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Jan.
7, 2004: The Salt Lake Tribune, Prep Wrestling:
Smalls Come Up Big
by Peter Richins
OREM — Except for
the final result, Tuesday's Utah All-Star Wrestling
Classic ended much like it always has.
This time, however,
the small schools won the pivotal, final matches of the
night and earned their first All-Star Classic victory,
taking a 35-32 win over the large schools.
"They deserved it,"
event organizer Ross Brunson said. "It's all for pride,
and these guys take home the bragging rights that they're
the toughest."
The Utah Amateur
Wrestling Foundation event pits an all-star team of
wrestlers from classes 4-A and 5-A schools against the
best from the smaller classes. The large schools won the
first three classics, winning by seven points the first
two years and by three points last year.
The large schools
were ahead 32-31 when the final match of the night began,
but the small schools had the advantage in the 130-pound
division, as Tooele's Andrew Hochstrasser faced Timpanogos'
McKay Sanderson. Hochstrasser earned several takedowns and
never let Sanderson earn even an escape on his way to an
11-0 victory.
Hochstrasser, who is
now 147-8 in his high school career, said he thrives on
the pressure of having the meet come down to his match.
"Pressure matches
make you better," he said.
Hochstrasser is now
2-1 in All-Star bouts. He lost last year, but he said this
year's victory makes up for last year's loss.
"Getting invited is
cool, but winning is even better," Hochstrasser said.
Mountain Crest's
Luke Lofthouse ended the night with the best All-Star
record (3-0) after pinning Lehi's Anthony Turchetta. It
was Lofthouse's first All-Star pin.
"I love the
atmosphere here, the whole experience," Lofthouse said.
"Every match is awesome, and I'm glad to have the
experience of being here all three years."
In perhaps the most
anticipated match of the night, Wasatch's Colton Salazar
beat Viewmont's Landon Essig 7-5 with a takedown late in
the third period. Salazar beat Essig twice last year, but
Essig tied the series this season with a pair of victories
in December.
"I've been looking
forward to this [rematch] since the Layton Tournament,"
Salazar said. "[Essig] is a good, tough wrestler, but it
feels good to be back on top."
The UAWF contributes
the profits from the All-Star Classic to Utah Valley State
College's program. Brunson was pleased with the size of
the crowd on Tuesday.
"Every year it gets
a little bigger," Brunson said, estimating that
3,500-4,000 people attended. "I'm very pleased with the
turnout, and the support from the wrestling community."
Brunson also was
pleased with the competitiveness of the small-schools
team, which largely was composed of 3-A wrestlers and
included four wrestlers from nationally ranked Wasatch.
"They are just great
wrestling communities in those small schools," Brunson
said. "They are ferocious." Utah All-Star
Wrestling Classic
Team Scores
Small Schools 35,
Large Schools 32
Individual Results
103 — Kaden King,
North Sanpete, def. T.J. Bingham, Sky View, fall. 112 —
Dave Beagley, Spanish Fork, def. Carson Goodwin, Dixie,
fall. 119 — Flint Ray, Roy, def. Rodney Sager, Lehi, 5-1.
125 — Jake Swensen, North Sanpete, def. Chase Frost,
Mountain View, fall. 130 — Andrew Hochstrasser, Tooele,
def. McKay Sanderson, Timpanogos, 11-0. 135 — Cyler
Sanderson, Wasatch, def. Adam Kjar, Viewmont, 7-4. 140 —
Tyson Thompson, Lehi, def. Clay Taylor, Provo, 12-4. 145 —
Jeb Clark, Spanish Fork, def. Peter Rose, Wasatch, 11-3.
152 — Colton Salazar, Wasatch, def. Landon Essig, Viewmont,
7-5. 160 — Casen Eldridge, Monticello, def. Randy
Callicoat, Timpanogos, forfeit. 160 (wild card) — Chase
Walker, Timpanogos, def. Phillip Keddy, Uintah, 9-5. 171 —
Shawn Brunson, Hillcrest, def. Clint Monsen, Millard,
10-6. 189 — Luke Lofthouse, Mountain Crest, def. Anthony
Turchetta, Lehi, fall. 189 (wild card) — Craig Mock,
Weber, def. Joel Harris, Bear River, 12-2. 215 — Garrett
Elliott, Spanish Fork, def. Trevor Collett, Uintah, 7-2.
275 — Dallin Norton, Wasatch, def. Mark Freeman, Orem,
7-3.
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