Wrestling USA Magazine Announces Preseason Rankings: Utah Wrestlers of the Year

The Utah Editor for Wrestling USA Magazine has selected Utah wrestlers as preseason picks for Utah wrestlers of the year and wrestlers to watch.  Leading the list is the preseason pick as Wrestler of the Year for All Divisions, Cyler Sanderson of Wasatch High School.  The list also includes wrestlers of the year for the senior, junior, sophomore and freshman classes, as well as wrestlers to watch.

Utah Editor Bill Kilpack said, "Sanderson definitely deserves to be named the best in Utah, as well as the nation.  His performance is always strong, no matter what level.  He was one of only three Utahns to place in both freestyle and Greco-Roman at the USA Wrestling Junior National Championships in Fargo, North Dakota, last summer, taking home a silver (Greco) and a 3rd-place bronze (freestyle).  He went undefeated in high school, winning the Reno Tournament of Champions, and took the 3A state title last year without really breaking a sweat."

Sanderson, a senior at Wasatch, is currently ranked no. 1 at 140 lbs. in Wrestling USA Magazine's rankings for seniors and all-division rankings.  Some of Sanderson's other notable exploits include racking up an overall high-school career record of 117-8.  He was crowned champion at 2004 Reno Tournament of Champions, was named Outstanding Wrestler at the 2004 Minnesota Clash, 2002 High School State Championships Outstanding Wrestler, is a three-time USA Wrestling Cadet All-American, and a three-time USA Wrestling Junior All-American.

The preseason picks for Senior Wrestlers of the Year are Michael Watts of Riverton High School (119), Tyson Thompson of Lehi High School (145) and Dallin Norton of Wasatch (275).  Kilpack said, "Watts is very fast and his technique is sharp, but the thing that’s most impressive is his physical strength.  In 2003, he was one of the most powerful 103-pounders I can remember, and followed it up with a dominating season at 112 lbs.  Following state, he kept right on going, slicing his way through the Reno World Championships in folkstyle last April, finishing out with an outstanding 2nd-place finish."

As a freshman, Watts took a 5th-place bronze medalist at state.  He is a two-time Region 2 champion, won the Timpanogos, South Summit, and Pleasant Grove tournaments, as well as winning the Rocky Mountain Rumble.  For the 2003–2004 season, Watts was named a Junior Wrestler of the Year for Utah by Wrestling USA Magazine.

Of Thompson, he said, "This is Thompson's year to shine.  He's been overlooked in some corners in the past, but this year promises to make his mark in a big way.  His only losses last season were at 145 pounds at the Reno Tournament of Champions.  By season end last year, he was ranked the no. 10 junior at his weight in the nation.  He has a very exciting athletic style, fun to watch, and will be turning heads as he's knocking them."

Thompson is a two-time high school state champion, took a 5th-place bronze at state as a freshman, placed at the Reno Tournament of Champions twice, and was a Tulsa National Champion.

Of Norton, Kilpack said, "Norton definitely deserves to be on the list of the best in Utah, as well as the nation.  He's an extremely athletic 275-pounder with skills.  He just keeps coming, eating away at his opponents until an opening presents itself, and he executes.  It led to a national junior ranking of no. 4 by season end, and it was well deserved.  Very impressive."

Norton is a two-time high school state champion, a three-time All-American, a two-time placer at the Reno Tournament of Champions (4th and 7th), and took a 3rd-place bronze at state as a freshman.

The preseason picks for Junior Wrestlers of the Year are Jake Swensen of North Sanpete High School (130), Talan Knox of Brighton High School (152) and Nathaniel Holt of Provo High School (135).  Kilpack said, "Swensen is the real deal.  He's powerful and skilled.  It's not often that you can cite a freshman state champion, even more rare when it was done outside the bottom two weight classes.  He continued to be a dominant force in the 125-pound weight class, regardless of the state division he competes against, as illustrated by his second State Championship."

