State high school wrestling championships

Rulon Gardner orchestrated the parade of champions and we were off with a bang. Pueblo County’s Brendon Garcia wins his third straight state title at 106 pounds but he expected more of himself, “I won, that’s about it. It was a terrible match,” says Garcia.

At 113 pounds, Isaiah Gamez honored his late great grandmother with a state title win for La Junta,
“Ever since I went up there, everything I’ve done is for her. Everything I’ve done. She was my rock,” says Gamez.

Patrick Allis of Discovery Canyon needed some heroics in the final seconds to win his state title at 120 pounds, “I don’t know, I know it was wild though. I can’t wait to go talk to my family and talk to my dad. I’m so excited to see my parents,” says Allis.

At 132 pounds, we saw an absolute battle between Air Academy’s Jason Hanenberg and Aaden Valdez of Pueblo East. A valiant effort by Valdez is bested late as Hanenberg wins his first state championship as a senior, “My grandpa passed away this year and I told him right before he was going that this was for him and all of our family and getting our Hanenberg name known out there,” says Henenberg.

Finally, Mike McFadden rode the wave all the way to a state championship. McFadden wins his first title as a senior at 138 pounds, “Heck no bro, oh my god. that life long dream just came true. Nothing beats this moment right here man. My whole life has been wrestling. To get this state championship means the world to me,” says McFadden.