DENVER — One whole team and several individuals off other teams have a shot at winning titles at the Colorado State Wrestling Championships beginning today, Feb. 15, and running through Saturday night, Feb. 17, in the Pepsi Center in the Mile High City.

Mancos High School is certainly a good choice to win the Class 2A title. The Blue Jays have 10 wrestlers qualified from regionals who are ready to hit the mats.

The Class 2A team finished right behind Hayden (181.5 points to MHS’ 167.5) at regionals last weekend, Feb. 10, at Palisade High School. Qualifying for state for the Blue Jays are: 103-pound Vince Bazile, 112 Anthony Mestas, 119 Daniel Wilson, 130 Jeremiah Muniz, 135 Scott Koppenhafer, 140 Mike Montoya, 145 Kelly Mitchell, 151 Jakob Tallent, 160 Philip Wilson, and heavyweight Kevin Schlemmer.

Mancos head coach Travis Bryant certainly thinks his team will "open some eyes" at state and he also believes, "we can do something at state. We are wrestling well right now." He said they did awesome at regionals and hope to carry that forward this week at state. The Blue Jays are ranked no. 2 in Class 2A as a team going into the tourney.

Koppenhafer, who is undefeated at 135 pounds, has an excellent shot of returning to Saturday night’s Parade of Champions. He finished runner up at 130 pounds a year ago and is a strong favorite to win an individual title this year. Montoya also was a runnerup last year and is wrestling very well right now. Muniz also has a chance to bring home a title.

The Blue Jays’ Koppenhafer continued his undefeated season with a victory in the 135-pound weight class at last week’s regionals at Palisade. Mestas (112), Muniz (130) and Montoya (140) all won their respective classes.

Cole Allison of the Montezuma-Cortez High School wrestling team went undefeated at 41-0 a year ago and cruised through last year’s state tournament to win the 160-pound weight class in Class 4A. Allison moved up in weight to 171 and has only lost once (in the finals of the Warrior Classic before Christmas). He is currently the top ranked 171-pounder in the state. Allison was won regionals last weekend in Grand Junction. But this year, added 119 Tyler Gray as having a good shot at making the finals. He has a 28-5 record and has been a strong competitor lately.

Dolores’ Derek Thompson is undefeated and ranked no. 1 among 2A wrestlers in the 275 (heavyweight) category. He won regionals last week as well. Thompson also was a state runnerup a year ago. He looks like an excellent choice to take an individual state title this weekend.

Dolores County’s Kyle Riddell, at the other end of the weight bracket at 103, finished second a year ago and is back to try that weight again this year. He won regionals last week. He is looking very good right now and has all the right moves.

Other qualifiers for Dolores are: 140 Shawn Everett, 171 Casey Garvin, and 189 Colter Dunagan.

"We have a good group and I’m pleased with who we are taking," Dolores head coach Bill Kralicek said. "I think all of them can place if they wrestle very well. With every match it gets harder and harder. I think Derek has a good shot at winning state."

Dolores County also has four other qualifiers: 112 Matt Beanland, 119 Casey Spitzer, 125 Trinity Cressler, and 130 Randy Curtis. Spitzer also is a regional champ.

"We certainly won’t be in the fight for the team title like we have been in the past," DCHS head coach Shane Baughman remarked. "But we have a lot of good individuals. Casey and Kyle are wrestling very well and I think they have a good shot at winning it. Matt is coming on strong. Randy did well last week and Trinity wanted it and came back through the backdoor (wrestlebacks)."

Montezuma-Cortez will compete in Class 4A at state this weekend. The other Panthers who will be making the trip are: 145 Nic Martinez, and heavyweight Elias Lehi. In unreported news, Gray took second, Martinez fourth and Lehi fourth at regionals last week.

"I’m excited about these guys," MCHS head coach Mike Allison said. "They could do well if they come ready to wrestle. And when you step on that mat you had better be ready. They will be facing a lot of tough competition, but that’s what state is all about. But that’s where we are going."

Just missing a trip to state was Jared Carver who placed fifth in an extremely tough weight bracket at 140. He finished fourth last year at state and qualified two years prior to that. Connery Benally, 160, came on strong at the end of the season and at the tournament but fell just short, placing fifth. Michael LeCompte, 215, only a second-year grappler, also placed fifth. Cade Fox, 125, wrestled well at regionals. Lyle Benally, 112, and Richard Yake, 103, were a bit of a disappointment to Allison because they are not going to State.

The first session for wrestling will begin at 3 p.m. today. The tournament features a 10-mat format with two classes wrestling on five mats each day. Class 2A-3A start the action Thursday afternoon, followed by a 7:15 p.m. session for 4A-5A schools. The 10 mats remain on the floor for all but the final session on Saturday evening.

Tickets may also be purchased through TicketMaster at (303) 830-8497 and they also may be purchased at The Pepsi Center box office.

However, for the first day of the tournament today, only general admission tickets will be sold. Tickets are $8 for adults and $7 for children and seniors. Session 1 (from 3-6:15 p.m.) will be for Class 2A-3A preliminary bouts and Session 2 (7:15-10:45 p.m.) will be 4A-5A prelims.

The championship quarterfinals and first round consolations will get under way at 10 a.m. Feb. 16 for 2A-3A and at 1 p.m. for 4A-5A. Consolation semifinals for 2A-3A and 4A-5A will start at 7 p.m. All seats are reserved.

Consolation (Session 5) for all classes start at 11 a.m. These are also general admission only. Ticket prices are $8 adults and $7 children and seniors. Championship finals begin at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 17. All seats are reserved. Premium seats are $11 and upper level for $9 adults and $7 for children and seniors.

Montezuma-Cortez High School wrestlers compete in 4A while Mancos, Dolores, and Dolores County wrestlers in 2A.