Utah Grapplers Headed for Western Regional Championships

Seventy-five Utah wrestlers are headed to Nevada to compete in the Western Regional Championships June 21–16, 2004, at the Winnemucca Event Center. The tournament will host the toughest freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestlers from 11 states.

“I am excited and confident about the Utah Team at Western Regionals,” said Craig LaMont, Kids Director for USA Wrestling Utah.  “I think we have a solid team and we will have some champions.  I am confident that we will place many and that Utah will be well represented.  This is as good a team as we have seen for years.  It is an honor for me to be coaching the team.”

The 75 Utahns, ranging in age from 9–16, are members 20 Utah freestyle and Greco-Roman clubs.  Specialized Wrestling Club, based in Salt Lake City, has 12 members attending; followed by Elite Wrestling Club, based in Kaysville, with 10; Weber Freestyle Wrestling Club, based in North Ogden, with eight; Sandy-based Jordan Freestyle Wrestling, with six; Springville-based Champions Wrestling Club, with five; Stingers Wrestling Club of Brigham City, Logan Wrestling Club, Legacy Wrestling of Lehi, and Delta Wrestling Club, all with four; Team Extreme of St. George and Pony Express of Hyrum, both will have two competitors; and the Raptors of Price, Roosevelt Wrestling Club, Trappers of Cache County, Wasatch Wrestling Club of Heber City, North Sanpete Wrestling Club of Mount Pleasant, Duchesne Wrestling Club, TUG of Pleasant Grove, Digger Freestyle Wrestling of Sandy, and Timpanogos Wrestling Club of Orem, will all have one competitor.

Some notable Utah competitors include the following freestyle and Greco-Roman 2004 state champions and state silver medalists:

• Tyler Jensen, Jordan Freestyle Wrestling, Midget (ages 9 and 10) 50 lbs.

• Bryce Jackman, Raptors, Midget 55 lbs.

• Brandon George, Specialized Wrestling Club, Midget 60 lbs.

• William Kilpack, Jordan Freestyle Wrestling, Midget 60 lbs.

• Rasten Yeates, Stingers Wrestling Club, Midget 65 lbs.

• Chase Call, Champions Wrestling Club, Midget 65 lbs.

• Jacob Ribald, Jordan Freestyle Wrestling, Midget 70 lbs.

• Austin Swenson, Jordan Freestyle Wrestling, Midget 75 lbs.

• Nick Sorenson, Stingers Wrestling Club, Midget 80 lbs.

• Logan Wisener, Roosevelt Wrestling Club, Midget 87 lbs.

• Jacob Thompson, Logan Wrestling Club, Midget 87 lbs.

• Collin Anderton, Legacy Wrestling Club, Midget 95 lbs.

• Braxton Vandertoolen, Specialized Wrestling Club, Novice (ages 11 and 12) 60 lbs.

• Carson Kuhn, Specialized Wrestling Club, Novice 65 lbs.

• Koleton Hardy, Stingers Wrestling Club, Novice 75 lbs.

• Jacob Falk, Elite Wrestling Club, Novice 80 lbs.

• Raider Lofthouse, Elite Wrestling Club, Novice 85 lbs.

• Brayden Anderson, Logan Wrestling Club, Novice 90 lbs.

• Clint Jacob, Elite Wrestling Club, Novice 95 lbs.

• Logan Anderton, Legacy Wrestling Club, Novice 105 lbs.

• Derek Anderson, Delta Wrestling Club, Novice 105 lbs.

• Kaleb Motitz, Wasatch Wrestling Club, Novice 112 lbs.

• Dylan Thomas, Delta Wrestling Club, Novice 112 lbs.

• Kolton Cheney, North Sanpete Wrestling Club, Schoolboy (ages 13 and 14), 70 lbs.

• Ryker Vandertoolen, Specialized Wrestling Club, Schoolboy 75 lbs.

• Jaes Jones, Specialized Wrestling Club, Schoolboy 80 lbs.

• Derek Malan, Weber Freestyle Wrestling Club, Schoolboy 80 lbs.

• Tucker Ray, Elite Wrestling Club, Schoolboy 85 lbs.

• Martin Rubalcaba, Team Extreme, Schoolboy 90 lbs.

