High school boys wrestling: Pleasant Grove maintains its dynasty, wins 11th title in 12 years

The Nice Grove boys wrestling group pose with their trophy for profitable the 6A wrestling group championship at UCCU Enviornment in Orem, Utah on Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022.

Adam Fondren for the Deseret Information

After years of runaway victories on the state match for the Nice Grove wrestling program, it got here into Saturday’s championship spherical on the UCCU Heart feeling a bit extra strain than common.

The Vikings trailed Layton by two factors heading into the semifinals, however managed to hold a slim lead heading into the championship spherical.

Nice Grove junior Jacob Carson watched as Layton freshman Geronimo Rivera Jr. pinned defending state champion Tyler Vivanco for the 113 title simply earlier than his match, and understanding he confronted one other Lancer, Jace Lemons, in his 120-class championship match, Carson mentioned he started to really feel the strain of needing to carry out.

However Carson managed to calm his nerves and took care of enterprise shortly, pinning Lemons 55 seconds into the match to say his first ever particular person state title and clinch a fifth straight state championship for the Vikings.

Nice Grove completed with 216.5 factors, whereas Layton and Westlake rounded out the highest three with 207 and 165 factors, respectively.

“It feels so good proper now,” Carson mentioned after his match. “After two years of taking second (individually), I lastly locked it up and I simply can’t specific how that feels…I got here out and I pinned him and that simply locked us up a state title.”

Carson was the primary of two particular person winners for the Vikings, as senior Kort Wilkinson (285) capped off his profession along with his first state title.

Nice Grove had 4 wrestlers end in second place.

Feelings have been excessive after Wilkinson secured his title after he completed second in final yr’s match because the senior ran up into the stands to have a good time with a Nice Grove neighborhood he mentioned he devoted the win to.

“I’ve labored 13 years for that second, and it feels superior to lastly get it,” Wilkinson mentioned. “We had a few guys end not in addition to we thought they might, however we’re a championship-minded group and we took care of what we wanted to after we wanted to.

“It was superior to get the (particular person) win, and I really feel prefer it let me give again to the neighborhood a little bit bit.”

Wilkinson wasn’t the one senior who went out in type, as West senior Drew Lang (144) received his match in a 7-4 choice to complete his profession as a three-time state champion.

Lang mentioned he got here into the season understanding that he was going to win state, however that he wished to be dominant in doing so.

The senior got down to not permit anybody to attain a takedown towards him and succeeded. Lang additionally pinned or tagged all his matches this season aside from his championship match towards Riverton’s Kaden Olson.

After the match, Lang couldn’t assist however replicate upon all of the moments that led as much as the tip of what was a wonderful profession.

“Nobody aside from my mates, household and companions actually know what I’ve gone by to get right here,” Lang mentioned.

“It’s loopy the quantity of sacrifice, ache and loss it takes to get to some extent like this. It appears like all of the work I’ve put within the final 15 years has simply paid off, which is clearly such a satisfying feeling.”

Lang joined Nook Canyon’s Brigham Bagley (138), Skyridge’s Joshua Millward (150) and Westlake’s Brayden Robison (132) as champions who efficiently defended their titles.

Robison did have an in depth name in his match, as he and American Fork’s Dallan Hunsaker battled into double additional time with a view to decide a winner.

The Westlake sophomore managed to pin Hunsaker within the second additional time to say his second state title and hold his probabilities of a four-title profession alive.

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6A boys state match

At UVU

Staff scores

1. Nice Grove, 216.5

2. Layton, 207

3. Westlake, 165.5

4. Nook Canyon, 144

5. Fremont, 122

6. Mountain Ridge, 113

7. Syracuse, 104

8. Lone Peak, 95.5

Particular person outcomes

106 kilos

1. Layne Kleimann, Mountain Ridge

2. Korbin Chuchran, Westlake

3. Cole Fenwick, Layton

4. Erol Yellowhair, Skyridge

5. Hunter Sanchez, Mountain Ridge

6. Zack Anderson, Syracuse

Championship — Layne Kleimann, Mountain Ridge def. Korbin Chuchran, Westlake, Fall 5:41

113 kilos

1. Geronimo Rivera Jr., Layton

2. Tyler Vivanco, Nook Canyon

3. Hudson Palmer, Farmington

4. Teague Brown, Syracuse

5. Jason Worthley, Fremont

6. Wade Mecham, American Fork

Championship — Geronimo Rivera Jr., Layton def. Tyler Vivanco, Nook Canyon, Fall 1:41

