Greatest Moments


Listed below, by year of induction, are Great Moments in Pueblo Sports History dating back to 1996. 

2023
1917 - Jim Flynn knocks out Jack Dempsey in first round of their heavyweight fight in 1917.
2005-06 - Pueblo South H.S. boys track teams win back-to-back 5A State Track & Field Championships.
2015-19 - Andy Garcia, a heavyweight wrestler at 285 Ibs., from Pueblu East H.S. becomes the first Colorado wrestler to win four consecutive State Championships at that weight class (2019)

2022 (50th Anniversary)
1980 - Jerry Kersey wins the Steinmark Award.
1980 - Mike Zaremba wins The Colorado Open with a birdie on the final hole.
2016-17 - Pueblo County High School wrestling wins back-to back Colorado State Wrestling Championships.

2021
1976 - Centennial boys cross country team wins its 7th big school team state championship under head coach Larry Pickering. Pueblo teams took the top three spots, East 2nd, Central 3rd.
1998-99 - Matt Garcia – Pueblo South H.S. wins back to back State Wrestling Championships in two different divisions: 140 lb. (4A) and 152 (5A) (Jerry Sisneros - coach).
2016 - Pueblo East High School wins 3rd straight football State Championship (3A) 35-6 over Discovery Canyon (Andy Watts - Coach).

2019
1980 - Harry Simmons achieves 700th career victory (Feb. 18 over Western State College).
1997 - Pueblo South HS wins 4A State Wrestling Championship (Jerry Sisneros - coach).
2009 - Josh Peek, PRCA: wins the All-Around title at the  Wranglers National Finals Rodeo.

2018
2017 - Grant and Hunter Willits Pueblo County High School wrestlers who won seven out of eight state titles in their respective weight classes 
1984-85 - USC Wrestling Team wins first ever RMAC championship with a record of 13-2-1.
1962 - Alvin Sampson (Central HS) Wrestling for Trinidad State wins the 157 lb National Junior College Championship (NJCC). This is the first NJCC for a Pueblo wrestler.

2017
1996 - The USC baseball team becomes the first Colorado team to qualify for the NCAA Division II College Baseball World Series (Stan Sanchez - Coach).
2017 - Mary Saiz, considered the most decorated swimmer in Pueblo History closed out a stellar career at Colorado Mesa University (Geoff Hanson - Coach).
1950 - Pueblo Central H.S. four-member tennis team completes a six-year run with its third state championship (Lawrence Carlson - Coach).

2016
1961 - Central wins the Football State Championship 34-0 over Lakewood (Ed Lesar - Coach).
1992-93 - Central wins Pueblo's first 5A State Wrestling Championship (Bobby Gonzales-Coach)
2014-15 - Pueblo East High School wins 3A State Football Championship 30-14 over Rifle (Dave Ramirez - Coach); Pueblo East High School wins back-to-back 3A State Football Championships with 57-31 win over Roosevelt.
They are the first ever back-to-back Winners in Pueblo history (Lee Meisner - Coach).

2015
1964 - Centennial Bulldogs present the first collegiate wrestling match in Pueblo at Dist. 60 Gym (Jan 27th) Western State College vs. Univ. of Colorado. Pueblo Central's Alvin Sampson, 157 lbs. Pueblo Centennial's Richard Redd Heavyweight and Dean Lahr 177 lbs. National Champion wrestles for CU.
1986-87 - Kathleen Hancock - Centennial - wins 400 meter 3A State Championship with times of 56.86 and  55.94. 
2014
 - CSU-P wins Football National Championship 13-0 against Minnesota State-Mankato NCAA Div. II (John Wristen - Coach).

2014
1931-33, 35, 36 - Andrew "Chink" Mihalick (Central HS - CO College) Discus Champion. Broke discus records set by David Packard and Dutch Clark. Two consecutive Colorado State Meet (all Classes) Championships. SCL record (129' 2") was never broken as the existing discus was replaced by a lighter version six years later.
1975 - South High School Boys Basketball State Semi-Final Game vs. Cherry Creek. South 87 Cherry Creek 84. Dubbed as the all-time classic game in State Tournament (Chuck Depietro - Coach).
2001 - South HS Boys win 4A State Basketball Championship (Dave Lockett - Coach).
2001 - South HS Boys win 4A State Baseball Championship (JR Crowell - Coach).

2013
1959, 61, 62, 64 - Pueblo Catholic High School wins State Catholic High School Football Championship (Jack Brookhart - Coach).
1981-82 - Women's Gymnastics National Runner-up team. Was at the time the second-highest national placing team in school history...Is one of four teams in school history to place second or higher nationally (1985 wrestling, 1991 wrestling, 1961 men's basketball ... Coached by Valerie Striggow ... Team members included Alison Papadakis, Lorrie Heptig, AIl-American Kim Villers, Diane Herman and Lorraine Smith. Kim Villers became the first individual champion in USC (CSU-P) history when she won the floor exercise event at the NAJA National Gymnastics Championships in Milledgeville, Georgia. She also placed third on balance beam and fourth All-Around: (Valerie Striggow - Coach).
1993 - Rye HS Boys win 2A State Basketbball Championship (Anthony Ribaudo - Coach).
1993 - Rye HS Boys win 2A State Football Championship (Jeff Bailey - Coach).

