DENVER | Aurora’s contingent in Friday night’s semifinal round at the Class 5A & 4A state wresting tournaments at Pepsi Center consists of two ends of the spectrum with nothing in between.
Seven city wrestlers made it through the early afternoon quarterfinal rounds to stay alive in the state championship chase at Pepsi Center, four in the lower weights and three in the uppers.
Grandview’s strengths at the lower weights shone through as brothers Alex Santillan (113 pounds) and Fabian Santillan (126 pounds) and 120-pounder Giovani Federico got within a win of Saturday’s finals.
Overland has a pair in the semifinals in senior 195-pounder Kaelin Chin — on pace to match or better his third-place finish last season — along with sophomore 113-pounder Grant Bradley.
Cherokee Trail had three wrestlers in the championship round last season and can have another this season in senior Davione Marshall, a 220-pound semifinalist.
Senior Jayden Smith made Vista PEAK history with his 4A 195-pound quarterfinal victory, as he is the first Bison wrestler ever to make it to the semifinals.
Twelve other city wrestlers dropped into consolation brackets with quarterfinal losses, a list that included Grandview’s Dylan Ranieri, a returning state placer.
Consolation rounds ramped up following quarterfinals with the 14 Aurora wrestlers who lost in Thursday night’s first round in action.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
2018 CLASS 5A/4A STATE WRESTLING TOURNAMENT
Feb. 16 at Pepsi Center
Aurora semifinals
Class 5A 113 pounds: ALEX SANTILLAN, GRANDVIEW (29-10) vs. Dawson Collins, Grand Junction (32-3); GRANT BRADLEY, OVERLAND (24-4) vs. Adrian Marquez, Castle View (36-6)
Class 5A 120 pounds: GIOVANI FEDERICO, GRANDVIEW (31-9) vs. Justin Pacheco, Pomona (32-9)
Class 5A 126 pounds: Angel Flores, Coronado (42-7) vs. FABIAN SANTILLAN, GRANDVIEW (42-4)
Class 5A 195 pounds: KAELIN CHIN, OVERLAND (37-5) vs. Alec Hargreaves, Rocky Mountain (32-6)
Class 4A 195 pounds: JAYDEN SMITH, VISTA PEAK (32-5) vs. Braden Barker, Mountain View (42-4)
Class 5A 220 pounds: DAVIONE MARSHALL, CHEROKEE TRAIL (38-6) vs. Hunter Tobiasson, Grand Junction (37-3)
Quarterfinal results
Class 5A
106 pounds: Kenny Sailas (Broomfield) dec. CAELEB KNOLL (EAGLECREST), 4-2
113 pounds: ALEX SANTILLAN (GRANDVIEW) dec. Ryan Kuykendall (Monarch), 3-0; GRANT BRADLEY (OVERLAND) dec. Dean Noble (Poudre), 6-2 (OT)
120 pounds: Malik Heinselman (Castle View) pinned BRYAN FIERRO (RANGEVIEW), 1:50; GIOVANI FEDERICO (GRANDVIEW) dec. Justin McCoy (Brighton), 9-2
126 pounds: FABIAN SANTILLAN (GRANDVIEW) maj. dec. Anthony Gallegos (Pomona), 17-10
132 pounds: Theorius Robison (Pomona) pinned DAVID RIVERA (CHEROKEE TRAIL), 1:50; Darren Green (Broomfield) maj. dec. ANTONIO SEGURA (REGIS JESUIT), 11-1
145 pounds: Tate Martinez (Rocky Mountain) pinned DYLAN RANIERI (GRANDVIEW), 1:01
152 pounds: Gavin Deaguero (Adams City) maj. dec. TYLER MACCAGNAN (EAGLECREST), 12-0
160 pounds: Earl Camero Manzaneras (Chatfield) dec. BRANDON GUSTAFSON (OVERLAND), 7-2
170 pounds: Jay Skalecki (Grand Junction) dec. BRICE HARTZHEIM (GRANDVIEW), 8-5; Aidan Funk (Legacy) pinned EMERY BEMIS (HINKLEY), 3:25
195 pounds: Alec Hargreaves (Rocky Mountain) dec. JOE RENNER (GRANDVIEW), 15-8; KAELIN CHIN (OVERLAND) dec. Cole Yung (Poudre), 9-7 (OT)
220 pounds: DAVIONE MARSHALL (CHEROKEE TRAIL) dec. Micah Smith (Douglas County), 8-6 (OT); Hunter Tobiasson (Grand Junction) maj. dec. DAVID HOAGE (SMOKY HILL), 14-2
Class 4A
138 pounds: Mike McFadden (Cheyenne Mountain) pinned TRISTAN CURTIS (VISTA PEAK), 4:37
195 pounds: JAYDEN SMITH (VISTA PEAK) dec. Luis Ronquillo (Canon City), 5-2