DENVER | Fourteen boys wrestlers from Aurora-area programs still have a chance to make it to championship matches as the Class 5A state tournament as they qualified for Friday evening semifinals at Ball Arena.
Four wrestlers apiece from Cherokee Trail, Eaglecrest and Grandview plus two from Regis Jesuit will take the mats in search of spots in Saturday night’s title matches after they earned quarterfinal victories Friday afternoon.
Making it to the semifinals assures each wrestler of a place among the top six that make the final medal podium regardless of the result. Semifinal losers drop into the consolation semifinals and will wrestle for third place with a win and for fifth place with a loss.
Interestingly enough, none of the 14 semifinalist will face off against each other, while the possibility of all-Aurora championship matches exist at 106 pounds (Grandview’s JR Ortega and Cherokee Trail’s Cooper Mathews, 126 pounds (Eaglecrest’s Alijah Gabaldon and Cherokee Trail’s Jay Everhart) and 150 pounds (Regis Jesuit’s Garrett Reece and Grandview’s Jonathan Montes Gonzales).
Joining Gabaldon among Eaglecrest’s semifinal contingent are seniors Adonias Cantu (113 pounds), Ethan Diaz (120) and Thayne Lundy (175).
In addition to Ortega and Montes Gonzales, Grandview has senior Nehemiah Quintana (132) and junior Charlie Herting (165) among the final four.
Cherokee Trail’s contingent of semifinalists includes Cooper Mathews and his brother Chance (138), as well as Everhart and junior Mateo Garreffa (190).
Eight Aurora area wrestlers lost in the quarterfinals and will wrestle consolation matches following the semifinals, as will those who won first round consolation matches.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter/X: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports