Wasatch's Salazar Ranked No. 1 in National Preseason Sophomore/Freshman Rankings

Wrestling USA Magazine published a national ranking of high-school sophomore and freshman wrestlers in the most recent issue of their magazine.  Top ranked of the 11 Utahns on the list was sophomore Jacob Salazar of Wasatch High School, ranked no. 1 at 135 lbs. 

Salazar was about as exciting a freshman as there was last year.  He's won some prestigious championships, including the Rocky Mountain Nationals in Denver and the BRUTE-adidas Nationals in Lincoln.  Last summer, 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 2005, he was selected by the Bill Kilpack, Utah Editor of Wrestling USA Magazine, as a Utah Freshman Wrestler of the Year. 

Ranked no. 2 at 119 pounds was another Utah superstar, Jason Chamberlain of Springville High School.  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.  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.  He's got some impressive titles to his record, also: four Western Regional titles, and winning the Rocky Mountain Nationals in Denver.  He was also selected by the Wrestling USA Magazine Utah Editor as a Utah Freshman Wrestler of the Year in 2005.

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.

Eleven Utah wrestlers appeared in the rankings in eight of the 14 weight divisions.  This is up from the eight Utah sophomores and freshmen who were ranked preseason last year.

Other standouts include no. 8, 275 lbs., Matthew Fairbrother, Murray High School; no. 13, 140 lbs., Ethan Smith, Wasatch High School; no. 21, 125 lbs., Blake Mangum, Lone Peak High School; and no. 28, 140 lbs., Cole Shafer, Brighton High School.  Receiving Special Mention were 103 lbs., Jaes Jones, Brighton High School; 112 lbs., Matthew Brown, Cyprus High School; 112 lbs., Jonathan Gappmaier, Jordan High School; 125 lbs., Tag Miller, Payson High School; and 130 lbs., Quincy Thatcher, Millard High School

Of all the high schools represented by wrestlers in the national rankings, Wasatch and Brighton both had two listed.  Cyprus, Jordan, Lone Peak, Millard, Murray Payson and Springville 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.