March
6, 2008:
Deseret Morning News
Chamberlain: Utah's All-Time Best?
by Brian E. Preece
SPRINGVILLE — Undoubtedly, Cael Sanderson
is the greatest wrestler the Beehive state has ever
produced. The former Wasatch High star won four state
titles in high school and then went on to become the
greatest college wrestler ever, winning four NCAA titles
and compiling a 159-0 career record, and then wrestling in
two Olympics, wining the gold at the 2004 Athens Games.
But as good as Sanderson was in high
school with his four titles and 127-3 career record many
believe Springville's Jason Chamberlain has a valid claim
on being the best prep wrestler Utah has ever produced.
With four state titles of his own and a
191-2 career mark Chamberlain has equaled or surpassed
Sanderson's high school career on many levels. Both
wrestlers grappled in national tournaments winning
prestigious events like the Reno Tournament of Champions.
Both were Junior National Champions in freestyle so in
many aspects their careers are very comparable.
Just after winning his fourth state title,
Chamberlain was asked such a question by a circle of
reporters on whether he considered himself Utah's all-time
best wrestler.
"I don't know if I am the best wrestler,"
said a humble and reflective Chamberlain, "but I would
have to consider myself one of the best ...
"A lot of people don't know the work I put
into this," he added. "I watch a lot of video and I'm
always working on my techniques to get better."
His head coach, Justin Judkins, said he
sees Chamberlain as the best wrestler in the history of
Utah.
"The reason he is unbeatable is he has
used all of that to get to a point where his mental
toughness and attitude are second to none, not to mention
the fact that his positioning is nearly perfect."
Before Chamberlain can be considered as
the Utah's all-time best wrestler, one last event — the
Senior Nationals — stands in his way. It's an event
Sanderson won in 1997.
The Senior Nationals is considered the
premier high school event. Approximately 800 of the
nation's best wrestlers will converge on Virginia Beach
this month to battle it out. To be invited to the big
event, a wrestler has to place first or second in state
during their high school career, and some of the weight
classes will have more than 80 wrestlers, making the road
to the title excruciatingly difficult.
Even though Utah had two four-time state
champions last year along with a dozen or so elite caliber
wrestlers, Utah could not place any wrestler in the Top 8
or All-American status. However, Utah, and Utah County in
particular, has shown well over the years in this event.
Two seasons ago, Provo's Nathaniel Holt
and Uintah's Levi Mele placed second, while Morgan's Josh
Wilson placed third.
In 1998, Utah actually crowned three
national champions, including Orem's Aaron Holker. Holker
went to be a three-time NCAA All-American and won the NCAA
meet his junior year at Iowa State.
For Chamberlain, winning the Senior
Nationals will cap off an incredible career. The Red Devil
star will go into the tournament as the favorite, ranked
No. 1 by every wrestling publication of note.
Chamberlain won't be Utah's only
legitimate contender for a championship as Wasatch's Jake
Salazar goes into the meet ranked No. 3 by Amateur
Wrestling News.
Many coaches feel the class of 2008, led
by the undefeated Chamberlain, may be the best group of
wrestlers Utah has produced since the storied Class of
1998 that crowned those three national champions, seven
total All-Americans and led Team Utah to a third-place
finish of the 48 participating states.
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