After winning the first country title in program history last year, Pueblo East’s nation tournament dreams this weekend are directed by two friends who are instances in contrast.
Andy Garcia, a champion, aims to combine Colorado wrestling’s club using a fourth name in the Class 4A 285-pound mount Saturday in Pepsi Center. Along with Aaden Valdez, a yearlong country runner-up, are also in the Parade of Champions again, trying his elusive title in the 145-pound bracket.
Garcia is the silent, soft-spoken one, his strength emerging when he tickles his singlet and eliminates his thick, black-rimmed glasses. Valdez, meanwhile, is the group ’s senior chief, the man who never stopped grinning following a fireworks injury before his sophomore year cost him his left eye as well as four fingers.
“I see him as a younger, more crazy brother, and I’m convinced he views me as an older, more guy,” Garcia said. “Aaden’s high heeled constantly joyful, and I’m of the kind who keeps me and keeps myself well. However we balance each other off, and that brings me up a lot with energy. ”
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Garcia may be among those sport’s unheralded multiple-time winners in current memory, only on account of the simple fact Valdez’s comeback narrative — and also three individual champs complete for the Eagles last year — has stolen a number of the headlines in the Hungry ’s dominance.
At 32-3 heading to Saturday’s discriminated from Mesa Ridge freshman Matthew Moore, Garcia is headquartered at the country of Colorado over the past couple of seasons. That contained a mark since Garcia overcame plica syndrome.
“All throughout the past half of last year, I struck my knee against a road block that was tough,” Garcia said. “I had to determine how to Deal with that I can condition I could transition from the bottom. ”
While Garcia fought his own pain, Valdez has continued to fix. That comprised understanding how to compete with six fingers and also a prosthetic eye, as well as growing from sequential defeats in the finals. He’s 35-4 heading to some country championship rematch from Broomfield senior Darren Green, who beat him 3-2 final calendar year.
“Aaden’s learning he can supplement the pieces of his game he can’t do,” Garcia said. “He will ’t get his clasp exactly right (on his own left hand), but he knows how to break down someone in another way rather. He’s making up for all those ailments or drawbacks, and that he s capitalizing by using more of his legs and body complete, and becoming smarter about doing that. ”
Garcia has suffered his medical scare. After his operation on his kneeGarcia rehabbed for a few weeks, and then got so ill that his mobility was limited to a wheelchair and crutches.
Like Valdez’s life-changing event, if a fuse led to that 2017 Fourth of July injury, the wellness issues brought Garcia view.
“Wrestling is part of my life — but I don’t allow it to consume me,” Garcia said. “I still know when I go home, I still have to help the family, help on the farm and work with my goats. The farm is a huge part of my life. ”
Valdez will soon be wrestling in Adams State next time while Garcia — who has drawn interest from Wyoming, Kent State, Northern Colorado and others — will make his college choice in the coming month. However, for now, they stay teammates for one more day, and the duo intends to make the most of it.
“I cherish that bond a lot,” Valdez explained. “I’m seeing Andy towards getting that fourth, placing in all of the extra effort. And I get all of the love and support our staff get that replicate and to ensure ’ s helping push me to the peak of the podium. We’re placing pressure to succeed for each other over anything and our staff. ”
Pueblo East freshman Weston Dalton (33-4 in 120) is also wrestling in Saturday’s finals, against Pueblo County freshman Boden White. The Eagles sit in place and have some ground to make up Windsor in the group standings, and the Wizards have five finalists of their very own.
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