In it for the long haul, Larissa Espinosa’s three-day stay at the 2025 CHSAA State Wrestling Championships, February 13-15 in Denver, ended with the Ignacio junior grabbing fifth place at 190 pounds in the Class 4A Girls’ division. 

Starting out on Day 1 with a pin of Olathe senior Teresa Galvan just one tick before the first two-minute period expired, Espinosa then lost by pin to Wiggins senior Mackenzee Steinbar with just 17 seconds left in the third and last regulation period. No less motivated to continue her pursuit of the podium, Espinosa bounced back in the second round of consolation action with a 15-0 technical-fall rout of Las Animas sophomore Jazlynn Duran. 

Espinosa then moved into the consolation semifinals by pinning Yuma junior Gese Sanchez in 1:25, but then ran into another roadblock in Pagosa Springs sophomore Laykyn Baxstrom, who prevailed via pin midway through the second period. 

Still in position to place on Day 3, Espinosa took it to Fort Lupton junior Dahlila Tijerina and finished the ’24-25 grind standing 15-11 overall after sticking Tijerina (33-15) 1:31 into the second period. Steinbar (30-8 overall), meanwhile, went on to blank Greeley University freshman McKinlee Collett (19-9) 7-0 in that night’s first-place bout. 

All told, Espinosa’s efforts helped IHS tally 24.5 points and rank 30th (out of 60 scoring squads) in the final team standings. Pueblo Central (194 points) finished atop the table, with Thornton Skyview (82.5) second and Lamar (76.5) third. 

Ignacio junior Marlene Martinez-Perez (11-12 overall) began well at 140 pounds, pinning Moffat County’s Amanaki George 33 seconds into the third period, but then lost via first-period pin to Manitou Springs’ Kara Donegan in the quarters, and then to Evergreen’s Avery Cox in Round 2 of consolation. 

IHS junior 135-pounder Krysten Neil (15-16 overall) also won her first bout inside Ball Arena, pinning Wray’s Lauren Gdanitz 1:33 into the third period, but was then pinned in 1:02 by Cañon City junior Kate Doughty – who went on to capture the crown and cap an undefeated 34-0 season – and eliminated via a 21-8 major decision courtesy Evergreen’s Margaret Burrier. 

And at 100 pounds, Lady ’Cat junior Madison Egger (13-10 overall) lost via pin 1:27 into her opening bout against Sedgwick County/Fleming’s Lily Torres, then was pinned by Brush’s Nayeli Cardenas as the first two-minute period expired.