VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. | True to his word, Deyaun Trueblood didn’t take much time off — if any — after winning his state championship.
The Gateway High School sophomore wrestling star, who became the Aurora school’s first state mat champion since 1993 when he won the Class 5A 152-pound title in February at the Pepsi Center, extended his fantastic year over the weekend at the 25th annual National High School Coaches Association Virginia Beach Nationals.
Trueblood finished second in the 152-pound weight class of the Sophomore Division at the prestigious annual tournament held at the Virginia Beach Convention Center, losing to Daniel Bullard of Georgia 7-6 in Sunday’s championship match.
As one of the top eight finishers in his weight class, Trueblood — who finished the tournament 5-1 overall — earned Sophomore All-American status.
Trueblood’s run to the finals was nothing short of impressive, as he won two matches by pin, two by major decision and shut out his opponent in the quarterfinals. He lost late in the title match to Bullard, one of Georgia’s top prep wrestlers who won the Freshman 138 pound championship at the Virginia Beach Nationals a year earlier.
Many wrestlers who have earned All-American distinction at the Virginia Beach Nationals in years past have gone on to impressive careers in NCAA wrestling.
This year, the tournament featured a record 3,367 wrestlers from 47 states and Germany split up into Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior and Middle School divisions.
The Sophomore Division that included Trueblood featured a total of 806 wrestlers who had combined to win 89 state championships in their respective states. No other Colorado wrestler in the Sophomore Division earned All-American honors, though some did in other age groups.
Trueblood still has two seasons left in his quest to join Regis Jesuit graduate John Crowley — who also competed in the Virginia Beach Nationals when he was in high school — as Aurora’s only three-time state wrestling champions.
Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor of the Aurora Sentinel. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentine.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. Faecbook: Aurora Prep Sentinel
DEYAUN TRUEBLOOD’S RESULTS AT NHSCA VA. BEACH NATIONALS
152 pounds (Sophomore division)
Championship: Daniel Bullard (Ga.) dec. Deyaun Trueblood, 7-6
Semifinals: Trueblood maj. dec. Colten Carlson (Minn.), 23-9
Quarterfinals: Trueblood dec. Joseph Stroud (Ga.), 8-0
Third round: Trueblood maj. dec. Elliott Pedigo (Va.), 12-3
Second round: Truebloood pinned Dakota Carden (CT), 5:00
First round: Trueblood pinned Chris Vera (NC), 2:54
