No Surprise: Millard Dominates to Win Title
BY DAVID DeMILLE
SPECIAL TO THE TRIBUNE
CLASS 2-A STATE WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
CEDAR CITY -- Millard took home the Class 2-A state wrestling championship Saturday at Southern Utah University, dominating in the expected fashion.
With seven individual titles and numerous other top finishes, the Eagles piled up 420 points. Second-place Juab had 170
Millard's 112-pound Tyler Teeples won a title and was named one of the tournament's outstanding wrestlers, along with Manti's Kyle Curtis (152).
Logan Elkington, Bryan Whitaker, Zac Whitaker, Clint Monsen, Richard Tuttle and McKinley Smith also won titles for the Eagles.
"It has a lot to do with the coaching around here," said Smith, a three-time state champion. "Everybody's friends with each other, and we know what to do out there. It's taken a lot of hard work -- the practice, the conditioning and everything else -- but we've earned it. I'm gone, but Millard will continue to have good teams."
Juab put on an impressive performance, beating South Summit and Monticello in a close race for second. The Wasps had no individual titles, but used superior depth. Cam Painter at 140 and Mike Worwood at 134 led Juab.
Juan Diego's first state championship came from Andrew Lucero at 215, as he beat South Sevier freshman Trevor Clegg.
Lucero "was really an underdog in pretty much every match, and he kept winning and winning fans," Juan Diego coach John Gavin said. "He kept beating out the guys that were supposed to beat him and he got the job done."
Lucero's experience was summed up by Juan Diego assistant coach Chris Long: "The thing that impresses me about it is that [Lucero] just stepped onto a wresting mat less than two years ago. To see the progress he's made, going from not knowing anything to being the best in the state, it was just great."
Millard's Elkington, Monsen and Teeples each won a title, a year after finishing second.
Monticello's Kyle Curtis won a tough match against Millard's Curtis Tuttle to pick up the 152-pound crown after finishing second in 2001. Manti's Wes Kjar won at 160 after placing third last year.
Joe Woods of Enterprise won a memorable match against San Juan's Nate Dandy at 171, giving the Wolves' only senior his first title.
"It's the end of a great season for me," Woods said. "I can't think of a better way to do it. You love to come out on top."
Richfield's Traveeso Begaye picked up the title at 275 after taking second a year ago, just outpointing North Sevier's Thad Nielson, and Robbie Atkinson won a close match with Enterprise's Mitch Melessa at 135.
Class 2-A
Team Scores
Millard 420, Juab 170, South Summit 158, Monticello 149.5, North Summit 137, North Sevier 117, San Juan 115, Enterprise 100, Richfield 97, Manti 90.5, Parowan 56, Beaver 34, Grand County 30, South Sevier 30, Gunnison 30, Juan Diego 27.5, Kanab 14.
Individual Results
103 -- 1. Logan Elkington, Millard; 2. Maben Larsen, Millard; 3. Kolyer Anderson, Juab; 4. Garrett Winn, Richfield; 5. Cole Biosel, South Summit; 6. Chris Maisey, South Summit.
112 -- 1. Tyler Teeples, Millard; 2. Robert Sanders, San Juan; 3. Kolby Lambertson, Millard; 4. Tyrel Snyder, Monticello; 5. Troy Mortenson, Juab; 6. Jacob howell, Manti.
119 -- 1. Andy Butler, Monticello; 2. Jake Woolstenhume, South Summit; 3. Joe Ovard, North Summit; 4. Eric Chidester, North Sevier; 5. Chris Doubek, Parowan; 6. Robbie Davis, Gunnison.
125 -- 1. Bryan Whitaker, Millard; 2. Colby Faust, North Summit; 3. Chad Butler, Monticello; 4. Adam lacy, San Juan; 5. Sheldon Otten, Gunnison; 6. Josh Cowley, Richfield.
130 -- 1. Zac Whitaker, Millard; 2. Kody Wasden, North Sevier; 3. Casen Eldridge, Monticello; 4. Kent Marchant, Beaver; 5. Ben Leavitt, South Summit; 6. Chance Warren, Parowan.
135 -- 1. Robbie Atkinson, South Summit; 2. Mitch Melessa, Enterprise; 3. Kayle Cowan, Juab; 4. Mike Worwood, Juab; 5. Danie Dobson, Millard; 6. Time Miller, North Sevier.
140 -- 1. Clint Monsen, Millard; 2. Cam Painter, Juab; 3. Derek Siddoway, North Summit; 4. Andy Cragun, Manti; 5. Sheldon Holt, Enterprise; 6. Mark Snyder, Monticello.
145 -- 1. Richard Tuttle, Millard; 2. Dustin Greenhalgh, Juab; 3. Kelby Mcqueen, North Summit; 4. Ben Hugentobler, Manti; 5. Jess Graham, Beaver; 6. Cameron Christensen, Millard.
152 -- 1. Kyle Curtis, Monticello; 2. Curtis Tuttle, Millard; 3. Devan Stevens, Millard; 4. Dustin Desantos, North Summit; 5. Weston Mason, North Sevier; 6. Taylor White, Richfield.
160 -- 1. Wes Kjar, Manti; 2. Colt Bracken, Enterprise; 3. Bruce Pikyavit, Millard; 4. T.J. Starley, Millard; 5. James Shupe, North Summit; 6. Riley Worwood, Juab.
171 -- 1. Joe Woods, Enterprise; 2. Nate Dandy, San Juan; 3. T.C. Garcia, Monticello; 4. Jim Anderson, Millard; 5. Keith Boren, Richfield; 6. Josh Newell, South Sevier.
189 -- 1. Mckinley Smith, Millard; 2. Mike Anderson, Millard; 3. Jed Evans, Parowan; 4. Nick Bagnell, North Summit; 5. Sam Francis, Grand County; 6. Trint Laws, North Sevier.
215 -- 1. Andrew Lucero, Juan Diego; 2. Trevor Clegg, South Summit; 3. Brandon Tate, San Juan; 4. Chris Bennett, Millard; 5. Sean Eckersley, North Sevier; 6. Jacob Robinson, Millard.
275 -- Traveeso Begaye, Richfield; 2. Thad Nielson, North Sevier; 3. Josh Fleming, San Juan; 4. Kendall Walston, Grand County; 5. Ricky Thomas, Kanab; 6. Tyler Simons, Millard.
|