Years of work paid off for the Juab Wasps as they took home a seventh consecutive state wrestling title from the 3A boys wrestling tournament at the Sevier Valley Center Thursday night.
“I’m just proud of the kids,” coach Joel Holman said. He was also named outstanding coach of the year in 3A. “We had good senior leadership. I know it may be cliché, but our leaders have been leaders for a few years now and we’re going to miss them.
“We had a lot of kids that placed in both our A team and our B team.”
Holman’s boys scored 219.5 points to clinch the team title, followed by Morgan with 198 and South Summit with 181.5.
With as many championships as Juab has, it’s building a dynasty in 3A wrestling.
“We have a lot of buy in,” Holman said. He credited good coaches in the community, who make developmental programs happen. It starts with a wrestling program in elementary and middle school, according to Holman.
“You don’t build a team without a program, and the program starts when they’re young,” Holman said. “We have little kids running around here with their white shirts on saying they are going to be here someday.
“I think the state high school wrestling tournament is the greatest event in high school sports. Wrestling teaches life lessons better than any sport out there. We tell kids we want them to do sports to make them better people by learning how to do hard things and be successful.”
Juab’s Chase Ingram accomplished one of his biggest high school goals as he secured his fourth individual state championship in a final bout against teammate Gavin Reynolds in the 150-pound division.
“If you’d told me my freshman year that I’d be a four-time state champ, I would havesaid, ‘You’re crazy,’” Ingram said. He said he set the goal of being a four-time champ when he was in the sixth grade.
“I’m so proud of him, he’s a hard worker,” Ingram said of Reynolds. “It’s so cool to have two Juab kids in the finals.”
Will Harmon also captured his fourth state championship, finishing his high school career against Union’s Dreagan Davis.
“I just had to do what I do best and it was going to happen,” Harmon said. “I’ve been a part of seven, six, five and four. We put it together every year. It’s the culture.”
For the past couple of years Logan Holdaway has made it into the finals for Juab, but the individual title he sought eluded him until this year. He pinned down his first individual title as a senior in a battle with Richfield’s Emery Thorson.
“I finally pulled it out this time,” Holdaway said. “It’s good to have the teammates I have. They always push me and tell me if I’m getting lazy.”
Juab’s Rowdy Peterson picked up his second state title in a major decision against Delta’s Kage Bunker.
“It was a good year,” Peterson said. “Everyone I gave a hug to helped me every day. We all push each other and the coaches push us. It’s a lot of hard working kids.”
Juab junior Hayden Park also secured the individual title at 138.
“All year we’ve been grinding to get here and accomplish good things for ourselves,” Park said. “It’s a great sport. I love it.”
Richfield’s Dayson Torgerson also secured his fourth individual state title, wrestling at 126 against Drew Korth of Morgan in a 10-3 decision.
3A boys state tournament
At Sevier Valley Center
Team scores
- Juab, 291.5
- Morgan, 198
- South Summit, 181.5
- Delta, 138
- Union, 121.5
- Emery, 110
- Richfield, 101.5
- Canyon View, 87.5
Individual results
106 pounds
- Monty Christiansen, Emery
- Krew King, North Sanpete
- Braxten Blackett, Juab
- Drake Johnson, Juab
- Durke Larsen, Manti
- Rylon Gary Teeples, South Summit
Championship — Monty Christiansen, Emery def. Krew King, North Sanpete, 6-3
113 pounds
- Bryce Pulver, South Summit
- Robert Meinhardt, Delta
- Landon Moralez, Grand County
- Luke Woolsey, Morgan
- Corbin Jensen, Emery
- Creed Butler, Delta
Championship — Bryce Pulver, South Summit def. Robert Meinhardt, Delta, fall 2:24
120 pounds
- Rowdey Peterson, Juab
- Kage Bunker, Delta
- Logan Eagar, Providence Hall
- Cody Dyches, North Sanpete
- Ryler Jorgensen, Morgan
- Derrick Birch, Emery
Championship — Rowdey Peterson, Juab def. Kage Bunker, Delta, 10-2
126 pounds
- Dayson Torgerson, Richfield
- Drew Korth, Morgan
- Merritt Meccariello, Emery
- Porter Anderson, Juab
- Kash Nelson, Delta
- Zane Winter, South Summit
Championship — Dayson Torgerson, Richfield def. Drew Korth, Morgan, 10-3
132 pounds
- Austin Paris, Grand County
- Andrew Fox, ALA
- Cooper Blackett, Juab
- Garrett Perry, Juab
- Trey Bradshaw, Delta
- Lane Peterson, Grand County
Championship — Austin Paris, Grand def. Andrew Fox, ALA, 4-2
138 pounds
- Hayden Park, Juab
- Nathan Nicoll, Canyon View
- Garrin Lord, Richfield
- Carson Nelson, Delta
- Gabriel Perry, Juab
- Jack Cavalieri, Canyon View
Championship — Hayden Park, Juab def. Nathan Nicoll, Canyon View, 4-0
144 pounds
- Tucker Roybal, Union
- Dax Johnson, Juab
- Benedict Holthaus, Juab
- Deegan Davies, Canyon View
- Jayson Rodriquez, South Summit
- Denver Cloward, Union
Championship — Tucker Roybal, Union def. Dax Johnson, Juab, 3-0
150 pounds
- Chase Ingram, Juab
- Gavin Reynolds, Juab
- Colin Fausett, Carbon
- Siaosi Taufatofua, Richfield
- Brack Winterton, Union
- Boden Christman, Emery
Championship — Chase Ingram, Juab def. Gavin Reynolds, Juab, 8-2
157 pounds
- Benjamin Smith, South Summit
- Zak Sargent, Morgan
- Preston Aagard, Juab
- Kelan Layton, Manti
- Dakota Lynn, Juab
- Henry Pulica, Canyon View
Championship — Benjamin Smith, South Summit def. Zak Sargent, Morgan, 6-4
165 pounds
- Riggin Boger, South Summit
- Taylor Newton, Juab
- Jed Chatwin, Union
- Brock Roley, Delta
- Karson Curtis, North Sanpete
- Breyer Wright, Juab
Championship — Riggin Boger, South Summit def. Taylor Newton, Juab, 10-4
175 pounds
- Will Harmon, Juab
- Deagan Davis, Union
- Ryker Woodward, South Summit
- Ethan Rainer, Grantsville
- Gregory Suwyn, Emery
- Lance Toone, Morgan
Championship — Will Harmon, Juab def. Deagan Davis, Union, 11-1
190 pounds
- Logan Holdaway, Juab
- Emery Thorson, Richfield
- Rylee Creasey, Morgan
- Braxten Shobe, Ogden
- Blake Carter, Delta
- Gavin Cardenas, Canyon View
Championship — Logan Holdaway, Juab def. Emery Thorson, Richfield, fall 4;52
215 pounds
- Dallin Sweat, Manti
- Aydon Thomson, Morgan
- Marc Richardson, Canyon View
- Larsen Dixon, Summit Academy
- Treyson Rich, Morgan
- Aiden Seely, Juab
Championship — Dallin Sweat, Manti def. Aydon Thomson, Morgan, fall 5:31
285 pounds
- Cole Keele, Morgan
- Trayun Boger, South Summit
- Ty Blackburn, Juab
- Easton Thornley, Emery
- Beachem Bosh, Grand County
- Aisea Hosea, Juab
Championship — Cole Keele, Morgan def. Trayun Boger, South Summit, fall 5:29
