DENVER | Garrett Reece lost in a championship match at the Class 5A boys state wrestling tournament last year and he’s been nearly unbeatable ever since.
The Regis Jesuit junior — who lost to Ponderosa’s Jacob Myers in last season’s state final at 132 pounds — bumped up to 150 pounds this season and has not lost to anybody in the state of Colorado on his way to Saturday night’s state final at Ball Arena.
Reece continued his dominant run through the state tournament with a 10-2 major decision victory over Chaparral’s Chase Bell in Friday’s semifinals, which will send him into an all-Aurora state championship match with Grandview sophomore Jonathan Montes Gonzales.
The other semifinalist for coach Dan Wrona’s Regis Jesuit team — senior Ryan Curran at 157 pounds — lost his match.
Reece (45-1), whose only loss came out of state at the Doc Buchanan Invitational, pinned Brighton’s Kaden Housego in the first period of his opening round match, then followed that up with an 11-3 major decision over Arvada West’s Auston Eudaly.
When Regis Jesuit and Heritage met in a Continental League dual match, Reece received a forfeit and did not face Bell. He secured two takedowns in each of the first two periods on his way to a semifinal victory.
Reese will face Montes Gonzales (44-8) for the first time this season.
The Aurora area contingent for the state championship session — which begins with the Parade Champions at 5:30 p.m. — is good-sized. It also includes Cherokee Trail freshman Cooper Mathews, who is in the 106-pound final, plus Eaglecrest senior Adonias Cantu in the 113 pound final, Montes Gonzales and Grandview junior Charlie Herting in the 165-pound final.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter/X: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
