On the high school wrestling mat, victory is usually measured in points, pins, and sheer physical dominance. But at the Colorado State Wrestling Tournament, one senior chose a different kind of victory—one measured by the quiet strength of his personal convictions. In doing so, he walked away from the sport he loved, drawing a curtain on his high school career on his own terms.
Brendan Johnston, an 18-year-old senior representing the Classical Academy in Colorado Springs, made headlines across the state when he decided to forfeit two crucial state tournament matches. The reason? His opponents were young women.
It was a decision that sent ripples through the arena. In the high-stakes environment of a state tournament, where years of grueling practices culminate in a few intense minutes under the spotlights, walking away is almost unheard of. Yet, for Johnston, the choice was clear, rooted deeply in a complex intersection of his Christian faith, his upbringing, and his personal values.
The Boundary Lines of Conviction
The drama unfolded in the very first round of the tournament, where Johnston was scheduled to face Skyview High School senior Jaslynn Gallegos. Rather than step onto the mat, Johnston forfeited. Later, in the third-round consolation bracket, he faced a similar crossroads against Valley High School junior Angel Rios. Again, he chose to forfeit, a move that officially brought his high school wrestling career to an abrupt and permanent end.
To understand Johnston’s decision is to understand his view of the sport’s intense physicality. Wrestling is, by nature, an incredibly intimate and aggressive combat sport. For Johnston, crossing that physical boundary with a female competitor was a line he simply could not cross.
“It’s so physical, physically close,” Johnston explained in an interview with local station KDVR. “I don’t think that’s really appropriate with a young lady. It’s also very aggressive, and I’m not really, I guess, comfortable with that.”
For Johnston, this wasn’t about viewing female athletes as lesser. In fact, he was quick to clarify that he sees men and women as completely equal—just inherently different. In his eyes, recognizing and respecting those biological differences is a form of honor, not discrimination. He believes that treating men and women differently in highly physical contexts does not diminish the equality of the sexes; rather, it preserves a boundary of respect.
Remarkably, Johnston had managed to navigate his wrestling journey without ever facing a female opponent since he first took up the sport in the seventh grade. This streak continued even though girls’ wrestling was not yet officially sanctioned as a separate sport by the state of Colorado at the time, meaning co-ed matchups were a regular occurrence on the circuit.
Johnston was highly conscious of the optics of his decision. He insisted that his forfeit was not meant to disrespect the immense dedication, sweat, and tears that female wrestlers pour into the sport. He viewed wrestling as an activity they participated in, not the defining core of who they were. And ultimately, when forced to choose between a state medal and his own moral compass, Johnston knew which one mattered more. Other priorities in his life simply held a higher significance.
Making History on the Mat
While Johnston watched from the sidelines, his intended opponents went on to make history.
Angel Rios and Jaslynn Gallegos captured fourth and fifth place in their respective divisions, solidifying their names in the record books as the very first female wrestlers to place at the Colorado State Tournament.
For Gallegos, who had been grinding on the mats since the age of five, the tournament was the culmination of a lifetime of hard work. When asked about Johnston’s refusal to wrestle her, her response was remarkably mature and devoid of animosity. She chose to see the situation through the lens of mutual respect.
Gallegos explained that she has never viewed herself as a “girl wrestler”—she is simply a wrestler. While she acknowledged that her gender still presents unique hurdles in a historically male-dominated sport, she took no offense to Johnston’s decision. She respected his right to hold his own beliefs, just as she demanded respect for her right to compete.
The Broader Conversation
Johnston’s final tournament has ignited a much larger, highly nuanced conversation about the intersection of sports, gender, and individual conscience.
As athletic associations grapple with the rapid growth of female participation in traditionally male sports, stories like this highlight the delicate balance that must be struck. How do we celebrate and pave the way for female athletes to make history, while still respecting the deeply held personal and religious boundaries of their male counterparts?
There are no easy answers. But as Brendan Johnston hangs up his headgear for the last time, his story serves as a powerful reminder that sometimes, the most defining moment of an athletic career isn’t a victory on the podium—it’s the decision of where you choose to stand when the whistle blows.