Oct.
13, 2006:
Deseret Morning News
Young Utah Wrestler Bringing Home
Awards
WOODS CROSS —
Brandon George is so good, he even wins at wrestling when
he's not on the mat.
The
12-year-old Millcreek Junior High student recently picked
up a prestigious victory without even breaking a sweat or
donning his singlet. The Woods Cross resident was named
the 2006 youth wrestler of the year by UtahWrestling.org.
The honor is
just the latest in a long line of accomplishments that
George has achieved this year. He wrestled his way to an
impressive 87-8 record, earned a national title, racked up
three state championships and picked up a Western Regional
crown along the way.
Not too
shabby for a seventh-grader, by George. And all of that
was certainly enough to attract the attention of the
statewide wrestling organization, which hands out the
annual award.
"Brandon is a
genuinely tough kid," said Bill Kilpack, who's the editor
of UtahWrestling.org and an editor for Wrestling USA
magazine, in a news release. "I've had the chance to watch
him develop for some time now, because he and my son spent
a number of years butting heads every weekend, and his
growth as an athlete and as a young man had been
remarkable to see."
George began
the season by placing second at the U.S. Folkstyle
Nationals in January. He then won a state championship the
next week at the 4A/5A Junior High State Championships. He
later won both the freestyle and Greco-Roman titles at the
USA Wrestling-Utah State Championships to claim
first-place prizes in all three styles.
On a larger
stage, he placed fifth at the Reno World Championships,
which Kilpack calls "one of the toughest folkstyle
tournaments in the country," and he won gold at the USA
Wrestling Western Regional Championships in Klamath, Ore.,
and a Greco-Roman national title at AAU Grand Nationals in
Omaha, Neb. He also was a runner-up in freestyle and
folkstyle at that latter meet.
George
continued his success on the local scene by beating an
Ohio All-Star wrestler while representing the Utah
All-Star team in July.
All that
helped George earn a No. 1 ranking in the Novice division
(11-12) and for all kids divisions (ages 4-14). William
Kilpack of Sandy finished ranked second overall. George
improved his ranking from being the third-ranked Novice in
2005 (and ninth overall).
During his
career, George has won five state championships, three
national titles and notched nine All-American finishes.
One of his highlights was winning the World Cup tournament
in Boise back in 2003.
George is the
third boy to be named Utah youth wrestler of the year
since UtahWrestling.org began the recognition in 2004.
Last year, Kilpack, then 10, won after claiming national
titles in freestyle, Greco-Roman and folkstyle. Also of
Sandy, Carson Kuhn earned the inaugural award as a
12-year-old. He won a national title in 2004 in freestyle.
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