LAKEWOOD — Thursday night in Lakewood High School’s gym was the first match for Columbine’s wrestling team without Ray Barron.
The legendary prep wrestling coach passed away last October after a battle with brain cancer.
“I loved having him with me. It was one of the things we did together was coach,” said Luke Barron, Ray’s son and now co-head wrestling coach with John Alley. “But he was still with me tonight. He is always with me.”
Columbine senior Zach Schraeder, left, listens to coach John Alley during a match Thursday night at Lakewood High School. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Ray Barron finished his 50 years of coaching on top with Jack Forbes and Zach Schraeder winning individual state championship titles for the Rebels last February at Pepsi Center in Denver. Forbes took the Class 5A 182-pound state title and Schraeder won the heavyweight match.
“That always comes back to me over-and-over again in my head,” Schraeder said of being the last wrestler Ray Barron coached at the state tournament. Ray placed his own wrestling shoes at the center of the mat following Schraeder’s victory. “It’s one of those things that I really don’t have words for. I’m very honored to be one of his last wrestlers.”
Alley and Luke Barron decided to take over Columbine’s wrestling program.
“It’s been good,” Luke Barron said of him and Alley taking over the Rebels’ wrestling program as co-head coaches. “We each bring something different to the team. All the coaches bring something different. It comes together to form something that is so awesome. We have a wrestling room that has so much fun and is full of smiles.”
Both wrestled for Ray Barron and have been on the Rebels’ coaching staff.
“Ray’s legacy is amazing. It can’t be replicated really,” Alley said. “We are definitely trying to keep the values that he instilled in athletes and students. We want to keep that true to what he taught.”
Columbine — No. 8 in the preseason On The Mat rankings — returns a number of wrestlers from last year’s squad. Including, Forbes and Schraeder who hope to defend their state titles.
Columbine’s Brandon Phagan, left, battles with Chatfield’s David Wiley during the first wrestling action of the season Thursday night at Lakewood High School. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Forbes didn’t see much action in the pair of duals against Chatfield and Lakewood. The 195-pounder got more action during warm-ups and jumping rope on the sidelines during matches.
“It would have been nice to wrestle,” said Forbes, who took a pair of forfeit victories on the night during the Rebels’ 36-21 and 54-24 dual victories over their 5A Jeffco League rivals. “It is nice to be back on the mats. It’s fun to be back out here encouraging my teammates.”
Forbes said he has worked hard on his own during the COVID-19 pandemic that has shortened the high school wrestling season in Colorado. He has also done some out-of-state club tournaments to prepare for the season.
“I’ve got to work that much harder because it’s a shorter season,” Forbes said. “I’ve got some tough guys in the bracket obviously.”
Forbes is ranked No. 2 at 195 behind last year’s state champion at 195 pounds — Pomona senior Franklin Cruz.
Schraeder took a forfeit victory against Chatfield before pinning Lakewood sophomore Andrew Martinez. Schraeder got the Rebels’ bench excited after a sprawling escape to start the second period, followed up by a takedown.
“Since we do have a shortened season it’s tough to get those matches in that are crucial to figure out what you need to work on,” said Schraeder, who is No. 1 in the heavyweight preseason rankings.
“They (Forbes and Schraeder) are working hard. They keep their noses to the grindstone,” Alley said. “Those two wrestlers have an unbelievable understanding and connection with Ray Barron. They are working just as hard as if Ray is still there.”
The for Columbine’s wrestling program … Ray Barron is still motivating all Rebel wrestlers on and off the mat.
“Ray was an amazing guy,” Forbes said. “He built this team from when we really weren’t that good. He got us to where we are right now. We all keep him in our hearts. Whenever it gets tough we think about him to push through. Ray was the foundation of this team.”
While the wrestling season looks very different in many ways, Luke Barron knows his Dad is be proud of how Columbine wrestling program performed Thursday night.
“He just loved seeing kids get a chance to compete,” Luke Barron said. “Luckily, through all the hard work of people we have been able to overcome everything to compete this year. The smile on his face getting to see kids do stuff like this was always so big. You can’t see it because of the mask, but I’m smiling pretty big to tonight. It was lots of fun.”
Columbine’s Darrell Miller works on pinning Lakewood’s Nolan Hoefner during the 170-pound match Thursday. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)