in the second period to close out the 2024 CHSAA State Championships earning fifth place at the weight.
Joel Priest/Special to The Journal
Mancos' Cole Dainty-Guilfoyle measures distance between himself and County Line's Keenan Smith during Class 2A, 175-pound consolation-bracket action Saturday, February 17, inside Ball Arena in Denver. Dainty-Guilfoyle pinned Smith early in the second period to close out the 2024 CHSAA State Championships earning fifth place at the weight.
Joel Priest/Special to The JournalMancos' Jacob Martin strives for control against Crowley County's Aidan Holloran during Class 2A, 157-pound consolation-bracket action Saturday, February 17, inside Ball Arena in Denver. Martin was eliminated one win short of placing at the weight; Holloran won by 13-5 major decision and went on to finish sixth.
Joel Priest/Special to The Journl
Teammate Brandon Vannest earned his second straight podium performance, also carrying a perfect record on Saturday to emerge as the bronze medalist for the 150-pound division.
Both Martin and Vannest avenged championship bracket losses in their third-place matches, as Martin toppled Walsenburg’s Giovanni Aldretti with a 7-6 victory to end on the high note, while Vannest upended Ignacio’s Lincoln Dekay, 2-1, in a rematch of their quarterfinal encounter.
With the all-state collection complete, Martin tallied a 4-for-4 streak of all state performances, joining a state title from his freshman year and a runner-up spot from 2023.
Vannest, meanwhile, earned another all-state appearance with his strong finish to the tournament – as both Martin and Vannest posted 5-1 marks on the Ball Arena mats.
Senior Cole Dainty-Guilfoyle rallied from a loss early on Saturday to claim a pin of County Line’s Keenan Smith of the fifth-place match to earn a podium finish to accompany his 2023 state title.
Sophomore Jacob Martin capped his tournament run with a 2-2 record, finishing just outside the state placements, rounding out the Blue who made the final day of the tournament.
Also making the podium for Southwest Colorado, Dove Creek freshman Teagan Larimore collected fifth place, as the first-year navigated through the consolation bracket with a 4-2 record, headlined by a fifth-place match victory over Walsenburg’s Taylor Torres, 5-4, to cap an impressive season for the Bulldogs.
As a team, Mancos took ninth overall, scoring 61 points, while Cedaredge (145 points) sparked the surprise victory in the team race atop the 2A standings, ahead of runner-up Meeker. Dove Creek scored 13 points to round out their state tournament appearance.
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