DENVER >> It took far more time for Shayla Martinez to get through a sea of hugs from her family following her Class 5A girls’ 190-pound championship on Saturday night than the matches themselves.

The Broomfield sophomore who attends Monarch needed just 6 minutes, 25 seconds in total to conquer her bracket over three days at Ball Arena. What was one of the most dominant performances of the weekend included four straight pins, three in the first round, including Loveland’s Abigail Stearns in 1:03 in the finals.

Martinez finished the winter 29-1, becoming the first girls’ wrestling champion from the Boulder Valley School District since the sport was sanctioned by CHSAA beginning in 2020-21. She was eager to share the moment with her family in the stands.

“My mom, my sister, my brother, my little brother, my grandpa, my grandma, my aunt — I just have my whole family here supporting me,” said Martinez, noting that her grandparents make the long trek from Alamosa to see each of her wrestling bouts. Her father Sam Barajas, a one-time standout wrestler at Monarch, meanwhile, was in her corner of the mat throughout the state tournament. “They’ve all pushed me to be who I am and to have courage within myself.”

Her laundry list of thank-you’s only continued from there. Unprovoked, she also brought up how impactful Broomfield coach Jake Johnston has been on her growth in the sport. She also went on to credit her finals opponent, praising her fight and the challenge she presented.

By the time she got back to herself, she was out of breath all over again.

Asked where she goes from here — a second-year wrestler already atop the state’s podium — her smile widened. “Two more. I want to be a three-time state champion.”

Martinez had 26 pins in 30 matches during her sophomore season. Soon, she plans to compete at the USA Wrestling Junior National Championships in Fargo, N.D., in July.

“I’m just pushing to be the best,” she said.

While Martinez celebrated gold, wrestlers like Erie’s Carson Hageman and Holy Family’s Camden Austin were asked to find the silver lining following their losses in the finals.

It wasn’t too difficult.

Hageman became a four-time state qualifier with his third regional championship last weekend, then notched his second straight runner-up finish. He lost to Ponderosa’s De’Alcapon Veazy in the 5A 190-pound championship.

Not bad for his “second sport.” Hageman committed to the Air Force Academy for football in November.

“It’s about the lessons you learn when you wrestle,” Hageman reflected. His Tigers finished 10th in 5A. “There’s no excuses out there. It’s just you. It’s all on you. This sport has meant a lot to me.”

Austin said he’s probably done with wrestling, too. But it wasn’t before he stormed through the 3A 215s bracket and all the way to the finals. After bowing out in the second round of the state tournament last year, only Resurrection Christian’s Isaiah Johnson finished above him as a senior. Johnson finished 28-0.

“I’m so, so proud of how far I’ve come. And so, so proud of how far this team has come,” said Austin, whose team finished ninth in 3A. “I’ve really enjoyed these past few years.”