Under the 2026 CHSAA Class 2A State Wrestling Championships’ format, Aven Bourriague ended up with more time on his hands than he knew, or even wanted to know what to do with.
And after fans filling Ball Arena Saturday evening, Feb. 21, glimpsed Ignacio’s senior 113-pounder entering the venue during the all-classification Parade of Champions, they had to wait quite a bit longer to see if the first of two finals-qualifying Bobcats could collect the ultimate prize. Whereas typically the closing phase would have commenced with action at 106 pounds, then 113, 120 and so on, the ’26 tournament’s ending round got going with the 190-pounders – meaning Bourriague and opponent Derreck Buford of Ordway-based Crowley County would be the fifth title bout rather than the second.
The aforementioned POC got underway just after 4 p.m. Mountain, but Bourriague didn’t get to step onto Rocky Ford’s mad melon-adorned mat until 5:48 – by which point he had almost exhausted all ways he knew to remain patient.
“I was so nervous,” he admitted afterwards. “I was pacing back and forth…just trying to soak in all of the moment, because I’ve only got one of these. One time.”
One time for his mind, but his second time in ‘the show,’ Bourriague was ready, but Buford more so to go. The Charger senior set the tone early and quickly built up a 7-0 lead through the first two-minute period. Bourriague began the second period in the top position, but couldn’t make any headway on the scoreboard and went into the third still behind by seven points.
Squaring off against Buford in the upright, neutral position, Bourriague later avoided being blanked by earning an escape point. But despite conceding nothing more to Buford, neither could Bourriague gain any additional traction in what ended up being an emotional, career-ending 7-1 loss.
“I’m always doubting myself, don’t think I’m good enough to wrestle with them, don’t think I’m good enough to be here,” he said, “but…at that moment, like, I realized I do belong here. This work has paid off, and it was a really good moment.”
“Last year was really bittersweet, me not wrestling and being injured. So this year was really all about, like, one last ride,” added Bourriague, who finished the season standing an impressive 44-7; Buford improved to 37-2.
“All of us (seniors) know, like, we’re not going to be wrestling later on, so we were like, ‘Let’s just make the most out of this! Let’s not whine about practice, not whine about the workouts; let’s do this and go as hard as we can.’ And it obviously paid off, to have Lincoln (deKay) win State – which is amazing and I’m so happy for him.”
Senior Zane Pontine capped his own career earlier in the day, pinning down fifth place at 157 pounds by pinning Burlington junior Scout Humrich 17 ticks into the third period. Going 4-2 at the Championships, Pontine finished 41-11 overall and Humrich 35-8.
Fighting against not only opponents but a left collarbone injured at the previous weekend’s regional in Cedaredge, senior Joshua Kerrigan (29-19) was a hard-luck 0-2 at 126 pounds, but received a proper appreciative hug from final foe Triston Esquivel, a Burlington junior who eliminated Kerrigan early on Day 2 via 11-3 major decision.
Finally, senior Dillon Brann (21-23) went 1-2 at 144, notching a 22-10 major on Day 1 against Fowler freshman Taten Phillips in the weight’s first consolation round before he was then pinned early on Day 2 by Swink senior Kyler Lagregen.