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Noah Hermosillo captures 3A state title at 138 pounds

Eagle Valley's Noah Hermosillo, shown here in action during last month's Eagle Valley Invitational, is the Class 3A 138-pound state champion. He won the crown on Saturday night, defeating Centauri's Quinton Montague, 9-3.
Chris Dillmann | Daily file photo |

DENVER — Eagle Valley’s Noah Hermosillo screamed and fell to the mat. He lay on his back on the floor of the Pepsi Center, pumping his arms and legs on Saturday night.

A state champion may celebrate however he wishes.

Hermosillo is the Class 3A 138-pound state champion, having completed his mission that started 364 days ago after he finished fourth at state at 132 pounds.



The Devils senior finishes the year at 44-1 with that one avenged in Saturday night’s title bout. After losing to Centauri’s Quinton Montague, 7-4, during the finals of the Mel Smith Invitational in Florence last month, Hermosillo got payback on Colorado’s biggest stage with a dominating 9-3 victory.

He is Eagle Valley’s first wrestling state champion since Andy Armstrong won at 220 pounds in 2013.

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In control

As tense as a state tournament can be, Hermosillo performed like he did all season — with cool efficiency. Clad in all black with white trim, he dictated from the start. He shot early and nearly got two points early in the first period. Coaches Luke Cross and Bobby Hermosillo, aka Dad, thought he had the takedown, but the referee ruled the action out of bounds.

Noah Hermosillo got those two points with a takedown with seven seconds left in the first period. He would never relinquish that lead.

Montague took bottom to start the second and got an escape to close to 2-1. After a stalemate, Hermosillo charged and got another two-point takedown midway through the six-minute match.

Hermosillo worked Montague’s right shoulder, trying to turn the Centauri wrestler for back points, but was unsuccessful. Montague ended the second stanza with another one-point escape.

Hermosillo left no doubt during the final two minutes. Starting on the bottom, he burst out for an escape and a 5-2 lead. Not content to sit on a lead, Hermosillo stalked his prey. He pretty much ended it with a ferocious takedown.

Hermosillo let Montague go for an escape and promptly pounced on him for a final takedown.

After a nice little roll around on the floor, Hermosillo got his hand raised in triumph, pointing to the fans in the stands and then racing over to his father for a long hug.

After a trip over to the scoring desk, which was accompanied by tears of joy, Hermosillo continued the celebration with a three-way hug of both Cross and his father.

Two more on the steps

Devils sophomore Luke Morrissey (35-10) made it to the semifinals with wins over Moffat County’s Karson Cox and Salida’s Carlos Hutchings. The Eagle Valley 106-pounder ran into the top seed of his division, Fort Lupton’s Jacob Duran, in the Final Four, losing a 4-0 decision.

In consolation action, Buena Vista’s Owen Berry pinned Morrisey in the third period, but showing resilience beyond his years, the sophomore bounced back. Morrisey thrashed Montezuma-Cortez’s Shawn Higgins, 18-3, good for a technical fall.

Eagle Valley’s Lucas Comroe had an interesting bookend experience to his state experience. He started by losing to Salida’s Ryan Moltz, 7-0. One should probably remember that name.

Comroe steamrolled his way back to medal contention with technical falls of Berthoud’s L.T. Torres and Pueblo Central’s Jimmy Gonzalez. Bruch’s Caleb Cox got the better of Comroe, 5-3, in the consolation semifinals. So, in the fifth-place match, whom should Comroe see, but Moltz … again.

Round 2 went much better for Comroe, who won by major decision, 13-3.

Sports Editor Chris Freud can be reached at 970-748-2934, cfreud@vaildaily.com and @cfreud.


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