Boys' Wrestling Peak Performer of the Year: Javani Majoor makes Falcon history, comes back from previous losses

Apr. 10—The town of Wray is just shy of three hours away from Ball Arena by car and just under 170 miles. Yet, there's no mistaking the presence the Wray community had at the wrestling state championships this past February.

Parents and fans took up an entire section of the arena, clad in Wray High School's purple and cheering loudly for every competitor who left it all on the mat.

They celebrate their champions, Falcon wrestling head coach Robert Lovato said. The tenured Falcons coach of over two decades wants to see the community just east of Colorado Springs do the same.

To that end, he envisions a sign, naming the school's champions, to all motorists entering the town:

"Welcome to Falcon, home of the 2023 157-pound state champion wrestler Javani Majoor."

Majoor, this year's boys' wrestling Peak Performer of the Year, captured the 4A 157-pound crown back in February on a 3-2 decision victory over Mead's Leister Bowling. He's Falcon's first state champ in over three decades.

The title and the recognition are poetic justice. Following a loss in the semifinals of last year's state title, Majoor called his shot to his grandfather.

"I need to put my name on the map. That's what I told my grandpa coming into the season. I said I want my name to be known and I want it to be out there," he said immediately following his victory at state.

The win was the capstone on a remarkable 46-1 season, in which his only loss came at the beginning of the year. During a Battle of the Best tournament held in early December, Majoor lost via decision to Ponderosa's Jacob Bostelman, who had captured a state title in 2022.

The loss was the catalyst for Majoor's monster season. After that, Majoor once again went to his grandfather and said he was done losing and that he would win the title.

"To me, it speaks volumes when you can lose your very first match of the season and just open up and leave everything on the mat every time you get out there," Lovato said. "He was not going to be denied after that. That's who 'Vani is. He put a plan in place and, by gosh, he achieved it."

The plan has been in place since Majoor was an infant.

Growing up in a single-parent home, wrestling was a constant in Majoor's life. Through his grandfather and late uncle, Majoor got his first real taste of the sport at age 4, but he's been on the mat since he could crawl, the Falcon junior said.

When he was 3, Majoor lost his uncle to suicide, but the early memories of attending his practices where his grandfather served as an assistant coach have stayed with the Falcon wrestler.

"Keeping his name alive and just keeping him by my side through my journey — he motivates me," Majoor said of his uncle.

The success has ramifications for Majoor, the program and the school as a whole.

Lovato noticed that as Majoor has grown as a wrestler, he's grown as an individual, showing more of his humorous side that kept the team and coaches rolling.

From a team standpoint, Majoor's state title broke down a door that the Falcon wrestling program had been pounding on for years with several placers at state and five runners-up, Lovato said. The future looks bright for Falcon wrestling, and it's due in part to athletes like Majoor.

"Our 113-pounder has a lot of talent. We need to mature him some more, but he's getting better and better because of 'Vani," Lovato said. "Our bigger guys got better because of 'Vani. When you have that caliber of kid, you start creating that caliber of kids."

Lovato also believes all the school's athletics can benefit from what Majoor did.

"Our school does not have a lot of state-level championships. We need some success in all our sports and I really, truly hope this helps all of us get to that next level," Lovato said. "Our school can now celebrate finally a champion, and all sports can leverage this going forward. I know it's important for us as wrestlers to have a good football season. We build off those things. With 'Vani winning the state title, I am sure our spring sports will see some excellent success ... because they have a taste of it now."

Majoor is the best in the state, but his journey is far from over. He said his grandfather tells him that one day he will be the best and that he sees him becoming an Olympic champion. That's the end goal.

Majoor said he hasn't even thought much about college, leaving those discussions mostly to his mother and grandfather while he continues relentless pursuit of his dream. That includes cardio and full body lifts in the weight room, training with Colorado top team wrestling in Longmont and even getting some pointers on Greco-Roman wrestling from athletes during sessions at the Olympic training center.

Majoor hopes his efforts lead to a spot on the Division I roster in college, a spot on a world team and then a shot at the Olympics.

"I crave being on the mat. When I'm not on the mat, I get so bored. I don't know what I would do without wrestling," he said.