This year’s win is a storybook ending for retiring coaches Carl Padilla and JC Watt (above). Tiffany Jehorek photo.
The Meeker Cowboys are your 2024 Colorado State Wrestling Champions, having won their ninth team title and continuing to be one of the winningest teams in the state.
Head coach JC Watt and assistant coach Carl Padilla announced before the season started that this would be their last year.
“I was super excited knowing that the final team score was going to come down to the final matches knowing that our team would come out on top,” commented Jake Blazon, Meeker’s 165-pound state qualifier.
When the sessions finished on Friday the Cowboys led in team points and knew that the road on Saturday would be a long one. Cedaredge had two kids in the finals but six kids on the consolation side that could potentially score a lot of team points and Wray had just two in the consolation side but four in the finals while the Cowboys had three in the finals and four attempting to reach the podium on the back side.
There were some pivotal matches for the Cowboys.
Jaxson Torsell of Rangely at 215 pounds pinned Cedaredge’s Frankie Argus, the same wrestler Judd Harvey had beaten in the quarters, knocking him off the podium and decreasing the number of points the Bruins could win.
Blazon pinned Kolter Mann of Cedaredge in the second round of the consolation bracket. The pin earned Blazon four points but it was so much more, knocking another Bruin out of the medal hunt and stopping any points earned
”Jake’s win was almost worth double the points when you sit back and think about it,” commented Watt, “Jake’s pin was big for us.”
The Cedaredge 106-pound Jared Roberts lost to Sedgwick County Flemings Cooper Edson in overtime, knocking another Bruin out of the medal hunt at the exact same time that Goedert pinned Cedaredge’s Cash Martinez.
”Reed was wrestling at the exact same time as the 106 from Cedaredge and Reed pinned his kid just as Roberts was losing and that was huge for us,” said Watt.
At the end of the placing rounds and before finals Cedaredge had managed to pull ahead of the Cowboys and Wray was just behind and at that time, it was still anyone’s tournament to win. The Eagles, being behind, would be easier to fend off and the possibility was much easier to realize, even if all of the Wray wrestlers won so long as all the Cowboys won, Meeker would be able to beat Wray.
“When Judd, Buzz and I were eating lunch we were watching the teams’ scores and we knew we had a chance,” commented state champion Cade Blunt. “One Cedaredge kid had to lose in order for all three of us to not have to pin our kids.”
In fact, one Bruin did end up losing, 113-pound Cash Martinez lost by pin opening up the Meeker championship possibilities even further.
The Cowboys had three in the championship round, lined up at 175, 190 and 215 pounds and all poised to win. Blunt was the first of three Cowboys to wrestle for the championship. The Cowboys’ 175-pounder was not unfamiliar to wrestling in the final match at the “Big Show.” He placed second last year and was looking to finish it this year.
“When I walked out on the mat I knew we were down by 11 points,” commented Blunt. “My nerves were definitely through the roof with the added pressure of a team championship on the line as well. I knew I had to be aggressive and look for a pin. We all had the same goal in mind. Just win so Coach Watt and Coach Padilla could end on a win. After my pin I knew the momentum was going to keep rolling and our excitement began to rise.”
Blunt was coming off of an exciting semifinals match that went into overtime and he won by pin.
“It was great to see Cade avenge his loss from the Fight at the Fork, and in the end it was better for the team, he won by pin instead of decision and we earned more points as a team,” said Watt.
Blunt pinned Keon Bandy from Limon, scoring six points and making the race Cedaredge 145 and Meeker 140. “Cade wrestled as good as a state finals match as I have seen a Meeker kid wrestle,” said Watt. “He finally wrestled to his potential; if you go by the numbers, Bandy, on paper, is a better wrestler, but Cade wrestled to his potential and earned every bit of his championship.”
Blunt’s win by pin also earned him a perfect score for the tournament.
”Cade pinning in the championship meant that Buzz and Judd just needed wins or one of them could pin and we would win as a team,” said Watt, “but I am not sure that it took any pressure off of either of them. I had asked both of them if they wanted to know the score before they got on the mat, and both told me no, but I think they both did actually know.”
Brendan Clatterbaugh, 190 pounds, paced back and forth after the big win from Blunt, waiting for his turn.
