Demoted to the left side of the bracket in the quarterfinals, but having indicated a future presence at the Class 2A State Championships by winning his first-ever Pepsi Center match as well as his first consolation-round match, Ethan Appenzeller followed up his first February trip to the Mile High City in 2014 with three more.

And though the ultimate prize and podium position eluded him as many more times, the current Ignacio senior was always proud to wear a red-and-white singlet (sometimes black-and-red) in Denver on each of his four wrestling seasons’ final weekends.

March 1, 2017, it was announced Appenzeller, in no small part due to his second straight Championships runner-up result – to the same opponent, no less – had received a statewide salute in the form of a Second Team All-2A nod after a selection process shared by CHSAANow.com, ColoradoPreps.com and MaxPreps.com.

After a loss to Peyton senior Britton Holmes – a First Team choice – in this season’s 145-pound grand finale, Appenzeller finished his final prep season 38-5, thus upping his career varsity mark to an outstanding 134-30.

Also named Second Teamers were:

Walsenburg John Mall’s Chris McKenna at 106, Hotchkiss’ Sergio Campos at 113, Holly’s Brendyn Nordyke at 120, Burlington’s Cody Jacobsen at 126, JMHS’ Marshal Ross at 132, Paonia’s Sackett Chesnik at 138, Oak Creek Soroco’s Jace Logan at 152, HHS’ Wade Katzdorn at 160, Meeker’s Casey Turner at 170 and Chase Rule at 182, Hayden’s Christian Carson at 195, Norwood-Nucla’s Ethan Barnes at 220, and MHS’ Tyler Ilgen at heavyweight.

Rocky Ford senior 106-pounder Jacob Rodriguez headed up the First Team as Wrestler-of-the-Year, and longtime Meloneer skipper Mike Jurney was named Coach-of-the-Year after RFHS piled up a State-winning 188.5 points – 28.5 more than second-place Meeker and 54.5 more than third-place John Mall.

Rodriguez teammates Dillon Jaramillo (113) and Cody Venem (132) were also named First Team All-2A, as Rocky Ford matched Norwood-Nucla (Hayden Harris at 152, Aidan Dabal at 160, Trenton Armintrout at 170) and JMHS (Wesley Van Matre at 120, Jonathan Andreatta at 126, Jason Murphy at 195) for the most First Team honorees.