LaPorte area wrestler wins state championship

By Stephen Hlawaty
North Forty News

Rocky Mountain High School senior Tino Laureles proved best in the state with his victory over Josh Kreimier of Loveland High School in the 74th Annual Colorado High School Activities Association State Wrestling Tournament held February 19-21.

Laureles, a LaPorte area resident, took home state honors for the Class 5A wrestling title at 135 pounds. Fellow Rocky student Jeremy Schmitt would do the same - for the second time in his wrestling career - at 112 pounds. This marked the first time since 2003 that two Lobos won state wrestling championships in a single year.

Before a crowd of over 4,000 Pepsi Center spectators, Laureles beat rival Kreimier in a decisive 7-6 victory. Going into this final match, Laureles and Kreimier were tied 1-1. But Laureles would ultimately prove victorious due, in large part, to his skillful execution of a "Standing Granby," a dynamic technique in which the executor, who is in a vulnerable position, reverses the position to dominate his opponent. This technique earned Laureles five points during his final match with Kreimier.

The "Standing Granby" is an aspect of the "Granby Roll," named for Granby High School in Norfolk, Va., where teacher and hall-of-fame wrestling coach Billy Martin popularized the move. Indeed, the move has become so pervasive within wrestling circles that it has inspired the founding of the Granby School of Wrestling, which is where Laureles trained extensively to perfect the advanced technique.

Certainly Laureles has come a long way since he began wrestling in 2004 as a student at Lesher Junior High School. His recent accomplishments assume as much. And as such, wrestling is more than just a sport for Laureles. It's a way of life, a way to access one's own individuality.

"When it comes down to it," Laureles said, "it's only me and my opponent on the mat. It's do or die."

Not a bad focus to have for any high school senior. To his credit, this focus does not preclude Laureles from consideration of others, as his status as team captain would attest. When asked how he balances his responsibilities as team captain and team member, Laureles admits that it's a continual effort that extends beyond the wrestling season and school day.

For example, Laureles' ability to "cut weight" - the practice of losing weight prior to a wrestling competition - is impressive. Through dieting and exercise, Laureles began cutting weight in August for the wrestling season that began in November. This allowed him to cut 30 pounds for the 2008-2009 wrestling season.

Moreover, during the season, Laureles would typically begin his workouts at 6 a.m., riding a stationary bike for roughly one hour and 20 minutes. After that, Laureles would complement his cardio workouts with lifting or running, all during the school day. After school, the team would practice for two hours, and Laureles would support his teammates as their captain and also participate in his own conditioning exercises, stretches and various wrestling drills that would attend to both offensive and defensive sides of the mat.

Once practice was over, Laureles would train for an additional hour at home by himself. During such times, Laureles mainly practiced shadow wrestling techniques in which he would stand on his feet and visualize an opponent's attack, identifying the best opportunity to, according to Laureles, "take my shot," or in other words, take his opponent down. As if this weren't enough, throw in the ubiquitous sit-ups and push-ups, and it's one heck of a hard work story. In addition, Laureles still manages to be a successful student with A's and B's.

According to Doug Eliot, wrestling coach at Poudre High School from 1990-2001 and one who has worked out with Laureles on more than one occasion, "Wrestling is about discipline. It's all about hard work. You may not need to be a gifted athlete; you just need to have a disciplined work ethic."

Eliot replaced Ken Taylor, who went on to coach wrestling at Rocky and under whose tutelage Laureles now trains. As this lineage might suggest, wrestling is a tight-knit community of coaches, wrestlers, families and enthusiasts.

In short, wrestling has a built-in support network, and Laureles is forever grateful. He thanks Coach Taylor and Assistant Coaches Henry Martinez and Brad Hargreaves for their commitment and dedication.

"I couldn't have done it without my parents," he added.

So what might life look like for Laureles after high school? As a result of his win at the state championships, Chadron State, Western State, Adams State, Mesa State and the University of Northern Colorado have all expressed an interest in Laureles.

But such notoriety has not skewed the young man's future goals of graduating with a business degree, receiving his Automotive Service Excellence Certification, and one day owning and operating his own automotive shop. With this kind of drive and determination, it's no doubt that Laureles is a champion on and off the mat.