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Niko Fernandez has inched closer and closer to standing atop the podium at the state wrestling tournament, but he has yet to get there.
As a freshman at Pueblo East High School, Niko had a decent year and qualified for the 126-pound state tournament. It was a short run for Niko that year as he fell in the first round, won his first consolation match, but was defeated in the next.
He returned his sophomore year after putting in a lot of man-hours during the off-season.
The state tournament had a different start for him this time around as he advanced out of the first round with a win. However, he was outperformed in the next round, sending him back to the consolation side where he still had a chance to finish third.
Niko was unstoppable in his next three matches, putting him in a position to wrestle for third place. In a match that went to the wire, he was defeated 3-1 and would finish fourth place.
His efforts in his first two seasons with the Eagles wrestling team may have fallen short as an individual, but not as a team. Pueblo East finished first as a team in both years, earning them back-to-back titles.
Transitioning into his junior year, Niko added more muscle and sharpened his mind when it came time to compete. After an excellent regular season, he found himself once again at the state tournament and this time feeling like it was his year to win it all.
He looked dominant in his first two matches, pinning both opponents and securing his spot in the semifinals. There is where he met his best competition of the day to that point. Niko and his opponent struggled to find points throughout the match. In a low-scoring affair, Niko came out as the winner by a 3-2 decision.
It was onto the championship bout for Niko, with a chance at finally standing atop the podium as an individual state champion. Both athletes gave it all they had, but only one would be victorious. Unfortunately for Niko, it just wasn’t his time as he lost on an 8-4 decision and finished as the runner-up.
“It’s been frustrating but that’s a part of the game. Those are the matches that make you better. That one really took a toll on me but I ate it and continued to grind.”
Heading into this year’s tournament, Niko says his confidence is at an all-time high and feels that no one will be able to beat him.
He has been ranked the number-one wrestler in the 138-pound weight class for most of the season and will be looking to assert his dominance throughout the tournament.
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