Aguilar Becomes Laramie’s Latest State Wrestling Champion

Junior Zech Aguilar won his first high school wrestling state championship Saturday in Casper with a victory over the defending champion at 220 pounds.

The junior defeated Thunder Basin’s Deric Johnson for a second consecutive weekend in a tight 3-2 decision at the Casper Events Center.

Aguilar’s victory made it three straight years that the Laramie Plainsmen have won at least one individual state title at state wrestling.

The journey started with a win by fall over Shane Gochenour of Cheyenne Central. In the quarterfinals, Aguilar registered a 10-2 major decision over Duane Nussbaum of Kelly Walsh. In the semifinals, he got past Evanston’s Blake Overy in a 6-2 decision.

Aguilar finished his junior season with a 29-4 overall record.

Laramie had two other placers at state. Senior Arsenio Lemus took third place at 132 pounds, while freshman Isaac Sell was fifth at 113 pounds.

Lemus won his first round match by fall, but lost in the quarterfinals to Kelly Walsh’s Josh Kraus in an ultimate tie breaker, 6-1. Lemus would win three straight matches in the consolation portion of the bracket. That produced a rematch with Kraus. Lemus fought hard and came out with a win in tie breaker 1, 2-1. He concluded his season with a 36-14 record.

Sell won his first round match, but also lost in the quarters. After a pair of consolation victories, he lost to Zach Vasquez of Rock Springs by decision, 6-2. That put Sell in the fifth place match last Saturday afternoon, where he beat Logan Elsen of Evanston by fall at 4:31. Sell finished 25-26 for the season.

As a team, the Plainsmen scored 67 points over the two days of mat action. That placed them 10th out of 13 teams in class 4A.

Cheyenne East won the 4A team title with 216.5 points. It was the Thunderbirds first state championship since 1965. They won by 11.5 points over Kelly Walsh and 12 over Thunder Basin.