ZELIENOPLE — Winning one state championship in any sport puts you in select company.

But Grant Colton's accomplishments have him all alone in front of the pack.

Colton, of Zelienople, recently won his third consecutive state title in judo.

Last weekend in Scranton, Colton defeated his opponent in just 90 seconds to claim the crown again, this time in the 13- and 14-year-old division.

"To win it three straight years, it's an honor," Colton said. "If I hadn't won the state title again, it would have been disappointing. But it's pretty stiff competition and I was just hoping for the best."

The 14-year-old, who is an eighth grader in the Seneca Valley School District, is a veteran of judo. He was introduced to the sport when he was 5 years old.

"I was involved with judo in ninth and 10th grade," said Grant's father, Pete Colton. "And when Grant picked it up nine years ago, I got back into it."

While Grant is currently a Sankkyu, a first-degree brown belt, Pete has attained the level of Nikkyu or third-degree brown belt.

"Being able to be involved in a sport with my dad is one of the things I like most about judo," Grant said. "Plus, I like throwing people around."

And the younger Colton has become very successful at it.

He finished second in his first state-championship appearance in 2004.

In addition to his three state championships, he also has a third-place finish at the U.S. nationals and two third-place efforts at the American-Canadian nationals to his credit.

"The American-Canadian nationals are just about the biggest stage in judo for somebody at his age," the elder Colton said. "There are teams from the U.S., Canada, Russia, Ukraine — teams from all over the world."

Grant, who trains at Kim's Martial Arts in Freedom, is preparing for this year's American-Canadian event, to be held in May. The U.S. nationals will take place in Detroit this July.

Grant, who weighs 171 pounds, has also followed in his father's footsteps as an amateur wrestler.

"Seeing him come up, competing in the same sports that I did, it's pretty special," Pete Colton said.