Twenty-Five Utah Wrestlers Place at Rocky Mountain Nationals; Four Bring Home Titles

Twenty-five wrestlers from Utah placed at the prestigious Rocky Mountain Nationals folkstyle wrestling tournament held recently in Denver, Colo.  Of those 25, four brought home championship trophies: Kamas' Jeff McCormick, Springville's Jason Chamberlain, Midway's Jacob Salazar, and Wasatch High School's new wrestling coach, Ben VomBaur.

"This was a very competitive tournament," said Bill Kilpack, Utah Editor for Wrestling USA Magazine and American Adrenaline Magazine.  "One of the biggest folkstyle tournaments in the country, and Utah came home with honors in 23 divisions.  It says a lot for the high level of wrestling in Utah."

McCormick won the title for the 10 and Under age division, at 69 lbs.  He won his championship match by decision, with a score of 8-4, against Lawrence Otero of Albuquerque, NM.  This followed pinning all opponents to reach the finals.  McCormick wrestles with South Summit Wrestling Club.

Springville's Jason Chamberlain won the title for the 15 and Under age division, at 116 lbs.  He won his championship match by major decision, with a score of 9-1, against Richard Apodaca of Denver.  Chamberlain also wowed wrestling fans this year by taking a 4A state championship in dominating fashion as a freshman at Springville High School.

Salazar of Midway won gold for the 15 and Under age division, at 137 lbs.  He won his championship match in a tight decision, with a score of 2-1, against Ryan Buck of Fort Morgan, Colo.  Salazar also had an impressive winter wrestling season, taking second at the 3A state championships as a freshman wrestling for Wasatch High School.

Ben VomBaur, the new coach for Wasatch High School, put on a very impressive display at the tournament.  He won his championship match by technical fall, with a score of 19-4 against Bradford Hunt of Oakley, Calif.  He proved that, not only can he coach, but he's still got what it takes to go out on the mat competitively.

Winning second-place trophies from Utah were two athletes: Caleb Williams of Price, UT, and Jonsen Crandall of Oakley, UT.  Williams took runner-up honors in the 8 and Under age division, at 50 lbs.  He wrestlers for the Carbon Raptors.  Crandall took second in the 15 and Under division, 81 lbs.  Crandall wrestles for South Summit.

Four Utahns took third-place trophies: Connor Prescott of Kamas, 12 and Under 66 lbs.; Phillip Rutledge of Providence, UT, 18 and Under 171 lbs.; Trevor Clegg of Kamas, 18 and Under 215 lbs.; and Cade Christensen of Vernal, UT, Open 133 lbs.

Taking fourth-place bronze medals were four Utahns: Tyler Sabey of Wallsburg, UT, 8 and Under 78 lbs.; Shay McCurdy of Vernal, UT, 10 and Under 85 lbs.; Kaleb Moritz of Heber City, UT, 12 and Under 146 lbs.; and Colby Christensen of Vernal, 15 and Under 74 lbs.

Earning fifth-place bronze medals were five Utah athletes: Riley Tatum of West Jordan, UT, 6 and Under 43 lbs.; Connor Crandall of Oakley, UT, 10 and Under 73 lbs.; Brandon Woolstenhume of Oakley, UT, 12 and Under 62 lbs.; Phillip Sorensen of Spanish Fork, UT, 12 and Under 130 lbs.; and Ethen Lofthouse of College Ward, UT, 15 and Under 123 lbs.

Winning sixth-place bronze were six Utahns: Parker Kay of Spanish Fork, UT, 6 and Under 52 lbs.; Kyler Key of Elmo, UT, 6 and Under 68 lbs.; Tanner Merkley of Vernal, UT, 10 and Under 65 lbs.; Branson Ashworth of Spanish Fork, UT, 10 and Under 69 lbs.; Teddy Hackford of Heber City, UT, 10 and Under 77 lbs.; and Bracken Nipko of Pleasant View, UT, 15 and Under 88 lbs.

Wrestling USA Magazine has been the voice of national high school wrestling since 1965. For more information, see www.wrestlingusa.com. American Adrenaline Magazine started in 2004, and is dedicated to becoming the national voice of youth wrestling. For more information, see www.americanadrenaline.com.

Kilpack is editor of UtahWrestling.org, a past AAU national champion, a seven-time national silver medalist, an AAU All-American, and earned an alternate position on the U.S. Pan-Am Team in Greco-Roman. He is Utah Editor for both Wrestling USA Magazine and American Adrenaline Magazine. He coaches an independent freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling program through Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation, Mountain Top Wrestling Club.