It took four years, but Constantine senior Andres Montoya’s patience paid off Saturday with a regional title.
(Photo by Wes Morgan)
Constantine senior 140-pounder Andres Montoya has taken down all 44 of his opponents this season. After Saturday’s Division 4 regional championship performance, he has his eyes on the ultimate prize in two weeks at the Palace of Auburn Hills. Ranked No. 7 in his weight class by MichiganGrappler.com, this year marks Montoya’s third trip to the individual state finals. He just missed placing among the all-state top eight as a junior.
Starting the day with a pin (1:22) against Three Oaks River Valley’s Andrew Doepker, Montoya went on to earn a major decision over Brandon Tanner (Springport) in the championship semifinals, setting up a title bout with 10th-ranked Travis Smith (Lawton). Montoya made his first regional title look easy with a pin in 54 seconds.
Montoya and Constantine coach Steve Wilson talked about Saturday’s results and how coming up short last year at the state finals fueled the fire this winter.