Wrestling USA Magazine, Preseason Picks Utah Wrestlers of the Year

Outstanding Senior Wrestlers for 2006–2007
 

Sean Porter
Davis High School, 140 lbs.
GPA: 3.734

School Classification: 5A (2,470 enrolled)

In 2006, Porter  won his third state title in a tough weight, rounding out his season with an impressive record of 37-5.  In 2005 and 2006, he was a selection for the Utah Amateur Wrestling Foundation All-Star Dual.  He has 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., 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.  Porter will be one of the next additions to that oh-so-short list of four-time state champions. 

2006 State Champion (140 lbs.), 2005 State Champion (130 lbs.), 2004 State Champion (125 lbs). 

Interscholastic Record Career Record: 78-12 with 37 pins.  2005–2006 Record: 37-5.  2004–2005 Record:  43-3.  2003–2005 Record: 35-9.  Freestyle Record: 20-3.

Following is a summary of Sean's wrestling career so far: 

• Three-Time High School State Champion

• 2005 Champion, Viewmont Invitational

• 2005 Champion, Rocky Mountain Rumble

• 2005 Champion, Turkey Dart Invitational

• 2005 2nd Place, Layton Invitational

• 2005 2nd Place, Richardson Memorial

• 2004 Champion, Rocky Mountain Rumble

• 2004 3rd Place, Rocky Mountain Nationals

• 2003 Freshman Wrestler of the Year, Utah Wrestling Coaches Association

• 2003 Champion, USA Wrestling Utah State Championships, freestyle

• 2002 Champion, USA Wrestling Utah State Championships, freestyle

• 2001 Champion, USA Wrestling Utah State Championships, freestyle

• 2001 5th Place, USA Wrestling Western Regional Championships, freestyle

Wrestling USA Magazine Picks

• Nationally Ranked Utahn in National Senior Rankings (140 lbs.): No. 18

• Nationally Ranked Utahn in National All Divisions Rankings (140 lbs.): No. 30

Mike Baker
Northridge High School, 215 lbs.
GPA: 3.6

School Classification: 5A (2,100 enrolled)
 

Last season was a marquee year for Mike, going 40-3 but, most of all, taking down the heavily favored Jordan Lundstrom from Jordan in the state finals with a decisive 11-5 victory after pinning a very tough David Williams from Copper Hills in the semis.  In 2004, he finished fourth behind Lundstrom, and two more powerful big men, Josh Skoglie from Weber and the champion Robert Takeno from Hillcrest.  He is a tough character and a serious finisher.  I have no doubt that he will crown his senior year with a second state title.

2005 State Champion (215 lbs.), 2004 4th in State (215 lbs). 

Interscholastic Career Record: 67-16 with 49 pins.  2005–2006 Record:  40-3. 

Following is a summary of Mike's wrestling career so far: 

• 2005 High School State Champion

• 2005 Champion, Region I

• 2004 4th Place, High School State Championships

• 2005 Silver Medalist, Rocky Mountain Rumble

• 2005 Champion, Excalibur Duals

Wrestling USA Magazine Picks

• Nationally Ranked Utahn in National Senior Rankings (215 lbs.): Special Mention

Wade Eldredge
Millard High School, 171 lbs.
GPA: 3.2

School Classification: 2A (150 Enrolled)
 

Eldredge had a dominant junior year, pinning every opponent at the state tournament and finishing with an outstanding record of 47-4.  This is his second year pinning or teching everyone who walks out on the mat with him at state.  This kid is something else.   He'll take on anyone who walks in front of him and not bat an eye.  Last year, he finished fifth at the Rocky Mountain Rumble, but that was a tough weight, with the likes of Drew McCarty of Davis finishing behind him and the phenom Talan Knox of Brighton winning it.  He wrestled in the 2006 Utah Amateur Wrestling Association All-Star Dual against that same Knox, losing an 8-3 decision.  This kid is a shoe-in to pick up his third state title.

2006 State Champion (160 lbs.), 2005 State Champion (130 lbs.),  2004 2nd in State as a Freshman (130 lbs.). 

Interscholastic Career Record: 125-9.  2005–2006 Record: 47-4.  2004–2005 Record: 43-0.  2003–2004 Record: 35-5.

