Utah Wrestlers Seize Five Triple Championships, 32 National Titles, 79 All-American Finishes at AAU Grand Nationals

Utah wrestlers earned four triple national titles, 32 national championships, 79 All-American honors and the third-place team trophy overall at the AAU Grand Nationals in freestyle, Greco-Roman and folkstyle wrestling held at the Douglas County Event Center in Castle Rock, Colo., July 10–12, 2008.  Ranging in age from 7 to 23, these athletes clearly showed the high level of wrestling in Utah.

The five Utah athletes to win triple national championships were 12-year-old Caleb Williams of Wellington, 13-year-old William Kilpack of Sandy, 13-year-old Grant LaMont of Mapleton, 21-year-old Flint Ray of and 9-year-old Siondileigh Kilpack of Sandy in the Women's Division.  Each won a national title in all three styles.

Williams wrestled Novice (ages 11 and 12) 65 lbs.  He went undefeated in all three tournaments, allowing only one point to be scored against him. A week earlier, Williams won USA Wrestling national titles in both freestyle and Greco-Roman at the USA Wrestling Kids Nationals held in Orem, Uta.  He will be starting the seventh grade this fall.

Kilpack wrestled Schoolboy (ages 13 and 14) 120 lbs.  He pinned every opponent in all three styles, and only allowed two points to be scored against him in freestyle.  In April of this year, Kilpack won the title at the Reno World Championships and was the first Utah wrestler to receive Outstanding Wrestler honors at that tournament.  He will be starting the eighth grade this fall.

LaMont wrestled Schoolboy 95 lbs.  He pinned every opponent in both freestyle and Greco-Roman, and pinned all but one in folkstyle, without allowing a single point to be scored against him in any of the three tournaments.  The previous week, LaMont finished third in both freestyle and Greco-Roman at the USA Wrestling Kids Nationals.  He will be starting the eighth grade this fall.

Ray wrestled Senior (ages 18 and older) 140 lbs.  He is a redshirt freshman at Utah Valley University (he was a standout wrestler at Roy High School), and this was his first tournament following a knee injury last college season.  Nobody scored on him in any of the three styles, and he wrestled a former member of the Japanese National Team in the finals in all three tournaments (he has been in the United States for about six weeks). 

Winning triple honors in the Women's Division was Kilpack's sister, 9-year-old Siondileigh, in Division I.  She received All-American honors in the boys division in all three styles, as well.  She will be starting the fourth grade this fall.

Winning two national titles were six Utah athletes: Ryan Hansen of Helper, Midget (ages 9 and 10) 60 lbs.; Taylor LaMont of Mapleton, Midget 65 lbs.; Josh Searle of Spanish Fork, Schoolboy 105 lbs.; Jesse Carlisle of Springville, Schoolboy 115 lbs.; David Sorenson of Spanish Fork, Elite (ages 17 and 18) 152 lbs.; and MacKelti Kilpack of Sandy, Women's Division II.

Hansen won national titles in both freestyle and Greco-Roman, and finished with third-place honors in folkstyle.  LaMont earned titles in both freestyle and Greco-Roman, and earned runner-up honors in folkstyle.  Searle won titles in freestyle and Greco-Roman, and finished third in folkstyle.  Carlisle won gold in Greco-Roman and folkstyle, and finished second in freestyle.  Sorenson finished first in freestyle and folkstyle, and second in Greco-Roman.  Kilpack finished first in Greco-Roman and folkstyle, and finished second in freestyle (she earned All-American honors in the boys division, as well).

Winning single national titles were five Utah wrestlers: Cameron Killian of Springville, Novice 75 lbs.; Logan Kinross of Springville, Schoolboy 110 lbs.; Mitch Kay of Spanish Fork, Cadet (ages 15 and 16) 103 lbs.; Kaleb Ashworth of Spanish Fork, Cadet 140 lbs., and Monte Schmalhaus of Tooele, Elite 171 lbs.

Killian took a gold medal in Greco-Roman, then finished third in freestyle and sixth in folkstyle after suffering a shoulder injury.  Kinross won the title in folkstyle, and finished fourth in freestyle and third in Greco-Roman.  Kay won the title in Greco-Roman, then finished fourth in freestyle and third in folkstyle.  Ashworth won the title in freestyle, and finished with runner-up honors in both Greco-Roman and folkstyle.  Schmalhaus won the title in Greco-Roman and earned runner-up honors in freestyle and folkstyle.

Other AAU All-Americans from Utah in all three styles are as follows:

• Bantam Division (ages 7 and 8)

  • 50 lbs., 5th in Greco-Roman, 6th in freestyle and folkstyle, Garrick Kilpack of Sandy

• Midget Division

  • 60 lbs., 4th place in both Greco-Roman and freestyle, 7th place in folkstyle, Siondileigh Kilpack

• Novice Division

  • 75 lbs., 2nd place in Greco-Roman, 3rd in folkstyle, 6th in freestyle, Trevor Kinross of Springville

  • 85 lbs., 3rd place in folkstyle, 4th place in both freestyle and Greco-Roman, Johnny O'Hearon of Price

  • 85 lbs., 4th place in all three styles, MacKelti Kilpack

  • 95 lbs., 2nd place in both freestyle and folkstyle, 3rd place in Greco-Roman, Kimball Bastian of Springville

• Schoolboy Division (ages 13 and 14)

  • 105 lbs., 3rd place in freestyle, 4th in Greco-Roman, 8th in folkstyle, Colton Killian of Springville

• Cadet Division (ages 15 and 16)

  • 125 lbs., 2nd place in Greco-Roman, 5th in folkstyle, 8th in freestyle, Deric Searle of Fillmore

  • 125 lbs, 4th place in all three styles, Corrick  Knight of Providence

• Elite Division (ages 17 and 18)

  • 125 lbs., 2nd place in freestyle, 3rd place in both Greco-Roman and folkstyle, Kamron Day of Fillmore

Also earning All-American honors was Cole Sorenson of Hyrum, 4th place in Greco-Roman, Cadet 125 lbs., before having to withdraw with an injury.

Bill Kilpack, Director of AAU Wrestling Utah, said, "Utah was very well represented by the athletes who participated in AAU Grand Nationals.  People tell me that Utah is getting a real reputation for being a tough wrestling state, making opponents dread even walking out on the mat with us.  That's pretty exciting."