“Before my finals match, I was thinking about how much it would mean to everyone who supported me throughout high school,” said Clatterbaugh, “I really wanted to send Coach Watt and Coach Padilla out on a win so I knew that all three of us where going to have to win to get the team title.”
“Buzz went out onto the mat and did what he has done all year long, he dominated,” commented Watt. “He literally bends the kids to his will and controls each and every match as he is so much physically stronger.”
Clatterbaugh won in a 4-2 decision over Ira Sittner from Highland. In Harvey’s 2023 championship match, he also faced a Highland kid who did everything he could to simply not get pinned.
”I think the Highland coaches must teach their wrestlers how to not get pinned,” commented Harvey. “I was just so happy that Buzz won, he deserved the championship more than anyone in his bracket.”
“It was unfortunate that the kid was willing to stall on the bottom,” said Watt. “Buzz kept working the entire match; he put in time and effort and deserved the state championship.”
Clatterbaugh’s win by decision gave the Cowboys four team points, so they were down by one 145-144, and it was all on Harvey to bring it home.
”It was good that Judd just simply needed a win, he didn’t have to worry about pinning, just go out and do what he does,” said Watt.
Harvey had pinned his way through thus far, wrestling just over five minutes total in the first three matches. This year was his third time wrestling for a state title and the second time a pin would give him a perfect tournament score at state.
“Judd has wrestled well all year and has the undefeated record to prove it,” commented Watt. “He is physically superior and by far the best kid in his bracket.”
Harvey had a couple of scares, the first in the opening round when he dropped a kid a little too hard and then in the quarters when he and Gargus got into a throwing contest.
“I was much more worried about the slam,” said Watt, “I had thought I had heard something pop, but then the kid jumped up. Judd has wrestled Gargus so many times and it is hard to wrestle someone that much as they get used to you, but Judd is physically superior and I knew he wouldn’t be able to do much to Judd.”
Harvey pinned Estrada from Burlington in 1 minute and 46 seconds, sending him to the finals for the third year in a row.
“Judd is better than everybody he wrestles and they come with a home run game plan and so they come ready and he gets everyone’s best, but after his couple of scares he got serious and it showed,” said Watt.
This was Harvey’s second time meeting Flowers from Buena Vista this year and the second pin, earning Harvey his third state title.
“I had said that Judd could win with his hand tied behind his back,” said Watt, “the Denver Post said he could do it blindfolded, and I think we were both right.”
Harvey’s win earned a few more honors: an undefeated season, only Meeker’s second in the last 20 years, a perfect score in the tournament, the most pins for the season for the team, no losses ever at a state tournament, and the fourth Cowboy in history to earn three state championships. Harvey joined the ranks of Keenan Turner, Brandon Stewart and Joe LeBlanc when he earned his third title.
“I was really happy that Carl and I not only got to be on the mat for his third title, but his win brought home the team title as well,” said Watt. “Of our nine state titles this is the first one that it came down to our final kid pinning to win the championship. He has worked so hard in the gym and practice room. He is actually 51-0, they were missing the Best of the Best in Green River.”
“Judd is a great team leader, he is successful and works hard and all of that makes him great for the program,” commented Watt. “The other kids see it and how it can pay off, get rewards at same time and that doesn’t always happen. This was a great end to Judd’s high school career.”
Teams do not win state titles because of three kids or even 10, they win because of the entire team, even those not on varsity.
“Our kids who weren’t on varsity are very supportive of the kids that did make it and they believe in their future and that they will all be state qualifiers,” said Watt. “Several kept practicing with the varsity and that helps so much as those kids are the future of the program. It is important to keep them motivated and excited about the program and team championships and success help.”
The Cowboys had three regional qualifiers that did not make it to state: Coy Richardson, Dawson Richardson and Tanner Goodwin.
“Tanner and Coy are seniors and I wished they would have been wrestling at the tourney but I was excited that they finished their senior year on varsity and be a part of the team,” said Watt. “Dawson is a junior and was just one match away from qualifying. I was excited to hear about Dawson wrestling next year and having him back in the room after he had talked about graduating early.”
The Cowboys had two wrestlers that went 0-2 in the state tournament. Holton Harvey and Tristin Rollins.
