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A new comfort zone

Pueblo East newcomer Keys making an impact

Tracy Renck, Special To The Rocky

Published January 25, 2007 at midnight

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PUEBLO - Maintaining long-distance friendships isn't easy.

Pat Laughlin, though, made a point to keep in touch with his old neighbor Justin Keys and his family.

The Keys family moved to Albion, a small town in eastern Nebraska, when Keys was 3 years old. This past summer, Laughlin received an unexpected phone call from Justin.

"He said that he was thinking about coming to school at (Pueblo) East for his senior year," said Laughlin, who is a counselor and assistant wrestling coach at the school. "I never thought I would hear him say that, and I didn't want to get my hopes up too high.

"Then, when I received his transcripts prior to the start of the school year, I was pretty excited. Athletes like Justin don't come around very often."

Laughlin was right.

The 145-pound Keys has been a star wrestler for the Eagles. Heading into a South Central League dual match at 7 p.m. today against rival Pueblo South, Keys has a 31-2 season record.

"Things have been really good for me this year," Keys, 17, said. "Coach Laughlin and coach (Larry) Wagner have made this transition to Pueblo easy for me."

Keys' performance hasn't gone unnoticed in the Class 4A wrestling scene. He is ranked No. 2 by On the Mat behind Fort Morgan junior Ryan Buck.

Keys lived up to his billing by placing second at the Top of the Rockies Invitational last weekend.

Keys lost a tough 8-4 decision to Ponderosa's Jesse Snider in the championship match. Snider is the top-ranked 145-pounder in Class 5A.

"I had never even seen him before the match, and he was definitely a very strong guy," Snider said. "It was a competitive match, and I am glad I won. I also don't have to worry about him anymore because he's not in 5A."

Wagner pointed out Keys' mat record is only part of his value to the Eagles program.

"I think the No. 1 thing that Justin brought to our room was leadership," said Wagner, in his 35th season with the Eagles. "That's something we have lacked the last several years. We have kids with talent, but not talent and leadership qualities. He also keeps track of what the other guys on our team are doing, and if they're slacking, he will get on them."

Matt Basquez, Pueblo East's 140-pounder, is thrilled with Keys. Basquez, a senior, also is ranked No. 2 by On the Mat.

"It has been great having Justin as my partner in the room," Basquez said. "He has made me a lot better wrestler, and we feed off of each other. Plus, he has changed the whole attitude of our team."

Keys has been wrestling since he was 5, and he finished fifth at state in Nebraska at 112 pounds as a freshman competing for Boone Central High School.

"Albion only had a population of 2,000 people, and I didn't get a chance to wrestle a wide variety of people," Keys said. "I like being in Colorado because there is more competition for me. Plus in Nebraska, everybody knew everything about me, and that's not the case in Colorado."

Keys is hopeful his wrestling career will continue in college so he can use the sport as catalyst to another career.

"I really want to get into ultimate fighting," Keys said. "Ultimate fighting is a mix of sports like boxing, kickboxing, jujitsu and wrestling, and I think it's something I would be good at. I started boxing when I came to Pueblo, and I am really enjoying it. It's a lot different than wrestling."