Liberty’s Zandon Hopson went to bed about 365 days ago knowing his last match of the year ended in defeat.

It doesn’t lead to REM-level of sleep. The replay of the loss lingers. The brain won’t shut off.

Finishing as a state runner-up was never the goal.

A plan is formulated. Eventually, it develops into a driving force.

“It’s terrible,” the 190-pounder said. “It’s devastating. It’s hard to deal with, but what it does is it changes your approach.

“Training doesn’t hurt as much as losing. It is very motivating.”

Hopson was one of 112 wrestlers – 28 in each of the four divisions - at the 73rd annual state wrestling championships at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum to put themselves in the position of winning it all.

Or come up short.

On the other side of the mat from Hopson in Saturday’s 4:30 p.m. championship round is another state runner-up in Casteel’s Jaxon Hamilton.

One of them will feel the better side of the outcome while the other will once again end the season with a crushing defeat.

“I’m so excited,” Hopson said. “I’m so ready. I have faith in what I am doing. I know it and I feel it.”

There were a ton of storylines unfolding in the final round of the night.

There were upsets, comebacks, redemption stories by avenging a previous loss, painful sudden death defeats in overtime and incredibly emotional hugs near the coaches chair.

 An embrace with the same guy who brought ire a week earlier because the coach kept pushing for more in an already grueling practice.

It is the culmination of a journey longer in the making for some, while may have had doubts that it would ever happen until something clicked, changed, and motivated.

A win in the state semifinals in wrestling is the pinnacle for some as it means the individual is in the championship.

One more win and they’ll forever be known as a state champion and they’re feeling pretty good as their head hits the pillow.

For others, the semis are just appetizers.

It’s a good start but the satisfaction won’t fill up the soul until the championship run is completed.  

Safford’s Alex Chavez advanced to the finals with a punishing pin of Snowflake’s Krew Borden. He looks to be primed for a second title, but he had a different type of motivation.

The junior was the top seed as a freshman but failed to make weight at the state meet.

He’s been wrestling at four years old. He knows about the Finchs, Andrews and so many other great Bulldogs.

Losing out on the opportunity to join the ranks of a four-timer will sting forever.

“It hurt,” he said of freshman mistake. “It motivated me. Made me hungrier. I wanted it more than ever after that.”

In Division I, Sunnyside has the team standings lead with 192 points powered by seven in the finals, followed by Mesa Mountain View at 136 with one finalist, Liberty is third with 123.5 points and five in the finals, Corona del Sol is next with 101 points and two in the finals and Desert Ridge, with 92.5 and two finalists, rounds out the top five.

Canyon View continues to have a hold on Division II dominance with 218.5 powered by seven wins in the semis with AZ College Prep a distant second with 128 points and two finalists.

Marana Mountain View (117.5 points, three finalists) is third, Cienega (108, three) is fourth, and Flowing Wells (94, three) is fifth.

Sahuarita is leading Division II with 191.5 points and six in the finals and ALA-Gilbert North is second with 131 and four in the finals. Rounding out the top five are Crismon (101.5, one), Coconino (96, two) and Safford (92, three).

The lone close team race is in Division IV as Eloy Santa Cruz with 141 points and six finalists has the lead, followed by Morenci at 136.5 and three in the finals. St. Johns (127, three), Mogollon (119, three), and Payson (88, two) finish out the top five.

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