Swensen is a two-time high school state champion and was named Outstanding Wrestler at the state tournament in 2003, as well as being named the Freshman of the Year by the Utah Wrestling Coaches Association that same year.  In 2003, he was the USA Wrestling Cadet Greco-Roman National Champion; in 2001, USA Wrestling National Champion in Freestyle, Greco-Roman and Folkstyle (Triple Crown Winner); in 2000, he was the USA Wrestling National Champion in Folkstyle (Trinity Winner); and in 1999, he was the USA Wrestling National Champion in Greco-Roman.  For the 2003–2004 season, he was named a Sophomore Wrestler of the Year for Utah by Wrestling USA Magazine.

Of Knox, he said, "I've watched Knox develop from elementary school.  He's got a work ethic that's rare; he really understands the sport and he loves it.  It's obvious when you watch him wrestle.  Taking second in state as a freshman in a tough weight class is nothing to sneeze at, either.  He is continuing to knock heads and take home top places, such as a silver medal at the Layton Invitational (at 145 lbs.) and taking state as a sophomore.  At the USA Wrestling Cadet National Duals he went undefeated in Greco-Roman and lost one decision in freestyle, while taking a silver medal at the USA Wrestling Cadet National Championships with a one-point loss in overtime."

Knox took state last year and took second in state as a freshman.  In 2002, he was the USA Wrestling National Champion in Greco-Roman, is a three-time USA Wrestling Western Regionals Greco-Roman Champion, a two-time USA Wrestling Western Regionals Freestyle Champion, a four-time USA Wrestling Freestyle state champion, a three-time USA Wrestling Greco-Roman state champion, and a seven-time USA Wrestling All-American.  In 2004, he was the High School Region 2 Champion; in 2003, he was the Kids Freestyle World Cup Champion (Boise, ID).  For the 2003–2004 season, he was named a Sophomore Wrestler of the Year for Utah by Wrestling USA Magazine.

Of Holt, he said, "I've watched Holt for a some time now and, in the last year or so in particular, he has really developed into a fine wrestler.  He's skilled, he's fast, he's powerful.  But what really impressed me was when he didn't leave anything on the mat when he fell short in the bronze-medal match at the Reno World Championships last April.  I'm sure this is just one of many great things ahead of him, because he's a gifted wrestler.  The strong turnout at Reno was only one of his glowing performances supporting the expectations being laid by his national sophomore ranking last season, including a second-place finish at the high school state championships, losing to senior powerhouse McKay Sanderson."

Holt is a one-time high school state silver medalist and a USA Wrestling Cadet All-American.  In 2004, he was the 4A Duals Champion and won the Bear River Tournament; took silvers at the Rocky Mountain Nationals in both Freestyle and Greco-Roman, and took 4th at the Reno World Championships in folkstyle.  In 2003, he was the USA Wrestling Utah State Champion in freestyle and Greco-Roman, took silver at the USA Wrestling Western Regionals in freestyle and finished 6th at the USA Wrestling Cadet Nationals in freestyle.  For the 2003–2004 season, he was named a Wrestler to Watch for Utah by Wrestling USA Magazine.

The preseason picks for Sophomore Wrestlers of the Year are Shay Warren of Weber High School, Sean Porter of Davis High School and Shaun Holt of Enterprise High School.  Kilpack said, "Warren was very impressive his freshman year.  He won the 5A title at 103 pounds, recovering from a loss to Caleb Isom of Layton in the Region 1 finals.  And when he recovers, he recovers strong — he pinned Isom in the second round of the finals for the 5A title."