2012
1959 - Pueblo Central High School Boys' Gymnastics Team- Pueblo's only high School Boys' Gymnastics team ever - tied for second place at the state meet. Five Central boys persuaded Jim Daugherty to be their coach. Daugherty made arrangements with Sollie Raso and Fred Smith to have the team become an officially sanctioned team. Conrad Kern was state champion on the pommel horse and third on the horizontal bars. Dave Raymond was second on the parallel bars. Don Frantz was fourth on the pommel horse and fifth on the parallel bars. Ted Britain was sixth on the trampoline.
1989 - Chuck Pipher - USC - won his third National Wrestling Championship. He was second his freshman year (Doug Moses - Coach).
1999-2002 - Travis Wolther - Pueblo Centennial wins five swimming state titles in 50 and 100-yd. freestyle events (Bob Haley - Coach).

2011
1907-1909 - Fred Haver (Central) won three consecutive track titles in 1907,08,09, with times of 2:11, 2:09 and 2:05 in 880-yard run.  In 1909, he also won the state championship in the 440-yard run with the time of 53 3/5.
1973 - J.J. Griffin - Centennial - wins state 2-mile championship (9:18.8) AAA this is a retired state record. J.J. ran 8:57.6 that same year at the Golden West meet for preps which was one of the best times in 1973. He also won state cross country championship and was undefeated his senior year. He ran 9:II. when he won regionals on the old Centennial track (Larry Pickering - Coach).
1992 - Centennial wins 5A State Football Championship (Tom Brockman - Coach).

2010
1955, 56, 57 - Pueblo Junior College - wins Empire Conference Basketball Championship (24-7) won Regional, went to National JC Tournament (Harry Simmons - Coach).
Pueblo Junior College - wins Empire Conference Basketball Championship (24-6) won Regional, went to National JC Tournament (Harry Simmons - Coach).
Pueblo Junior College - wins Empire Conference Basketball Cham;ionship (26-6) won Regional, went to National JC Tournament, placed third (Harry Simmons - Coach).
1965-67 - Central-Centennial hoop era of Eddie Smith & Terry Snyder (Central) and Ron Smith (Centennial) (Doyle Fyfe and Jim Ranson - Coaches).
1992 - USC Wrestling- Dax Charles wins NCAA Division II National Championship at 150 lbs. (Doug Moses - Coach).

2009
1944, 47 - Central wins Football State Championships (Allison Binns - Coach).
1978 - Pueblo East wins first Girls' State Cross Country Championship (Joe Garcia - Coach).
2008 - Friends of Football bring football, wresting and track back to CSU-Pueblo (Contributor - Dan DeRose).

2008
1949 - Gonzalo Roldan - Central High School - became the first state high school wrestling champion in Pueblo history winning the 133 lb. championship (Sollie Raso - Coach).
1977, 78 - Central wins Boys State Swimming Championship: Dave Knapp - Coach (1977); Keith Townsend - Coach (1978).
2001 - Jenna Bimbi - Centennial wins Individual  4A State Cross Country Championship. Wins 800 Meter Run (4A, 2:11.94) new state record (4A). Wins 1600-meter 4A State Championship (5:07.13) (Larry Pickering - Coach).

2007
1940 - Centennial Boys' win State High School Basketball Championship (George Grosvenor - Coach).
1972 - Dennis Trujillo (Pueblo Centennial HS) capped a very successful running career winning the mile run in 4:22.2 at State High School Track Championships. He also won the state mile run in 1971 with a time of 4:18.3. His stellar cross country record included placing third at state in 1969 (10:14 for the two-mile course) and winning the state championship twice in 1970 (9:50) and 1971 (10:05) (Larry Pickering - Coach).
2005-06 - Pueblo West Girls' Softball Team win consecutive 4A State Championships (Bob Zinanti - Coach).

2006
1950 - Central wins first  CHSAA state sponsored  baseball championship (A-AA)  (Ed Lesar - Coach).
1951 - Women's State Softball (ASA) - Pueblo Army Depot (Sam Corsentino-Coach).
1989 - Pueblo Crusaders win Natioual Semi-Pro Football Championship.

2005
1938 - Babe Ruth visits Pueblo.
1958 - Pueblo Catholic High School wins Co-State Catholic High School Football Championship (Jack Parsons - Coach).
1985 - Rick Willits (Pueblo East HS) wrestling for Adams State College wins the National Championship at 150 lbs.. This was the first National Wrestling Championship for a Pueblo wrestler from a four year college (Roger Jehlicka - Coach).

