Broomfield’s Nick Penfold Faces Tough Test at Top of the Rockies

LAFAYETTE — As the Top of the Rockies wrestling tournament approached, Broomfield’s Nick Penfold was confident in his abilities. Ranked No. 1 in the 157-pound class according to On the Mat, he had built a reputation as one of the strongest competitors in Class 5A. However, the tournament proved to be a significant challenge.

In the finals on Saturday, Penfold faced Pomona’s Donovan Symalla, who was ranked No. 4. The match ended with a 4-1 loss for Penfold. This wasn’t the first time Symalla had defeated him; earlier in the week, Penfold had also fallen to him in a tighter contest.

Penfold reflected on the match, noting that Symalla’s agility and movement made it difficult for him to execute his attacks. “He moves his hands and feet very well,” Penfold said. “It was just kind of hard to get to my attacks and get my underhook there. I just wasn’t in the right headspace going in a little bit too. I got to be willing to pull the trigger more.”

Despite the setback, Penfold remained focused on his senior season. He credited his summer training, which included competing in freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling across the country, for his growth. “I’m much more offensive this year,” he said. “I’m willing to get to my attacks. I have a lot more leg attacks, and my underhook’s something that’s been working for me. I attribute that a little bit to Greco.”

Penfold emphasized the importance of confidence, stating that he felt prepared for every match. “I feel like this year, it’s really showing and I feel like I’ve put in too much work to lose.”

Monarch’s Levi Carlucci Struggles with Injury but Shows Resilience

Monarch’s Levi Carlucci entered the Top of the Rockies with high aspirations. In his third year with the team, he aimed to follow in the footsteps of his father, Brian, who won two state titles for Monte Vista in the 90s, and his brother, Cole, who claimed gold in 2022.

However, Carlucci faced challenges after suffering a knee injury during football season. His return to wrestling was marked by a tough match against Grandview’s Gunner Lopez, who ranked second in the 165-pound class. Despite a strong effort, Carlucci fell 4-1 in the finals.

“I knew about Gunner for a while,” Carlucci said. “That’s who we thought I was going to wrestle in the finals here. He’s scrappy everywhere, so we knew that it was going to be a one-takedown match like it was. He got me in a scramble early that I should have fought out of.”

Carlucci hopes to face Lopez again at the state tournament, where he believes he can reclaim his position. “This is the one tournament that everybody talks about,” he added. “You can go out of state and stuff, but this is probably the toughest tournament in Colorado for sure.”

Erie’s Tyler Muir Overcomes a Close Match

In the 175-pound finals, Erie’s Tyler Muir found himself in a tight battle against Brush’s Austin Ley. Muir, ranked No. 4 in 5A, held a slight lead over Ley, who was No. 2 in 3A. However, Ley managed to turn the tide in the final moments of the match.

With less than two minutes left, Ley scored seven straight points to win 9-3. Muir, who was left with a bloodied mouth, admitted that he struggled to finish key moves. “He’s a monster on top,” Muir said. “I knew I didn’t want to go bottom with him, and that’s kind of what happened. I took a shot, I was in deep, and I just went to my hip instead of finishing it.”

Despite the loss, Muir expressed admiration for Ley, calling him a “state champion” and a challenging opponent. “If I could wrestle him every weekend, I would love to because that’s kind of the pressure I need.”

Muir remains focused on the end of the season, hoping to stand on the podium at Ball Arena regardless of his placement.

Image Gallery

Monarch’s Levi Carlucci, top, wrestles against Grandview’s Gunner Lopez during the 165-pound finals of Top of the Rockies at Centaurus High School on Saturday.(Alissa Noe/BoCoPreps.com)

Monarch’s Levi Carlucci wrestles against Grandview’s Gunner Lopez during the 165-lb. finals of Top of the Rockies at Centaurus High School on Jan. 17, 2026. (Alissa Noe/BoCoPreps.com)

Monarch’s Levi Carlucci wrestles against Grandview’s Gunner Lopez during the 165-lb. finals of Top of the Rockies at Centaurus High School on Jan. 17, 2026. (Alissa Noe/BoCoPreps.com)

Erie’s Tyler Muir, right, wrestles against Brush’s Austin Ley on Saturday. (Alissa Noe/BoCoPreps.com)

Erie’s Tyler Muir wrestles against Brush’s Austin Ley during the 175-lb. finals of Top of the Rockies at Centaurus High School on Jan. 17, 2026. (Alissa Noe/BoCoPreps.com)

Erie’s Tyler Muir wrestles against Brush’s Austin Ley during the 175-lb. finals of Top of the Rockies at Centaurus High School on Jan. 17, 2026. (Alissa Noe/BoCoPreps.com)

Broomfield’s Nick Penfold wrestles against Pomona’s Donovan Symalla during the 157-lb. finals of Top of the Rockies at Centaurus High School on Jan. 17, 2026. (Alissa Noe/BoCoPreps.com)

Broomfield’s Nick Penfold wrestles against Pomona’s Donovan Symalla during the 157-lb. finals of Top of the Rockies at Centaurus High School on Jan. 17, 2026. (Alissa Noe/BoCoPreps.com)

Broomfield’s Nick Penford wrestles against Pomona’s Donovan Symalla during the 157-lb. finals of Top of the Rockies at Centaurus High School on Jan. 17, 2026. (Alissa Noe/BoCoPreps.com)