• Jason Chamberlain, Champions Wrestling Club, Schoolboy 100 lbs.

• Matthew Brown, Specialized Wrestling Club, Schoolboy 105 lbs.

• Taylor Peacock, Logan Wrestling Club, Schoolboy 105 lbs.

• Ethan Lofthouse, Elite Wrestling Club, Schoolboy 110 lbs.

• Skyler Porter, Delta Wrestling Club, Schoolboy 115 lbs.

• Jordan Ballam, Specialized Wrestling Club, Schoolboy 120 lbs.

• Mike Hawkins, Elite Wrestling Club, Schoolboy 125 lbs.

• Brett Kendrick, Champions Wrestling Club, Schoolboy 125 lbs.

• Thomas Bryson, Weber Freestyle Wrestling Club, Schoolboy 130 lbs.

• Dustin Martin, Weber Freestyle Wrestling Club, Schoolboy 145

• Matthew Fairbrother Specialized Wrestling Club, Schoolboy 250 lbs.

• Rhett Hewlett, Legacy Wrestling Club, Cadet (ages 15 and 16) 91 lbs.

• Mitch Moss, Specialized Wrestling Club, Cadet 98 lbs.

• Shay Warren, Weber Freestyle Wrestling Club, Cadet 112 lbs.

• Aaron Ross, Weber Freestyle Wrestling Club, Cadet 125 lbs.

• KC Nate, Specialized Wrestling Club, Cadet 125 lbs.

• Alex Knight, Elite Wrestling Club, Cadet 130 lbs.

• Cole Shafer, Specialized Wrestling Club, Cadet 135 lbs.

• Deven Grange, Pony Express, Cadet 135 lbs.

• Mitch Sanderson, Timpanogos Wrestling Club, Cadet 135 lbs.

In order to qualify for the Western Regional Championships, wrestlers had to place in the top six in the USA Wrestling Utah State Championships held this past April in Brigham City.

They will compete against the same level of athletes from Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming.

Other Utah wrestlers competing include the following: 

• Shand Hardy, Stingers Wrestling Club, Midget 55 lbs.
• Grant LaMont, Champions Wrestling Club, Midget 60 lbs
• Logan Kinross, Midget 70 lbs.
• D. Matthew Vierkant, Champions Wrestling Club, Midget 75 lbs.
• Jesse Carlisle, Logan Wrestling Club, Midget 75 lbs.
• Daniel Bactista, Jordan Freestyle Wrestling, Novice 70 lbs.
• Austin Frazier, Delta Wrestling Club, Novice 70 lbs.
• Cody VanBuren, Weber Freestyle Wrestling Club, Novice 70 lbs.
• Kade Moss, Schoolboy 70 lbs.
• Connor Meadows, Specialized Wrestling Club, Schoolboy 75 lbs.
• Wyatt Ray, Elite Wrestling Club, Schoolboy 80 lbs.
• Braken Nipko, Weber Freestyle Wrestling Club, Schoolboy 85 lbs.
• Cameron Phillips, Legacy Wrestling Club, Schoolboy 90 lbs.
• Bryce Lindsey, Jordan Freestyle Wrestling, Schoolboy 90 lbs.
• Collin Grant, Specialized Wrestling Club, Schoolboy 95 lbs.
• Jayce Warren, Weber Freestyle Wrestling Club, Schoolboy 95 lbs.
• Keaton Cheney, North Sanpete Wrestling Club, Schoolboy 95 lbs.
• Chance Grant, Duchesne Wrestling Club, Schoolboy 110 lbs.
• Riley Wardle, Digger Freestyle Wrestling, Cadet 91 lbs.
• Josh Gunther, Elite Wrestling Club, Cadet 98 lbs.
• Dalin Hansen, TUG, Cadet 119 lbs.
• Richard Winger, Cadet 119 lbs.
• Luke Rasmussen, Specialized Wrestling Club, Cadet 125 lbs.
• Michael Baker, Elite Wrestling Club, Cadet 145 lbs.
• Nate Carter, Team Extreme, Cadet 171 lbs.

Those placing at the Western Regional Championships will be qualified to compete in the Kids National Championships to be held in Menonomie, Wis., at the end of June and beginning of July.