Just about every Sunday since Adams City head wrestling coach Jared Deaguero can remember, he’s attended “family dinner” with the rest of the Deagueros in Commerce City.
Those gatherings almost always include a hearty meal — and maybe a few takedowns, too.
“We’ll go wrestle outdoors, or someone will face someone else here or there. It just becomes part of the life. You learn from an early age this is what we do,” Deaguero told The Post hours before he was set to coach a pair of Class 5A championship bouts Saturday inside Ball Arena, both of which involve his nephews, Seth and Levi.
The menu for this Sunday is already posted in the family’s Facebook group: steak and tortillas with brownie fudge sundaes for dessert to top off two more state titles that brought the overall total to 13 across the family lineage.
The Deagueros are Commerce City’s first family of wrestling. Jared’s grandparents Tony and Frances had 10 children, and their love of the sport started in the 1970s, after the eldest two, Gerald and Tom, first wrestled for the program (Tom was later inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2020).
The first state title came from Gary, the second-youngest of the 10. From there, Tom’s two sons, TJ and Jared, won a combined four titles, their cousin Joey was a three-time champion. Scott Hewitt, another cousin, added two.
On Saturday, Levi’s twin brother, Seth, competed for his first at 150, but fell short in a 10-5 loss to Vincent Cabral of Pomona. Next up at 157 pounds was Jared’s cousin, Daniel Long, who secured his first title with a two-point sudden-victory takedown in overtime over Rock Canyon’s Sammy Mobly. Finally, Levi secured his second state title with a comeback third-period 3-2 win at 165 pounds over Dante Hutchings from Pomona. He was able to high-five every person in the first row of seats — almost all of whom were family members.
“My heart’s in my throat right now, but I feel alive,” Jared Deaguero said after coaching thrilling wins. “My message was do what you’ve got to do, score one more point than they do.”
With the two wins Saturday night, according to Colorado wrestling historian Bob Smith, the Deagueros tied for the most titles from one family in state history with the Gray family from Olathe (13).
The Collins brothers from Wray, Brady and Austin, were also aiming to add to their own extensive family legacy while competing in a pair of 2A finals. The elder Brady became a three-timer with a pin over Crowley County’s Dillion Bufford at 138 pounds, while Austin, a freshman, came up just short and finished second at 106 pounds in a narrow 3-2 loss. Their family, which first began under the surname Keeler, is now at eight state crowns after Saturday night.
“It’s really special to be a part of this program at this time, it’s more than just a family legacy,” Greg Collins, Brady’s father, said before the final bout.
But how deep does the sport go? Seth and Jared had another baby cousin, Hayden, in attendance for his first state championship experience Saturday night.
He was born in December.
“He was born right before Christmas and now he’s here. We’re literally always around wrestling,” Seth said.
When there’s a name like Deaguero in the bracket, other wrestlers can expect a battle. However, to wrestle with that name on this stage is a different sort of pressure.
Jared is a three-time collegiate All-American and national champion. He won an NCAA Division II national title at Adams State in 2008. His time at the state tournament goes back even further. He first wrestled at the state tournament at McNichols Sports Arena and began wrestling at what is now called Ball Arena as a junior and senior. For him, the state tournament is a home away from home, and keeping the tradition up at family dinners is also hugely important.
“There’s definitely pressure that comes with the name. You honestly learn to deal with it from an early age. We fight for it,” he said. “… It makes me proud and excited for the future, for my family. It’s a heavy responsibility of being the head coach, growing it and keeping it up, but I embrace it.”
For Commerce City’s first family of wrestling, the Ball Arena stage is a chance to further imprint the Deaguero family name in state tournament history.
“No matter the outcome whether we placed first or second or didn’t even place, we’re all going to go up to the stands and hug each other like we all took first.” Levi Deaguero said.
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