Warren took state as a freshman, is a six-time USA Wrestling Utah freestyle state champion (1999–2004), a four-time USA Wrestling Utah Greco-Roman state champion (2000–2001, 2003–2004), a two-time USA Wrestling Utah Greco-Roman state silver medalist (1999, 2002), a 2004 USA Wrestling Western Regional Champion in freestyle, a 2004 USA Wrestling Western Regional silver medalist in Greco-Roman and a silver medalist at the Rocky Mountain Nationals.  In 2004, he won the Richardson Memorial and Evanston Tournaments.  In 2003, he took 3rd at the USA Wrestling Western Regionals in freestyle, and a three-time silver medalist at the Reno World Championships in 2003, 2002, 2000.  In 2002, he took a bronze at the Tulsa Nationals, and a silver at the Mile High Tournament of Champions.  In 2001, he was the Rocky Mountain Nationals Champion.  In 2000, he was the USA Wrestling Western Regional Silver medalist in freestyle, and took 3rd in freestyle at the USA Wrestling Western Regional in 1998.  He was a four-time junior high state champion.

Of Porter, he said, "Porter landed the 5A State Championship outside the lower weights.  He improved steadily over the year, He was named Outstanding Lower Weight Wrestler for 5A last season, beating two top-ranked wrestlers to do it (Kalen Wilson, 2nd in state the year previous, and Evan Woody, 3rd in state the year previous).  He traveled back to Lincoln, Neb., this past spring to compete in the National High School Coaches Association National State Duals, and finished with an impressive record of 2-1.  Like Holt, Porter could also be added to that oh-so-short list of four-time state champion."

Of Holt, he said, "He's taking down the wins and bringing home medals.  It says a lot when a freshman takes state, regardless of the class, and it came as no surprise.  He was ranked no. 1 from the first state ranking this season.  And he recovered from a 2nd-place finish in Region 13 to win that state title, to boot!  This could be the next four-time state champion."

The preseason picks for Freshman Wrestlers of the Year are Jason Chamberlain of Springville High School, Matt Brown of Cyprus High School and Ky Lucero of Jordan High School.  Kilpack said, "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, and has an interscholastic record that would make anyone envious, and is a National Champion to boot."

Chamberlain was the 2004 USA Wrestling National Champion in Greco-Roman and silver medalist in freestyle.  He was a two-time USA Wrestling Western Regional Champion in Greco-Roman (2003–2004), and a three-time USA Wrestling Western Regional Champion in freestyle (2002–2004).

Of Brown, he said, "Brown is a skilled technician with power.  He keeps his head even in the most wild situations.  In his championship match at Western Regionals last summer, he had to maintain his composure as the match ended in overtime, then was restarted three times, as the sudden-death score was overruled.  That's tough on anyone, let alone a 14-year-old.  He finished with championship titles in both freestyle and Greco-Roman at Western Regionals, then went on to capture a USA Wrestling Kids National Title in freestyle back in Wisconsin, as well as an All-American finish in Greco-Roman.  This one's set for a great freshman year."

Brown was the 2004 USA Wrestling Kids National Champion in freestyle and took 5th in freestyle; and the 2004 USA Wrestling Western Regional Champion in both freestyle and Greco-Roman.

Of Lucero, he said, "I've watched and coached Ky since he first started wrestling in 2002.  He came out, no experience, but had a natural feel for the sport.  No doubt, it's genetic, being the son of a pretty amazing Utah wrestler.  Ky was as diligent a student as I've ever seen, drinking in technique, absorbing it like a sponge, and applying it immediately.  This yeoman-like attitude for learning led to state championships in Greco-Roman and freestyle as a first-year wrestler.  He followed that with a silver medal at Junior High State in 2003, then double championships in freestyle and Greco for the second year.  In 2004, he was crowned champion at Junior High State, and racked up his third straight season as a double medalist the USA Wrestling Utah State Championships.  Ky is as exciting a freshman wrestler as I can remember."

Lucero was a 2004 junior high school state champion, a three-time USA Wrestling Utah freestyle state champion (2002–2004), a three-time USA Wrestling Utah Greco-Roman state champion (2002–2004), and a 2003 junior high school state silver medalist.

For more information about wresting in Utah, go to UtahWrestling.org or call (801) 641-9832.