Feature Photo By: Izzy Honey – A referee raises senior Deron Solomon’s arm after winning a match in the 5A region 3 tournament. Solomon placed 3rd in the 145 weight class, qualifying him for state.
After two days of wrestling in the 5A Region 3 tournament at Cherokee Trail High School, two of Rangeview’s varsity wrestlers placed and qualified for the CHSAA state tournament.
In total, Rangeview had four wrestlers place in the regional tournament. Seniors Jah Mujib and Josh Nuttall both placed 6th in their weight classes, junior Bryan Fierro placed 4th in the 113 pound weight class, and senior Deron Solomon placed 3rd in the 145 pound weight class. Having placed in the top four, Fierro and Solomon have qualified to move on to state.
“There was a lot of shock and excitement,” said Solomon. “It was just like a surreal moment, realizing I was going back to state.”
Solomon competed in the state championships his freshman year, but a torn meniscus prevented him from wrestling during his junior season. This year is Fierro’s first opportunity to compete in the state championships.
Regarding his last match of the regional tournament that ultimately qualified him for state, Fierro explained that he didn’t initially recognize the significance of his accomplishment.
“I didn’t realize how big of a deal it was until Deron came out of nowhere and picked me up and hugged me,” said Fierro. “I think he was excited that I could experience his last year with him going to state. It’s super exciting.”
The CHSAA state championships mark the end of a hard-fought season. Head wrestling coach Cobry expressed his satisfaction with the team’s performance this season.
“The season flew by so fast,” explained Corby. “It seems like just yesterday that we were getting ready for our first challenge matches. I am proud of my team and coaching staff. We remained positive and prepared for competition every practice with enthusiasm.”
The team competed in eight tournaments and over 20 matches over the course of the season.
“[The varsity team] worked as hard as any group I have ever coached in over 30 years,” said Corby.
The CHSAA state championships will take place at the Pepsi Center today (Thursday the 16th), tomorrow, and Saturday.
To see the pairings for the tournament, click the link below:
