Wrestling USA Magazine, Preseason Picks Utah Wrestlers of the Year

Outstanding Sophomore Wrestlers for 2006–2007
 

Jason Chamberlain
Springville High School, 140 lbs.
GPA: 4.0

School Classification: 4A (900 enrolled)

Chamberlain comes from a family with a long history in wrestling, and he is every bit as good as any of them.  He is a slick technician who never loses his head, regardless of the situation.  He is patient and waits for his openings and opportunities.  And it's paid off in his career so far.  He has had two undefeated seasons prior to high school, has an interscholastic record that would make anyone envious, and is a National Champion to boot.  His freshman year proved out as expected, taking only one loss over the season and having about as dominant a tournament as possible at the state championships.  His sophomore year turned out just as amazing.  He beat Skyline's Jonathan Gappmaier in the finals at the Clash of the Titans, and Wasatch's Casey Smith in the finals at the Layton Invitational.  At state, he won his second state title in a tournament that had people saying that he was the best in the state, pound for pound, teching every opponent while only allowing three points to be scored against him.

2006 State Champion (125 lbs.), State Champion (112 lbs.).  Interscholastic Career Record: 98-2.  2005–2006 Wrestling Record: 50-1.  2004–2005 Wrestling Record: 38-1.  2004–2005 Freestyle/Greco-Roman Record: 83-11.

• Two-Time High School State Champion

• 2006 Champion, Layton Invitational

• 2006 Champion, Clash of the Titans

• 2006 3rd Place, Reno Tournament of Champions

• 2006 3rd Place, USA Wrestling Cadet Nationals, freestyle (Fargo, ND)

• 2006 Champion, Rocky Mountain Rumble

• 2005 Silver Medalist, USA Wrestling Cadet Nationals, freestyle (Fargo, ND)

• 2005 Silver Medalist, USA Wrestling Cadet Nationals, Greco-Roman (Fargo, ND)

• 2005 Champion, USA Wrestling Western Regional Championships, freestyle

• 2005 Champion, USA Wrestling Western Regional Championships, Greco-Roman

• 2005 Silver Medalist, USA Wrestling Rocky Mountain Junior Regionals, freestyle (Laramie, WY)

• 2005 3rd Place, USA Wrestling Rocky Mountain Junior Regionals, Greco-Roman (Laramie, WY)

• 2005 Champion, Region VI

• 2005 Champion, Rocky Mountain Rumble

• 2005 Champion, Desert Storm Wrestling Classic

• 2005 3rd Place, Layton Invitational

• 2004 National Champion, USA Wrestling Kids Nationals, Greco-Roman

• 2004 Silver Medalist, USA Wrestling Kids Nationals, freestyle

• 2004 Champion, Rocky Mountain Nationals

• 2004 Champion, USA Wrestling Western Regional Championships, Greco-Roman

• Three-Time USA Wrestling Western Regional Champion in Greco-Roman (2003–2005)

• Four-Time USA Wrestling Western Regional Champion in freestyle (2002–2005)

Wrestling USA Magazine Picks

• Nationally ranked Utahn in Junior rankings: National Junior Rankings (125 lbs.): No. 6

• Nationally Ranked Utahn in National All Divisions Rankings (125 lbs.): No. 12

UtahWrestling.org 2005 Freestyle/Greco-Roman Ranking

• 1st Cadet Division

UtahWrestling.org 2004 Freestyle/Greco-Roman Ranking

• 2nd Schoolboy Division

• 3rd Overall Kids Division

Jason is a member of the National Honor Society.
 

Jake Salazar
Wasatch High School, 145 lbs.
GPA: 3.5

School Classification: 3A (900 enrolled)

Salazar is as about as exciting a junior as there is in the field.  He's won some prestigious championships, including the Rocky Mountain Nationals in Denver and the BRUTE-adidas Nationals in Lincoln.  The summer before his freshman year, he went an astonishing 6-1 in freestyle at the USA Wrestling Cadet National Duals, losing his only match in a close 5-3 decision.  This is after he went 5-2 in Greco-Roman at the same tournament.  At the later USA Wrestling Cadet Nationals in Fargo, he took silver in Greco-Roman.  He is definitely holding up the family tradition.  Over the high-school season, he racked up a very impressive 34-6 record, losing out in the championship match at state to senior champion Rodney Sager of Lehi.  No mean accomplishment there.  In his sophomore year, he continued his powerful performance, beating out Davis' stud Sean Porter in the finals at both the Layton Invitational (and Mountain Crest's Ethen Lofthouse took 3rd in that one) and the Rocky Mountain Rumble.  At state, he took the title at 140 lbs., pinning or teching every opponent till the finals, where he powered out a 5-3 decision over Bear River's Brayden Petersen.

2006 State Champion (140 lbs.) 2005 State Silver Medalist (125 lbs.).  Interscholastic Career Record: 83-9.  2005–2006 Wrestling Record: 43-3.  2004–2005 Wrestling Record: 40-6.  Cadet/Junior Freestyle Record: 64-6.  Cadet/Junior Greco-Roman Record: 62-4.

Following is a summary of Jake's wrestling career so far:

• One-Time High School State Champion

• Two-Time High School Region Champion

• Two-Time National Champion

• 2006 Silver Medalist, UHSAA Sophomore Nationals (Pittsburgh, PA)

• 2006 8th Place, USA Wrestling Junior Nationals, Greco-Roman (Fargo, ND)

• 2006 Champion, Rocky Mountain Rumble

• 2005 High School State Silver Medalist (as a freshman)

• 2005 National Champion, BRUTE-adidas Nationals (Lincoln, Neb.)

• 2005 Silver Medalist, USA Wrestling Cadet Nationals, Greco-Roman (Fargo, ND)

• 2005 3rd Place, USA Wrestling Rocky Mountain Junior Regionals, Greco-Roman (Laramie, WY)

• 2005 5th Place, Reno Tournament of Champions

• 2005 Silver Medalist, Reno World Championships

• 2005 Champion, Layton Invitational

• 2005 Champion, Tiger-Grizzly Invitational

• 2004 Silver Medalist, USA Wrestling Cadet Nationals, Greco-Roman (Fargo, ND)

• 2004 Champion, Rocky Mountain Nationals (Denver, Colo.)

• 2004 USA Wrestling Utah State Champion

Wrestling USA Magazine Picks

• Nationally ranked Utahn in Junior rankings: National Junior Rankings (145 lbs.): No. 7

• Nationally Ranked Utahn in National All Divisions Rankings (145 lbs.): No. 20

UtahWrestling.org 2005 Freestyle/Greco-Roman Ranking

• 7th Cadet Division

UtahWrestling.org 2004 Freestyle/Greco-Roman Ranking

• 2nd Cadet Division

Jonathan Gappmaier
Skyline High School, 125 lbs.

School Classification: 5A

I've watched and coached Gappmaier since he first started wrestling 2003.  He came out, no experience, but a natural feel for the sport.  He did not know who was tough, who wasn't, and immediately commenced beating champions.  He took 2nd in Junior High State his first year on the mat, followed by a 4th-place finish in freestyle and 5th-place finish in Greco-Roman at the USA Wrestling Utah State Championships.  Year two, he was crowned champion in Junior High State, then followed it up with a 2nd-place finish in Greco-Roman at USA Wrestling Utah State Championships.  He pounded out a 4th-place finish at the Reno World Championships last April, having to gut out that bronze-medal match immediately after winning a match that went into overtime.  His freshman year was no disappointment, either.  He finished with a silver at high-school state, losing to sophomore Mitch Moss of Bingham in overtime, with a score of 4-3.  Talk about a nail biter!  His sophomore season was just as impressive.  He finished second in state again, behind Viewmont's stud Spencer Smoot (who also beat him in the finals at the Viewmont Invitational), after beating a very tough Jesse Clark from Bingham to make it to the finals.  His other three losses last year were to very talented athletes, like Springville's Jason Chamberlain in the finals at the Clash of the Titans.  This kid's got the stuff.

2006 State Silver Medalist (125 lbs.), 2005 State Silver Medalist (103 lbs.).  Interscholastic Career Record: 58-14.  2005–2006 Wrestling Record: 26-5.  2004–2005 Wrestling Record: 32-9.

Following is a summary of Jonathan's wrestling career so far:

• Two-Time High School State Silver Medalist

• 2006 Champion, Region II

• 2005 Silver Medalist, Region II

• 2005 Silver Medalist, Gladiator World Championships, folkstyle

• 2005 Silver Medalist, Viewmont Invitational

• 2005 Silver Medalist, Clash of the Titans

• 2005 3rd Place, Layton Invitational

• 2005 7th Place, Rocky Mountain Rumble

• 2004 3rd Place, Layton Invitational

• 2004 Junior High School State Champion

• 2003 Silver Medalist, Junior High State Championships

• 2004 4th Place, Reno World Championships

Wrestling USA Magazine Picks

• Nationally ranked Utahn in Junior rankings: National Junior Rankings (125 lbs.): Special Mention

UtahWrestling.org 2005 Freestyle/Greco-Roman Ranking

• 23rd Cadet Division

UtahWrestling.org 2004 Freestyle/Greco-Roman Ranking

• 8th Schoolboy Division

• 13th Overall Kids Division

Blake Mangum
Lone Peak High School, 130 lbs.

School Classification: 5A

Blake is a wrestler who has really developed and advanced in the last two or three years into a major talent.  He's one who is really blending his impressive freestyle and Greco-Roman experience very well in the high-school folkstyle wrestling arena.  He has won six high-school tournaments, was the Region IV champion last year, and placed fourth in state after losing a decision to Spencer Smoot of Viewmont (who went on to win it), and came out on the short end against Alta's Luke Rasmussen on their rematch in the match for third.  (Blake beat Rasmussen 8-4 in their second match at the state tournament, then Ramussen won the rematch 10-7.)  In 2005, he took fifth in state behind a pool of very talented wrestlers at 119 lbs.  He is a USA Wrestling Western Regional Champion in freestyle, has state titles in both freestyle and Greco-Roman, took second at the Reno World Championships in 2006, and placed sixth at the USA Wrestling Cadet National Championships in Fargo last summer.  This kid is an excellent all-around wrestler who I think will really shine as a junior.

2006 4th in State (125 lbs.), 2005 5th in State (119 lbs.).  Interscholastic Career Record: 72-13.  2005–2006 Wrestling Record: 37-7.  Freestyle Record: 114-18.  Greco-Roman Record: 64-15.

Following is a summary of Blake's wrestling career so far:

• 2006 4th Place, High School State Championships

• 2005 5th Place, High School State Championships

• 2006 Champion, Region IV

• 2006 6th Place, USA Wrestling Cadet Nationals, Greco-Roman (Fargo, ND)

• 2006 9th Place, UHSAA Sophomore Nationals (Pittsburgh, PA)

• 2006 Silver Medalist, Reno World Championships

• 2006 Silver Medalist, USA Wrestling Western Regional Championships, freestyle

• 2005 Silver Medalist, Gladiator World Championships, folkstyle

• 2005 Champion, USA Wrestling Western Regional Championships, freestyle

• 2005 Silver Medalist, USA Wrestling Western Regional Championships, Greco-Roman

• 2005 4th Place, Layton Invitational

• 2004 Silver Medalist, 4A/5A Junior High State Championships

Wrestling USA Magazine Picks

• Nationally ranked Utahn in Junior rankings: National Junior Rankings (130 lbs.): No. 14

UtahWrestling.org 2005 Freestyle/Greco-Roman Ranking

• 9th Cadet Division

Blake is also the German Club President, on the Cedar Hill City Youth Council, in Operation Smile, and a member of the Dragonology Club.

Mason Stott
Millard High School, 119 lbs.

School Classification: 2A

Stott is a very tough character.  He was ranked first through most if not all of his freshman season, then lost a tough one to Aaron Butler (below) of Monticello, to finish second in state.  His sophomore year at state was a different story, however.  He plowed through the competition, pinning everyone from the time he stepped on the mat till he took the crown and finish out the season with an awesome record of 48-1.  In freestyle and Greco-Roman, he brawls it out with the likes of Springville's Jason Chamberlain and Bingham's Mitch Moss.  At the USA Wrestling-Utah State Championships in both 2004 and 2005 in freestyle, he beat Moss, but fell short against him in Greco-Roman those same years.

2006 State Champion (119 lbs.), 2005 State Silver Medalist (103 lbs.).  2005–2006 Wrestling Record: 48-1.

Following is a summary of Mason's wrestling career so far:

• One-Time High School State Champion

• 2005 High School State Silver Medalist (as a freshman)

• 2006 Champion, Rocky Mountain Rumble

• 2005 Silver Medalist, Desert Storm Wrestling Classic

• 2005 6th Place, USA Wrestling Western Regional Championships, freestyle

• 2005 Silver Medalist, USA Wrestling-Utah State Championships, freestyle

• 2005 4th Place, USA Wrestling-Utah State Championships, Greco-Roman

• 2004 State Champion, USA Wrestling-Utah State Championships, freestyle

UtahWrestling.org 2005 Freestyle/Greco-Roman Ranking

• 17th Cadet Division

UtahWrestling.org 2004 Freestyle/Greco-Roman Ranking

• 21st Cadet Division

Aaron Butler
Monticello High School, 125 lbs.
GPA: 3.2

School Classification: 1A (150 enrolled)

Aaron Butler really developed over the season, rising through the rankings to beat another very tough individual, Mason Stott of Millard, for the state championship.  He comes from a strong wrestling family, and really had an outstanding freshman season.  In his sophomore year, he traded Stoff for another very tough hombre, Colton Miles of Altamont.  At state, the two title holders worked their way to the finals, pinning everyone they could get their hands on.  In the finals, they brawled it out, with Butler pulling out a 14-9 decision.  This is one tough kid, but he needs to hit some big tournaments to get the national respect he deserves.

2006 State Champion (112 lbs.), 2005 State Champion (103 lbs.).  Interscholastic Career Record: 85-8 with 66 Pins.  2005–2006 Wrestling Record: 45-2, 2004–2005 Wrestling Record: 40-6.  2005–2006 Freestyle Record: 17-1.  2005–2006 Greco-Roman Record: 16-0.

Following is a summary of Aaron's wrestling career so far:

• Two-Time High School State Champion

• Two-Time High School Region Champion

• 2006 State Champion, USA Wrestling-Utah State Championships, freestyle

• 2006 State Champion, USA Wrestling-Utah State Championships, Greco-Roman