120 kilos

1. Jacob Carson, Nice Grove

2. Jace Lemons, Layton

3. Jacob Waddoups, Davis

4. Gavyn Gappmayer, Nook Canyon

5. Isaac Worth, Copper Hills

6. Isaac Dickinson, Bingham

Championship — Jacob Carson, Nice Grove def. Jace Lemons, Layton, Fall 0:55

126 kilos

1. Kyison Garcia, Mountain Ridge

2. Israel Gonzalez, Nice Grove

3. Cal Christiansen, Fremont

4. Josh Fish, Westlake

5. Sutton Brown, Syracuse

6. Quinn Bedell, Nook Canyon

Championship — Kyison Garcia, Mountain Ridge def. Israel Gonzalez, Nice Grove, MD 11-3

132 kilos

1. Brayden Robison, Westlake

2. Dallan Hunsaker, American Fork

3. Ryker Brann, Layton

4. Alejandro Romero, Granger

5. Tucker Keller, Fremont

6. Payden Woolsey, Nook Canyon

Championship — Brayden Robison, Westlake def. Dallan Hunsaker, American Fork, Fall 7:23

138 kilos

1. Brigham Bagley, Nook Canyon

2. Koda DeAtley, Nice Grove

3. Bradlee Farrer, Nice Grove

4. Banks Love, Bingham

5. Logan Hancey, Fremont

6. Preston Stevens, Mountain Ridge

Championship — Brigham Bagley, Nook Canyon def. Koda DeAtley, Nice Grove, Dec 8-6

144 kilos

1. Drew Lang, West

2. Kaden Olson, Riverton

3. Max Benson, Nice Grove

4. Tucker Butler, Westlake

5. Jaxon Bearden, Mountain Ridge

6. Joshua Limb, Hunter

Championship — Drew Lang, West def. Kaden Olson, Riverton, Dec 7-4

150 kilos

1. Joshua Millward, Skyridge

2. Jace Brower, Westlake

3. Corbin Platt, Fremont

4. Andrew Crowther, Layton

5. Ty Carman, Herriman

6. Angel Granandos, Hunter

Championship — Joshua Millward, Skyridge def. Jace Brower, Westlake, Dec 6-3

157 kilos

1. Sam Could, Farmington

2. Carson Neff, Bingham

3. Jordan Faifai, Syracuse

4. Jacob Inexperienced, Westlake

5. Payton Fowler, Clearfield

6. Ricky Mamone, Granger

Championship — Sam Could, Farmington def. Carson Neff, Bingham, Dec 6-0

165 kilos

1. Kael Bennie, Layton

2. Tanner Giatras, Weber

3. Zachary Phipps, Syracuse

4. Cody Stewart, Mountain Ridge

5. Corbin Baumgartner, Lone Peak

6. Noah Fieeiki, American Fork

Championship — Kael Bennie, Layton def. Tanner Giatras, Weber, MD 11-2

175 kilos

1. Cayaen Smith, Lone Peak

2. Trevyn Gates, Nice Grove

3. Geovanni Thomas, Davis

4. Noah Mandleco, Layton

5. Leimana Fager, Nook Canyon

6. Jacob Keblis, Fremont

Championship — Cayaen Smith, Lone Peak def. Trevyn Gates, Nice Grove, Dec 8-3

190 kilos

1. Mahkyi Smith, Lone Peak

2. Luke Evans, Nice Grove

3. Ridge Lindley, Fremont

4. Matt Taylor, Skyridge

5. Ethan Hearne, Layton

6. Mason Kartchner, Farmington

Championship — Mahkyi Smith, Lone Peak def. Luke Evans, Nice Grove, Fall 0:53

215 kilos

1. Damon Armenta, Cyprus

2. Teancum Mitchell, Nook Canyon

3. Skyler Armenta, Cyprus

4. Bradley Critchfield, Nook Canyon

5. Connor Schwab, Syracuse

6. Kael Jenkins, Davis

Championship — Damon Armenta, Cyprus def. Teancum Mitchell, Nook Canyon, Dec 7-4

285 kilos

1. Kort Wilkinson, Nice Grove

2. Cooper Mumford, Lone Peak

3. Ian Briskey, Weber

4. Mason Bodell, Westlake

5. Noah Linford, Layton

6. Davis Pickett, Clearfield

Championship — Kort Wilkinson, Nice Grove def. Cooper Mumford, Lone Peak, Fall 3:52