THORNTON | Next year, the girls state wrestling tournament will share the stage with the boys at the Pepsi Center when the sport becomes officially sanctioned.
The two-year pilot period for girls wrestling expired Feb. 8 with the conclusion of a well-attended state tournament at Thornton High School that saw a team and 10 individual state champions decided and 50 teams record at least one point.
Six wrestlers from Aurora programs (three from Vista PEAK, two from Eaglecrest and one from Lotus School) competed in the tournament and half earned their way onto medal podiums as top-six placers in their respective weight classes.
Vista PEAK senior Elisa Abeyta wrestled in the girls state tournament for the third time in its three-year history and placed for the second time as she took fifth at 118 pounds.
Abeyta — a state champion in 2018 — got into the placing round with a 9-7 overtime decision over Eaglecrest sophomore Savannah Smith, who had pinned her when the two Aurora wrestlers met at regionals a week earlier. Abeyta received a win by forfeit in the fifth-place match due to an injury to Vista Ridge’s Angelique Norman.
Vista PEAK teammate Ashley Jaramillo made her state debut and finished sixth at 147 pounds. The junior won her first two matches by decision, then lost by fall to eventual state champion Hailey Ahsmuhs of Sierra in the semifinals. She dropped her final two matches in the placing round to take sixth.
Coach Tim Corby’s Vista PEAK team earned 22 points to tie for 23rd place overall, while coach Sparky Adair’s Eaglecrest squad collected 19 points to tie for 27th.
Raptors freshman Blythe Cayko benefited from a first round bye and assured herself of a state place at 185 pounds with a quick quarterfinal win.
She lost to eventual state champion Sarah Sams of Douglas County in the semifinals and dropped a decision in the consolation semifinals, before finishing strong with a pine of Yuma’s Mia Dischner in the first period of the fifth-place match.
Smith finished 2-2 for the Raptors in her second trip to state, while freshman Leilani Camaal of Vista PEAK and Lotus senior Salem Scobee lost both of their matches.
Courtney Oakes is Sentinel Colorado Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
2020 COLORADO GIRLS STATE WRESTLING TOURNAMENT
Feb. 8 at Thornton High School
Team scores: 1. Chatfield 102 points; 2. Douglas County 95; 3. Loveland 91.5; 4. Denver East 68; 5. Mountain Vista 67; 6. Poudre 56; 7. Sierra 47; 8. Jefferson 40; 9. Montrose 39; T10. Doherty 35; T10. Vista Ridge 35; 12. Sierra Grande/Centennial 34; T13. Skyview 31; T13. Yuma 31; 15. Thomas Jefferson 30; 16. Mullen 29.5; 17. Delta 29; 18. Palmer 27; T19. Durango 24; T19. John F. Kennedy 24; T19. Lamar 24; T19. Platte Valley 24; T23. VISTA PEAK 22; T23. Olathe 22; 25. Mountain Range 21; 26. Fountain-Fort Carson 20; T27. EAGLECREST 19; T27. Chaparral 19; 29. Bennett 18; 30. Calhan 16; 31. Lewis-Palmer 14; 32. Northridge 13; T33. Prairie View 12; T33. Steamboat Springs 12; 35. Fort Lupton 11; T36. Coronado 9; T36. Horizon 9; T36. Nucla 9; 39. Thornton 8; T40. Arapahoe 7; T40. Northglenn 7; T42. Golden 6; T42. Mead 6; 44. Soroco 5; T45. Peyton 4; T45. Platte Canyon 4; T47. Central Grand Junction 3; T47. Pomona 3; 49. Palmer Ridge 2; T50. Heritage 1; T50. Mesa Ridge 1; T50. Pueblo Central 1; T50. Riverdale Ridge 1
Vista PEAK placers: 118 pounds — Elisa Abeyta, 5th; 147 pounds — Ashley Jaramillo, 6th; Eaglecrest placer: 185 pounds — Blythe Cayko, 5th
Full championship, third-place and fifth-place results, here