Davis' Porter and Wasatch's Smith Top Utahns in National Preseason Junior Rankings

Wrestling USA Magazine's national ranking of high-school junior wrestlers included 14 Utahns, topped by Sean Porter (130 lbs.) of Davis High School and Casey Smith (112 lbs.) of Wasatch High School, both ranked no. 16.

Some of Porter's notable accomplishments include winning two high-school state championships, rounding out his sophomore season with an impressive record of 43-3.  In 2005, he was a selection for the Utah Amateur Wrestling Foundation All-Star Dual, where he lost a tight 5-4 decision to Jake Swensen of North Sanpete (2005 preseason pick for Utah All-Division Wrestler of the Year).  He also won the Rocky Mountain Rumble and the Viewmont Invitational.  As a freshman in 2004, Porter landed the 5A State Championship outside the lower weights and was named Outstanding Lower Weight Wrestler for 5A in 2004, 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).  That summer, 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.  In 2004, he was the Utah Wrestling Coaches Association pick for Freshman Wrestler of the Year; and in 2005, he was selected by the Bill Kilpack, Utah Editor of Wrestling USA Magazine, as a Utah Sophomore Wrestler of the Year.  Porter could also be added to that oh-so-short list of four-time state champions. 

Some of Smith's notable exploits include taking second in state in high school in 2004 and 2005.  In 2005, he lost to Levi Mele of Uintah in a tough 3-1 decision, wrapping up his sophomore season with a record of 36-9, a 3rd-place finish at the Brute Nationals, 2nd at the multistate Tiger-Grizzly Invitational, won the Layton Invitational, and finished 5th at the very tough Reno Tournament of Champions.  In 2004, he lost to that same Mele in the championship match after beating Mele the week before to win the Region 10 championship. Smith gnawed out an excellent 38-3 record as a freshman, then followed it with some very strong performances this summer in freestyle and Greco-Roman, finishing out the USA Wrestling Cadet National Duals at 5-2 in both styles in Greeley, Colo., followed by a 5th-place freestyle finish at USA Wrestling Cadet Nationals in Fargo.  He was selected by the Wrestling USA Magazine Utah Editor as a Utah Wrestler to Watch in 2004.

The list was compiled by Dan Fickel, National Editor for the magazine, based on six criteria: 1) accomplishments at state high-school championships (folkstyle); 2) National Junior freestyle and Greco-Roman success; 3) Cadet National freestyle and Greco-Roman success; 4) performance at prestigious high-school tournaments; 5) information from coaches and parents; and 6) the state from which the nominee hails.

Fourteen Utah wrestlers appeared in the rankings in eight of the 14 weight divisions.  This is up from the eight Utah juniors who were ranked preseason last year.

Other standouts include Shay Warren of Weber, who was ranked no. 18 at 112 lbs.; Wade Eldredge of Monticello, no. 18 at 145 lbs.; Riley Yeats of Box Elder, no. 27 at 130 lbs.; and Mitch Sanderson of Pleasant Grove, no. 28 at 160 lbs.  Receiving Special Mention were Kolby Bradley of Springville, 103 lbs.; Colton Miles of Altamont, 103 lbs.; Bo Beckman of Timpanogos, 112 lbs.; Shaun Holt of Enterprise, 112 lbs.; Shayne Bonner of Wasatch, 125 lbs.; Glenn Woods of Duchesne, 145 lbs.; Jaden Briskey of Weber, 275 lbs.; and Eric Wells of Wayne, 275 lbs.

Of all the high schools represented by wrestlers in the national rankings, Wasatch and Weber both had two listed.  Altamont, Box Elder, Davis, Duchesne, Enterprise, Monticello, Pleasant Grove, Springville, Timpanogos and Wayne each had one listed.

WrestlingUSA Magazine has been the voice of national high school wrestling since 1965. For more information, see www.wrestlingusa.com.

Kilpack is editor of UtahWrestling.org, an AAU national champion and seven-time national silver medalist, a 15-time AAU/USA Wrestling All-American, and earned an alternate position on the U.S. Pan-Am Team in Greco-Roman. He coaches an independent freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling program through Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation, Mountain Top Wrestling Club.