Feb. 15-17 was the Colorado High School State Wrestling Tournament. It was hosted at the Ball Arena in Denver. Windsor High School placed third overall in the competition.
Mead High School claimed the title of the 4A state champions, making history for their school.
Five Windsor wrestlers placed at state this year: one in second, two in third and two in fifth place. For most schools, these rankings are exceptional, but Windsor sets a high standard for its athletic teams. Still, five wrestlers placing at all is arguably respectable.
Dick Thomas (staff), Windsor High’s principal, has nearly 40 years of experience in wrestling. His career started in fourth grade, which he continued through college.
He said, “For the guys that’ll be back next year, hey, maybe it wasn’t what we wanted for everybody as a team, but you know what? You get back to work and you move on and learn from it and we look forward.”
Evan Perez (10), who wrestled in the 190-pound weight class, lost by decision during his last match on Saturday, Feb. 17. He took third place on the podium, which was a stark contrast to his victory in the 4A division last year. He said, “My goal was to win a team state title and an individual state title.”
“Next year, I’ll come back, be ready. Know what to expect,” Perez stated. His humble mentality is what will lead him to a great comeback during his junior season.
Robert Kendall (10), who wrestled in the 125-pound weight class, was the 4A double runner-up at state in 2023. Unfortunately, he was unable to wrestle this season due to a finger injury. “I broke my middle finger at a morning practice and I had to get surgery on it. Then, five weeks later, first tournament back, I broke another finger and that ended my season,” Kendall said.
Although he could not participate in wrestling itself, Kendall showed up to every practice and meet to support his teammates. His contribution to the team was greatly appreciated.
In the grand scheme of things, one loss is not the end of the world. However, to an athlete whose world revolves around their sport, a loss at any caliber is crushing.
To all of the athletes that put unrealistic expectations on themselves, the message is clear: don’t worry about past performances. Every time an athlete plays, runs or wrestles, they have the chance to set another record or win another title. There is no purpose in dwelling on the past when the future is right around the corner; student-athletes should be as patient with their emotions as they are with their bodies, because sports are just as mental as they are physical. Though Perez, Kendall and the team may have been disappointed with securing third place at state instead of first like in 2023, they are prepared to come back stronger physically and mentally next year.
