This weekend is about bragging rights. And Falcon wrestling coach Robert Lovato wants a piece of the action.

The 2025 COS Metro Wrestling Championships, happening Friday and Saturday at Fountain-Fort Carson’s Trojan Arena, will feature Pikes Peak region boys and girls wrestling teams vying for the tournament’s crown.

Last season, Pine Creek boys earned its ninth overall title at the event and Falcon finished as runners-up.

But the Falcons hope to soar higher than the Eagles this season.

“We’re going after it,” Lovato said. “I have all the confidence in the world in my kids. I think we can go after it. … It’s going to come down to two to three teams and I want to be one of them.”

In 2024, Falcon finished with 233.5 points, 60.5 points behind Pine Creek’s 294. But Lovato expects the Falcons, who are No. 5 in Tim Yount’s On The Mat rankings, to trot out their full lineup for the tournament.

That includes seven wrestlers ranked in the top 15 or better and a pair of returning champs in Joey Meza (138 pounds) and David Burchett (165.)

Along with Metro titles, Meza and Burchett won two of the Falcons’ three individual titles at the 4A state championship last season.

But Lovato understands rankings and records alone won’t secure the throne for the Falcons. Along with Pine Creek’s talented bunch, which ranks No. 4 in 5A, Sand Creek also fields a bevy of tough competitors and ranks third in 4A.

“We haven’t had our full lineup all season so that should help us out,” Lovato said. “… I know Pine Creek is probably going to be the team to beat, and I’ve been looking at Widefield and they’ve been looking tough lately. It’s going to be interesting.”

Tuesday evening, Widefield beat Mesa Ridge 62-16 and expects to contend at the tournament.

Angel Fernandez, the Gladiators’ No. 3 113-pounder, has a 28-6 record this year and won the 106-pound title at Metros last year.

“We’re excited about the momentum from (Tuesday’s) matches, but we know Metros is an entirely different challenge,” Widefield’s Chris Hinojosa said. “The kids are focused on staying grounded and continuing to improve. Wins like this are a great confidence boost, but we remind them that every match starts at 0-0, no matter what happened before. We’re proud of their effort and dedication, but there’s still work to do.”

The Gladiators girls also won their dual against Mesa Ridge 62-16, giving Widefield its first-ever sweep against Mesa Ridge and a jolt ahead of the tournament.

Widefield placed ninth last season at Metros, but did so without their phenom Amaya Hinojosa, who missed her sophomore campaign because of an injury.

Amaya, who ranks No. 18 in the nation at 120, has not lost to a Colorado opponent since her freshman season. Her lone loss this year came in the finals to Madison Pena of Lubbock, Texas, at the 24th Lady Horns Classic.

Amaya’s last in-state defeat occurred in the state 115-pound finals against Discovery Canyon’s Mia Hargrove.

Now, Amaya, along with six other ranked Gladiators, will battle in hopes to keep Pine Creek from sweeping the event.

But Hinojosa said their focus in this tournament is “growth.”

“This group has worked incredibly hard to elevate their level of competition, and it has been rewarding to see that growth,” Hinojosa said. “At Metros, we’re most excited to see them push themselves and support one another. It’s about more than individual results, it’s about how we represent Widefield as a team. We’re looking forward to some tough matches and seeing how our wrestlers respond to the challenges ahead.”