Following is a summary of Wade's wrestling career so far:

• Two-Time High School State Champion

• 2004 2nd Place, High School State Championships as a Freshman

• Three-Time Region Champion

• 2006 5th Place, Rocky Mountain Rumble

• 2004 3rd Place, Rocky Mountain Nationals

• 2003 Junior High School State Champion

• 2003 Outstanding Wrestler, Junior High State Championships

• 2003 Utah Summer Games Champion

• 2002 2nd Place, Rocky Mountain Nationals

Wrestling USA Magazine Preseason Picks

• Nationally Ranked Utahn in National Senior Rankings (160 lbs.): Special Mention

Casey Smith
Wasatch High School, 135 lbs.
GPA: 3.86

School Classification: 3A (900 Enrolled)

Smith's first three years of high school have only been blemished by spending three years butting heads with Levi Mele of Uintah.  He is a tough, tough competitor, making it to the finals to fall short of Mele all three years.  Talk about a bummer! As a freshman, he beat Mele for the Region X title, then lost to him in the rematch at state, and it was all Mele from then on. In 2006, he worked over a very tough Matt McDonald from Pine View to make it to the finals, where he fell short for a third time against Mele.  He was the runner-up at the Layton Invitational in 2005, losing to phenom Jason Chamberlain of Springville in the finals, while placing ahead of studs like Spencer Smoot of Viewmont, Blake Mangum of Lone Peak, Josh Baker of Davis and Jesse Clark of Bingham.  Also last year, Smith finished third at the Reno Tournament of Champions.  As a sophomore, he took 4th at the incredibly tough Reno Tournament of Champions, and 2nd at the Tiger-Grizzly Invitational, where he lost in the championships to fellow Utahn and fellow stud Shay Warren of Weber.  Smith gnawed out an excellent 34-8 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'll get that elusive state title this year, and I have no doubt a good spot in a college wrestling team after.

2006 2nd in State (125 lbs.), 2005 2nd in State (112 lbs.), 2004 2nd in State as a Freshman (103 lbs.)

High School Career Record: 105-26.  2005–2006 Record: 35-9.  2004–2005 Record: 36-9.  2003–2004 Record: 34-8.

Following is a summary of Casey's wrestling career so far:

• Three-Time High School State Silver Medalist

• 2006 3rd Place, Reno Tournament of Champions

• 2005 3rd Place, Tiger-Grizzly Invitational

• 2005 2nd Place, Layton Invitational

• 2005 2nd Place, Tiger-Grizzly Invitational

• 2005 4th Place, Reno Tournament of Champions

• 2005 5th Place, BRUTE-adidas Nationals (Lincoln, Neb.)

• 2004 Region X Champion

• 2004 Champion, Layton Invitational

• 2004 3rd Place, Rocky Mountain Nationals

• 2004 5th Place, USA Wrestling Cadet Nationals, Greco-Roman (Fargo, ND)

• 2003 Junior High School State Champion

• 2003 Outstanding Wrestler, Junior High State Championships

• 2003 Utah Summer Games Champion

• 2002 2nd Place, Rocky Mountain Nationals

Wrestling USA Magazine Preseason Picks

• Nationally Ranked Utahn in National Senior Rankings (125 lbs.): No. 23

Casey is an athlete-scholar, also taking part in FBLA and the Ambassadors Club.
 

Glenn Woods
Duchesne High School, 189 lbs.
GPA: 2.8

School Classification: 1A (200 Enrolled)

Woods is a two-time State Champion in high school and was runner-up as a freshman.  He is a two-time Region Champion and has placed in the top three at every tournament he has participated in since the beginning of his sophomore year.  This kid is a consistent performer.  This past season, he demolished his opponents at state, pinning or teching everyone who stepped out on the mat with him, including his championship match against Brinkerhoff of Altamont, who had pinned each of his opponents to make it to the finals.  .  but don't hold that against him — his state tournament in 2005 consisted of a 3 minutes and 32 seconds of wrestling, because he pinned every poor schmuck who walked out on the mat with him.  He's gotten the attention of the national wrestling media, and it's well deserved.  His junior year promises to continue to turn heads.

