Dust off the headgear, search the back of the closet and
pull out the mat shoes, stretch out the singlet, and
mom, buy a gross of Advil. That's right everybody-- it's
time to wrestle.
Anxious to get back in the saddle, head coach Dave
Clark welcomed this year's version of the Dons varsity
team into the practice room and back onto the mat's with
renewed enthusiasm and a double dose of determination.
Led by last year's state placers David Sorenson, Kyle
Weight, Rodney Cox and Kaleb Ashworth, the always tough
Dons look to improve on last year's ninth place state
finish and battle their way into the top five of the
elite 5A ranks come February. Add to that mix a bevy of
talented returning starters and by the time region and
state roll around, don't be surprised to see Clark's
charges make that goal a reality.
The Dons are not without their share of challenges to
overcome as they begin to build this year's team. For
several years now, the varsity has benefited from a
strong junior high team sending a host of both ninth
grade and sophomore kids all ready to compete at this
level. Such is not the case this year leaving coach
Clark to look to his upper class pool to step up to the
plate. The return to the program of Jordan Edwards
should help fill that void as well as several other
underclassmen who are working hard to win time on the
mat.
Another challenge for Clark is finding wrestlers to
fill in at a couple of empty weights. With the number of
wrestlers down this year, he is faced with the
possibility of forfeiting two or three weights, 112,140
and 215.
On the bright side for the Dons, not only do they
return four horses who placed at state last year, but
they also bring back four additional potential state
placers in Kyle Sanford, a four year starter, Tom Clark,
Eric Kitchen and Brock Wilson, all starters from last
season. Look for this corps of talented and tough as
nails grapplers to give the Dons a starting line-up that
should compete with any program in the state.
One huge advantage for the Dons which has been a
staple for the Red and Gray for more than a decade is a
peerless staff of coaching professionals. Fred Rowland
is a former head coach with multiple state championship
rings. Jed Ashworth has been in the program for several
years now and is a two time state champion himself. JD
Shepherd has been an assistant for two state
championship teams and was a quality wrestler himself.
Add to this mix, Joe Hernandez in his first year with
the Dons, and few programs anywhere in the state can
field a more qualified and quality stable of respected
coaches.
I look for the Dons to be in another dog fight with
traditional power Pleasant Grove and possibly Lone Peak
for region gold. Defending state champ Viewmont will be
tough for anyone to overtake, but a top five finish is
not out of the realm of possibility for the Dons.
Don't be surprised to see four and maybe five Dons
take the mat in the finals match for individual gold on
the last night of wrestling at the state tournament. A
lot of matches will go under the bridge between now and
February, but with a bit of luck and an absence of
injury, me thinks this could be a special year for both
the team and several individual wrestlers.
The Dons open the season with a non-region dual at
powerful Springville on Tuesday the 20th.