DENVER | More than half of Aurora’s qualifiers for the girls state wrestling tournament made it through Thursday’s opening round at Ball Arena and some did it with ease.
Regis Jesuit junior Alexis Segura (125 pounds), Eaglecrest freshman Diora Moore (170) and senior Blythe Cayko (190) all earned pins in 47 seconds or less after the opening whistle of their respective matches to breeze into Friday’s quarterfinals, which are scheduled for 8:30 a.m.
In all, nine of the city’s 17 qualifiers had their hands raised after their opening round matches and all of them came by fall. All four of Aurora’s programs — Eaglecrest, Overland, Regis Jesuit and Vista PEAK — will be represented in the quarterfinals.
Moore continue momentum from an outstanding regional performance with the fastest fall as she did so in just 21 seconds, while Cayko — who took the first step in a bid toward a second state championship — needed just 19 more seconds to get hers.
Junior Chasey Karabell (100 pounds) and senior Kaiya Winbush (125) also won by fall for coach Horacio Vialpando’s Raptors, who finished in a tie for fifth place.
Vista PEAK had three of its five qualifiers move on via fall, with quickest coming from senior Leilani Caamal, who needed just 1:36 for her victory at 155 pounds.
Junior 120-pounder Reagan Perez — who was unable to compete last season due to injury — won her first state match with a pin late in the second period and junior Rachel Allred rallied from an early deficit in points to earn her win by fall with just 18 seconds left on the clock in the third period for coach Jakob Vargas’ Bison.
One of the three qualifiers for coach Nikki Garcia’s Overland team remains alive as senior Vianca Mendoza, a returning qualifier, earn a win by fall at 120 pounds.
Segura’s first state match since 2021 in Pueblo lasted just 47 seconds as she gives Regis Jesuit — coached by her father, Gary — a spot in the quarterfinals.
The eight Aurora wrestlers who dropped their openers return to the mat for the first round of consolations immediately following the quarterfinal rounds.
Courtney Oakes is Sentinel Colorado Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
2023 GIRLS STATE WRESTLING TOURNAMENT
Feb. 16 at Ball Arena
Team scores (through 1st round): 1. Discovery Canyon 24 points; 2. Chatfield 21; 3. Central Grand Junction 20; 4. Pomona 18; T5. EAGLECREST 16; T5. Loveland 16; 7. Fountain-Fort Carson 13; T8. VISTA PEAK 12; T8. Fort Lupton 12; T8. Moffat County 12; T8. Poudre 12; T12. Bennett 11; T12. Vista Ridge 11; T14. Douglas County 10; T14. Mountain Vista 10; T16. Arvada 8; T16. Brighton 8; T16. Calhan 8; T16. Canon City 8; T16. Doherty 8; T16. Greeley West 8; T16. Mead 8; T16. Mesa Ridge 8; T16. Palmer Ridge 8; T25. North Folk 7; T25. Pueblo Central 7; T27. Broomfield 6; T27. Severance 6; T29. OVERLAND 4; T29. REGIS JESUIT 4; T29. Adams City 4; T29. Alamosa 4; T29. Columbine 4; T29. Coronado 4; T29. Denver East 4; T29. Denver North 4; T29. Fort Morgan 4; T29. Harrison 4; T29. Ignacio 4; T29. La Junta 4; T29. Manitou Springs 4; T29. Olathe 4; T29. Platte Valley 4; T29. Rifle 4; T29. Riverdale Ridge 4; T29. Widfield 4; T29. Woodland Park 4; T48. Soroco 3; T48. Yuma 3; T50. Arapahoe 2; T50. Denver South 2; T50. Liberty Common 2; T50. Middle Park 2