Windsor freshman wrestler Evan Perez dominates title match to win Colorado state championship

The next great Windsor wrestler has arrived, and he's well aware of the Wizards' championship tradition.

Now he's adding to it.

Freshman Evan Perez absolutely controlled his title match Saturday night, stifling Evergreen's Gabe Zimmerer in an 8-1 decision to win the Class 4A 165-pound title in the Colorado state wrestling tournament at Ball Arena.

"I just knew I could dominate him," Perez said. "That was the gameplan the whole time. I was ready for anything he threw at me, and I put some back on his end too."

Perez worked that plan to perfection, snapping a title drought by Windsor standards with the school's first wrestling championship since Vance VomBaur in 2021.

It also lifted Windsor to a second-place team finish after some uncharacteristic dips the past two seasons, placing 15th last year and seventh in 2021.

Perez immediately pointed at his family after the victory. That posse included older brother Tristan, who was a key part of Windsor's dominant 2020 title team and won the 170-pound 4A championship that year.

"I was aware we didn't do our best last year," Evan said. "But I've been part of this program for years now. My older brother, Tristan, won a state championship and I was friends with Dominick Serrano, Isaiah (Salazar), Vance (VomBaur).

"They've all helped me get here, so I just want to keep the tradition going."

So far, so good for Perez, a budding star who took his wrestling up another notch all weekend at state.

He already has the mentality, a freshman unafraid no matter the opponent.

"Whenever I step on the mat with anyone else, I don't think they're better than me," Perez said. "That's what I say to myself warming up: I think I'm the best."

The state title was the exclamation point, but Perez built the momentum with an unreal 40-second pin on top-seed Joseph Lovate Bakke (Falcon) in the semifinals.

"I wrestled him earlier in the year in an overtime heartbreaker and lost," Perez said. "I wanted it back ever since, so I went out to dominate and I got that pin.

"After that, I knew I was going to win the title."

Full updates, results:Windsor finishes 2nd at Colorado state wrestling tournament

Windsor's Kenney drops close title match

John Kenney was oh-so-close.

For a second straight year, Kenney leaves Ball Arena as a state wrestling runner-up.

This time was different, though. Last year, Kenney lost to local Loveland rival Levi Arguello by major decision (11-2) in a match that wasn't really in doubt.

Saturday night's championship match was an absolute dogfight against Roosevelt's Chris LaLonde, with LaLonde holding off Kenney by a 3-2 decision.

It was close throughout, though Kenney could never quite get the multipoint scoring opportunity he needed to overcome the Rough Rider wrestler's defensive strength.

The senior Kenney has been a Wizards' wrestling staple for four years in a steady career. He's a three-time state qualifier (likely four without a COVID-limited field in 2021) and has finished in the top 5 each time.

Zeb Mirriam (190), James Pantoja (106) and Robert Kendall (113) all took home third place and were instrumental in Windsor's runner-up finish.

Zach Eaton (fifth, 120), Santi Fernandez (fifth, 157), Hayden Haase (sixth, 138) and Cale Meuchel (sixth, 175) also placed for Windsor.

Poudre duo posts 3rd-place finishes

Poudre's Billy Greenwood (132) and Banks Norby (150) finished off their seasons with third-place finishes.

Greenwood, brother of previous Poudre title winners and finalists, is just a sophomore and already has consecutive top-3 finishes at state after beating Pomona's Angel Serrano in Saturday's third-place match.

Greenwood was impossible to crack with a dominant 5-1 win, sound in technique and excellent with his defensive wrestling. Serrano never found an opening to score and Greenwood cruised to the win.

Meanwhile, Norby's 4-2 win over Ponderosa's Payton Harris was a rugged affair. Norby and Harris wrestled a physical match, with neither side earning a clear advantage until a Norby move early in the third period broke open a 2-2 tie.

After the match, the junior Norby collected his breath (and energy) on the mat even after the official raised his hand in victory.

The Bekkedahl brothers also placed for Poudre. Nico (138) won his fifth-place match 6-0 over Grand Junction Central's Elijah Hernandez, while Marcus Bekkedahl (106) and Brett Lamb (157) earned podium spots at sixth.

Their contributions helped Poudre place seventh in the team standings after entering the tournament ranked seventh.

Fort Collins' Soto fights to 5th in city rivalry win

Fort Collins senior wrestler Cam Soto (157) capped his high school career in style, and he did it against a familiar foe.

Soto outlasted Poudre's Brett Lamb in an all-city fifth-place match, scoring first in the overtime period for a sudden victory (8-6).

The match was as intense as expected, with Lamb forcing extra time by scoring three points in the final 20 seconds and making officials to discuss a scoring dispute.

But Soto bounced back quickly, needing less than a minute to take Lamb down for two points and get the win.

It was an especially-sweet finish for Soto, who was a top-10 wrestler last season in his class but was unable to compete in the 2022 state tournament due to injury.

Rocky's Stutzman battles back for 4th

Rocky Mountain wrestler Josh Stutzman (165) often flew under the radar this season, but he saved his best for state.

Stutzman finished third in regionals but nearly took that same spot statewide, falling to Grandview's Charlie Herting via an 8-1 decision in Saturday's third-place match.

It was a successful run for the senior, who made state for the first time and also beat city foe Miguel Garcia (Fort Collins) in the opening round.

Despite losing a quarterfinal match, Stutzman fought back with three consecutive consolation wins (all by decision) to earn a spot on the podium.

Pair of PSD girls place at state

For a second straight season, Poudre School District girls wrestler Abbigail Smith (140) proved she belonged on the big stage at Ball Arena.

Smith, who finished third last season in the team's first tournament appearance in the arena, backed it up again with another spot in the third-place match.

The senior fell to local Loveland rival Sierra Moskalski by fall (3:48), earning a fourth-place finish after previous wins over North Fork's Kacey Walck, Pueblo Central's Gabby Downling and West Grand's Sage Lechman sandwiched around a semifinal loss to Mead's Ashley Booth.

PSD's Mariah Gonzales (235) also made the podium, placing sixth following a loss via fall to Grand Junction Central's Rya Burke.

In just the third season CHSAA has sanctioned girls wrestling, PSD already has six total podium finishes.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Windsor High School freshman Evan Perez wins Colorado state wrestling title