DENVER — Two years ago, Micah Horowitz didn’t place at state. Last year, he sat the season out after transferring from Falcon. 

As a junior at Peyton, Horowitz is a champion. Horowitz earned a 4-1 decision win and the 2A 126-pound title after he beat Las Animas’ Orion Martinez in the championship match. 

“This was all a part of God’s plan,” Horowitz said. “… I feel good, so I wrestle good. I take my recovery seriously. I eat the right things and I take my diet seriously. That has helped tremendously.”

Horowitz was tied 1-1 with Martinez early in the third period and finally found an opportunity to earn a takedown. It required patience, but Horowitz said he knew one takedown in the finals would seal the win.

“I put the gas on, I saw my chance and now I feel great,” Horowitz said. “This was a combination of all the offseason work and learning from the losses that I’ve had.”

Horowitz recalled all three of his losses — two major decisions and a pin — with confidence. One of those major decision losses was a 9-0 defeat to Martinez. The Panthers junior wasn’t disappointed with the previous results. He was thankful.

“I watched a lot of film and got in the lab and put the work in,” Horowitz said. “I remember every loss, but those are important because they’re the steppingstones that allowed me to get here. I can’t be bitter about that.”

Horowitz became Peyton’s first champ since Britton Holmes when Holmes captured the 2A 138-pound-crown in 2016. Horowitz is now the second wrestling champion in school history and said he occasionally talks to Holmes, who boosted his confidence and helped propel him to the title.  

“Speaking with him has given me more confidence in my abilities,” Horowitz said. “I talk to Britton a lot and we talk sometimes. But this is such a good feeling to be a state champ.”