“Holton wrestled a kid from Manzanolla who was decent and both of the kids he lost to were competitive,” said Watt. “The most important thing was that he got some really good experience and got the experience he needed to be more prepared next year.”
“Tristin was on JV the weekend before regionals and stepped up and qualified,” commented Watt, “and just the same as Holton his experience at the state tourney will help him next year.”
Meeker took 11 wrestlers to state and nine scored points, and of those nine, six placed.
Freshman Koy Weber was just 30 seconds away from making it to the semifinals after a stellar win in the opening round.
“He was good enough to be in the finals,” began Watt, “Koy is really good on his feet and just made some mistakes on the bottom. The difference was a one-point match in the quarters on the back side and he got caught and pinned. Koy is a really hard worker and learns quickly, he is motivated enough and talented enough to be a multiple-time state placer and I am excited for his future in wrestling.”
Weber watched from the stands as the Cowboys clinched the state title.
“I was super nervous and excited at the same time,” began Weber, “as soon as Cade got his win I knew we would win and was super happy.”
Freshman Orion Musser, 157 pounds, was the second freshman to qualify.
“Orion wrestled kids that were stronger but he competed really well and really smart,” said Watt. “He had a game plan and stuck to it and being at the state will be good for him.”
Senior Blazon went out in the toughest round of the tournament, the blood round, the round right before a guaranteed place. Blazon dominated his first match to lose to Gardener in the quarters who went on to win the title.
“Jake pinning the Cedaredge kid really turned around the tournament, had he lost we would have lost the tourney,” commented Watt. “He has improved the most, he is easygoing and easy to get along with and an all-around great wrestler.”
Reed Goedert was another seasoned veteran to state, but did not compete all four years of high school, taking a break from wrestling his freshman and sophomore years. Losing out in 2023, he took sixth place this year.
“Reed wrestling in the state tournament last year made it great for him this year,” commented Watt. “He wrestled well for only wrestling for two years and showed major improvement in a short time. Reed is tactical and knows the score and what he needs to do.”
Clay Crawford arguably wrestled the toughest bracket in the tournament. Coming off of regionals where he wrestled the soon-to-be state champ in regionals who was undefeated, Eddie Bowman. Then in semis he met the returning three-time state champion Caleb Camp and took his first loss in the tournament.
“Clay wrested an excellent match and I could even call it brilliant, just before he got dumped,” commented Watt. “Clay has figured out how good he is on his feet and I am super excited for him, he is the best on his feet and now knows it.”
“I wanted to stay at 132 so I could see how I did against those tougher kids,” commented Crawford. “I made the semis and didn’t have anything to lose so I came out hot against Camp.”
The top four weights of Blunt, Clatterbaugh, Harvey and Leblanc went 16-1 in the state tournament with 15 pins. As a team the Cowboys had 22 pins which is the most for all classes and all teams in the tournament.
“We are better at pinning because we have coaches that don’t let them win in the room,” commented Watt. “In practice when they wrestle live it is just like a match experience, in other team’s rooms the big kids just whip everyone but we have so many good big kids that are competitive in the room and it’s because of them and the coaches that work hard in practice and it shows.”
For the year the top four weights had a 183-11 record and was likely the most successful big kids that the team has seen.
Coach Watt and Coach Padilla finish their 13-year career together with one regional title, two state championships, four state runner-up titles and one third.
Coach Watt recalled back to advice that he received as a new coach.
“In the moment it is important to realize that kids don’t want to lose, but in every match someone loses,” said Watt.
“We took Avery’s dog to a 4 H obedience class, a funny place to learn my next piece of wisdom,” began Watt. “We all have levels of anxiousness or angriness and when a combined level is seven or higher we are not in a teaching moment. So if as a coach I am very upset I am not able to teach, and then if the kid is very upset they are not able to learn, each person needs to be calm in the moment for any comments to be useful. I have tried to keep that in mind as kids who lose come off the mat.”
Coach Watt and Coach Padilla can now ride into the sunset on the heels of a very successful season and career, with memories of “JC! JC!” Being chanted in Ball Arena, elation from the kids, crowd and coaches all from the greatest sport in the world.
