Niwot wrestlers place at regional tournament, heading to state

The Niwot High School wrestling team demonstrated its competitive spirit at the CHSAA 4A Region 2 Wrestling Tournament hosted by Mead High School, with three Cougars securing spots on the podium, advancing to state.

Ryder Evans, who achieved his milestone 100th win, captured third place in the 144-pound weight class with an impressive display of skill, returning to the state tournament for the second year in a row. Evans opened the tournament securing a technical fall victory over Glenwood Springs High School's Kenai Kellogg in just 2:24. He maintained his momentum in the quarterfinals, defeating Vander Waerlop of Summit High School with another impressive 16-1 technical fall in 2:34.

Though Evans' championship run was halted in the semifinals by Falcon High School's Alan Cruz, he showed remarkable resilience in the consolation bracket earning a hard-fought 11-7 decision over Kyle Rodriguez of Montrose High School. He then sealed his third-place finish with a decisive pin of Riverdale Ridge High School's Truland Stearns at 3:44 in the bronze medal match.

"Ryder has pushed through sickness and injury, and he was able to push through and win when we needed it," noted Head Coach Michael DeCamillis. "Getting his 100th win is something he's been battling for all year."

Eli Quesada made his mark in the 165-pound weight class with a fourth-place finish. His tournament journey began explosively with a 26-second pin over Rowan McCue of Longmont High School in the opening round. The pin was followed by an impressive 23-9 major decision victory against Daniel Munoz of Bear Creek High School in the quarterfinals. "He came out ready to compete," said DeCamillis.

Despite falling to eventual finalist Hunter Humphrey of Mead in the semifinals, Quesada secured a spot in the third-place match with a pin over Montrose's Jayce England but ultimately placed fourth after a tough battle with Riverdale Ridge's Lino Oliverez.

In the heavyweight division, Jonathan Lopez fought his way to a fifth-place finish after an early setback. Lopez's resilience was on full display as he navigated the challenging consolation bracket, beginning with a decisive pin over Greeley Central High School's Bridger Freeland at 1:39.

Though he faced another setback against Jason Pettes of Riverdale Ridge in the consolation semifinals, Lopez refused to be denied a place on the podium. He secured a win in the first fourth-place match with a tactical 5-2 decision over Falcon's Kyle Tarver, then wrapped up his tournament run and state qualification with a commanding 7-0 victory over Owen Cervantes of Montrose in the wrestle back match.

"Jonathan battled with injuries early on in the season," DeCamillis reflected. "He pushed through his last two matches which were important for him to go to state. He wrestled a whole five-minute match, which is hard to do."

DeCamillis attributes the success of his state qualifiers to their consistent dedication. "The way they prepare themselves on tournament day – getting their head right, moving around, getting ready to go – that is what separates their mat day preparation."

Several other Niwot wrestlers showed promising moments throughout the tournament. Maddox Brown (157 pounds) secured a notable 10-7 decision victory over Riverdale Ridge's Troy Statter in the consolation rounds, while Lucas Menza (175 pounds) demonstrated his potential with a quick 53-second pin over Sand Creek High School's Emilio Sanchez.

Max Burke Bedell (215 pounds) also contributed to the team's effort with an impressive first-round pin over Greeley Central's Rogelio Serna-Vazquez, and Will Murray earned a thrilling 11-9 decision in the early rounds over Summit High School's Nikita Ferber in the 138-pound consolation bracket,

"The regional tournament brings heartbreak all around, but we saw success with every one of the kids that were out there." added Coach DeCamillis.

The three state qualifiers will continue their journey at the 2025 CHSAA State Championships Thursday Feb. 13-15 at Ball Arena in Denver.