2005 State Champion (171 lbs.), 2004 State Champion (145 lbs.), 2003 2nd in State as a Freshman

High School Career Record: 84-15 with 29 Pins.  2005-2006 Record: 28-5. 

Following is a summary of Glenn's wrestling career so far:

• Two-Time High School State Champion

• 2003 High School State Silver Medalist as a Freshman

• Two-Time High School Region Champion

• Two-Time Junior High State Placer

• Special Mention in the Year-End National Rankings, Wrestling USA Magazine

Kolby Bradley
Springville High School, 119 lbs.
GPA: 3.9

School Classification: 4A (900 Enrolled)

Bradley took his second state title in dominant fashion, pinning every opponent till the finals, where he beat Matt Spencer of Lehi 12-1.  At the Utah Amateur Wrestling Association All-Star Dual, he pinned Delta's Jared Shepherd.  He won the Layton Invitational in 2005, beating Viewmont's Taira Abe in the finals, and placing ahead of Brighton's Jaes Jones, West Jordan's Nicko Paraso, and Snow Canyon's Marty Rubalcaba.  Bradley is tough with a capital T.  When he took state in 2005, it was also dominant, winning his match in the finals with a 9-2 decision over Logan Wilson.  He's was a very powerful 103-pounder, reminding me a bit of Michael Watts of Riverton when he was that size.  He's filling his résumé with championships, including a Region VI title, and the tough Layton Invitational.  He's starting to get some attention from the national wrestling media, and will undoubtedly get his third state title.

2006 State Champion (112 lbs.), 2005 State Champion (103 lbs.), 2004 4th in State (103 lbs.)

High School Career Record: 109-14.  2005–2006 Record: 47-3.  2004–2005 Record: 35-2.  2003–2004 Record: 27-9.

Following is a summary of Kolby's wrestling career so far:

• Two-Time High School State Champion

• 2006 Champion, Rocky Mountain Rumble

• 2006 8th Place, Reno Tournament of Champions

• 2005 Champion, Region VI

• 2005 Champion, Layton Invitational

• 2005 Champion, Clash of the Titans

• 2005 Champion, Bruin Classic

• 2005 2nd Place, Rocky Mountain Rumble

• 2004 4th Place, High School State Championships

Wrestling USA Magazine Preseason Picks

• Nationally Ranked Utahn in National Senior Rankings (112 lbs.): Special Mention

Riley Yeates
Box Elder High School, 171 lbs.
GPA: 3.89

School Classification: 4A (1,380 Enrolled)

2006 State Champion (152 lbs.), 2005 3rd in State (135 lbs.), 2004 3rd in State (112 lbs.)

High School Career Record: 130-17.  2005–2006 Record: 39-4.

Following is a summary of Riley's wrestling career so far:

• One-Time High School State Champion

• 2005 3rd Place, High School State Championships

• 2004 3rd Place, High School State Championships

• Three-Time Region Champion

• 2006 2nd Place, Viewmont Invitiational

• 2006 2nd Place, Tiger-Grizzly Invitational

• 2005 Wrestling USA Magazine Utah Wrestler to Watch

• 2005 3rd Place, Tiger-Grizzly Invitational

• 2005 2nd Place, Layton Invitational

• 2004 3rd Place, Layton Invitational

• 2004 2nd Place, Viewmont Invitiational

• 2004 2nd Place, Richardson Memorial

• 2004 6th Place, Tiger-Grizzly Invitational

• 2003 USA Wrestling Western Regional Champion in freestyle

• 2003 3rd Place, USA Wrestling Western Regional Championships in Greco-Roman

• 2005 Outstanding Sophomore Wrestler, Box Elder High School

• 2004 Outstanding Freshman Wrestler, Box Elder High School

• Two-Time Junior High State Champion

Wrestling USA Magazine Preseason Picks

• Nationally Ranked Utah Junior in National Senior Rankings (160 lbs.): Special Mention

UtahWrestling.org 2004 Freestyle/Greco-Roman Ranking

• 12th Cadet Division