DENVER – Jack and Kate Doughty entered the state wrestling tournament with one goal.
Finish the story.
The Cañon City brother-sister pair won their matches Friday at Ball Arena and advanced to Saturday’s championship round after dominant performances in the semifinals.
“It’s a gift from God,” Jack said after a 15-0 tech fall victory in 4A’s 190-pound boys bracket. “Kate and I have been wrestling forever. Last year we both took second and this year, hopefully, we both take first.”
Jack ended his junior campaign as a runner-up at 175 pounds last season while Kate placed second at 135 pounds as a sophomore. But this year, Jack’s final and Kate’s penultimate season, the Doughtys continue to demolish their opponents.
The duo have a combined 78-1 record entering the finals with Jack at 45-1 and Kate with a 33-0 mark.
In the 4A girls 135-pound bracket, Kate hasn’t wrestled past the first period in the tournament and won her semifinals match in 70 seconds against Holy Family’s Charlii Carbajal-Sanchez.
After the victory, Kate exited the mat and found her brother, whom she embraced.
“Jack has been my training partner every single day for the past several years,” Kate said. “We’ve been wrestling together since we were six and seven years old. We’ve been doing this a long time and pushing each other. It means a lot to have him here and have him waiting for me when I come off the mat.”
Sure enough, Kate reciprocated the gesture after Jack earned his second tech fall of the tournament. The siblings congratulated one another and this time, instead of hugs, the Doughtys traded smiles.
“This is the next step,” Jack said. “First place. That’s the next step.”
Cañon City fourth in 4A girls race
The Tigers have 61 points after the second day of the tournament and have two competitors in Saturday’s finals.
Accompanying Kate in the championship round is Piper Montoya, who improved to 31-1 this season and has three pins in the 105-pound bracket.
Montoya won her semis match against Calhan’s Elysa Kelly and will face Bennett’s Emma Faczak in the finals.
Mesa Ridge’s Elias Timms continues his dominance en route to the finals
The Grizzlies heavyweight last lost a match in January and remains a machine at the state tournament.
Timms earned a 6-5 decision win in the semifinals against Air Academy’s Jackson Downs, who Timms also defeated in the COS Metro Wrestling Championships semifinals nearly one month ago.
In the finals, Timms will face Mead’s Grant Gordon with a chance for the title.
Pine Creek girls top 5 in 5A
The Eagles have 80 points after the semifinals and could finish in the top 5 of 5A girls in the program’s first year.
Teagan Miller will be the Eagles’ lone rep in the finals after the 130-pounder earned a pin at 1:21 in the first period against Central Grand Junction’s Violet Gray.
Coddington, Banks advance to 5A boys title match
Pine Creek’s Elijah Banks and Vista Ridge’s Wesley Coddington have a shot to take home gold Saturday as 5A boys’ only finalists.
Banks won his semifinals match via 21-5 tech fall and will face Ponderosa’s Jaylen Burge in the 132 finals.
Coddington looks to join his brother Max as Vista Ridge’s only boys state wrestling champion and in the finals will face Pomona’s Emmitt Munson, who Coddington beat 7-5 during the regional tournament.