2004
1928 - Central High School wins the Football State Championship 40-0 over Ft. Collins (Oscar Herigstad - Coach).
1944 - Centennial High School wins Boys'  1A Track State Championship. Charles Temple wins 880-yds. Championship (2:03.8), team wins 880-yds relay Championship (1:33.3), team wins Mile Relay Championship (3:31.0).
1995 - County High School wins Girls' State 4A Softball Championship (Lee Poteet - Coach).

2003
1928 - St. Pats-Pueblo Catholic High School won first State Parochial Basketball Championship. Placed 4th in the National Catholic Tournament (Chicago) (Joe Hughes - Coach).
1971 - Roncalli wins the State Baseball Championship one week after the school closes (Guy Kennedy - Coach).
1981 - Class 3A (highest classification) Boys and Girls State Track Meet held at Dutch Clark Stadium - first time ever held outside of Denver, Boulder and Jefferson County are  (Sollie Raso - Contributor)

2002
1930 - David Packard-Centennial-wins State Discus Championship (4Ibs.6oz.) (126'8 1/2") & State High Jump Championship (5'6") (unclassified) (Alvin Twitchell - Coach).
1966, 69-73, 76 - Centennial wins seven (7) State cross-country Championships-Larry Pickering-Coach. From 1966 through 1977- Centennial won seven (7) State Championships including five (5) in a row from 1969-1973. Also, during that span they had only two years they did not finish in the top 2 at state 1975 and 1977; Individual Champions-1967-68: Leonard Trujillo (Div. II); 1970-71: Dennis Trujillo (Div.l); 1972: JJ. Griffin (Div I). (Larry Pickering - Coach).
1975 - Freda Hancock - Centennial - wins 100-yd. (10.8) & 220-yd. (24.9) Dash at 3A State Championship (Larry Pickering - Coach).
1976 - Freda Hancock - Centennial - wins 100-yd. (10.9) & 220-yd. (24.0) Dash at 3A State Championship (Larry Pickering - Coach).
1977 - Freda Hancock - Centennial - wins 100-yd. (10.9), 220-yd. (24.1) & 440-yd. (56.29) Dash at 3A State Championship; Freda also ran anchor on the Centennial Girls' 1976  3A State Championship 880-yd. relay team (1:49.1) (Larry Pickering - Coach).

2001
1950 - First Bell Game - Pueblo Central H.S. 40, Pueblo Centennial H.S. 27: Sollie Raso - Coach (Pueblo Central); Ed Smith - Coach (Pueblo Centennial).
1951-52 - Pleasant View High School wins back to back State Baseball Championships (B) (John DeNardo - Coach).
1955-56 - Gene Poston - Pueblo College - named JC All-American and MVP of National JC Basketball Tournament (Harry Simmons - Coach).

2000
1946 - Centennial wins the Foothall State Championship 13-7 over Boulder (Ed Smith -Coach).
1949 - Don Perko wins the USA Golden Gloves Heavyweight Boxing Championship.
1972 - Central's Wayne Pechek pitches semifinal and final game as Central wins State Baseball Championship (Jim Ranson - Coach)

1999
1931 - Central and Centennial play in the Finals of the State Basketball Championships - Central 29 Centennial 28; Fred Huling (Pueblo Central) - Coach; Alvin Twitchell (Pueblo Centennial) - Coach.
1892 - First Central-Centennial football game played. Central won 4-0 on November 24th (TD counted as 4 points).
1981 - Pueblo County Girls win the Class 3A State Basketball Championship (Warren Chambers - Coach).

1998
1991 - Bambino World Series held in Pueblo (Dan DeRose - Contributor).
1948 - Bob Trevithick wins the State Singles & Doubles Title on May 15, 1948 (Lawrence Carlson - Coach).
1984 - Colts Baseball State Champions - South's first baseball state championship (Bruce Colvin - Coach).

1997
1928-29 - Earl "Dutch" Clark (Pueblo Central H.S.) was the first state player named to All-American Football team. He played football collegiately at Colorado College; Oscar Herigstad - Coach (Central H.S.); William "Bully" VandeGraaff - Coach (Colorado College)
1992-94 - South Girls win three (3) straight State Basketball Championships (Jim Harrison - Coach)
1975 - Dale "Pat" Rea wins the Colorado Open Golf Championship. .

1996
1961 - National Basketball Championship won by Pueblo Junior College (Harry Simmons - Coach).
1950-52 - National Softball Championships won by Pueblo VFW Lodge 61 (Tink Snapp - Coach).
1979 - Pueblo South HS wins State Girls Basketball Championship (Rich Purcell-Coach).

 

REMEMBERING OUR FALLEN GPSA INDUCTEES

The Greater Pueblo Sports Association (GPSA) has announced a list of honorees that have passed since the 2023 induction ceremony on Nov. 15.

 

 

Daniel RosalesDaniel
Rosales

12/13/2023
Class of 2002

Everett C. ThalhamerEverett C.
Thalhamer

12/23/2023
Class of 2014

Bob GrahamBobby Max
Graham

02/26/2024
Class of 1990