OREM -- There was a changing of the 4-A wrestling guard Saturday night, even though the gold still resides in the state's northern lights.
Mountain Crest's first state wrestling championship moved the title 25 miles northeast to Cache County's Hyrum from Box Elder in Brigham City.
The Mustangs' victory -- 212.5-207 over the Bees at Utah Valley State College -- just might have launched the state's newest mat dynasty.
"Not too bad to have two guys back with a combined 78 wins from this year," said Mountain Crest coach Davey Swensen of his sophomore championship duo of Josh Burnett (38-1) and Luke Lofthouse (40-0).
Aside from the four individual titles by Timpanogos -- including one for freshman Cyler Sanderson, the meet's lower weight outstanding wrestler-- this was a classic, toe-to-toe slugfest between the Mustangs and Bees.
The Bees held a 203-197 lead following the afternoon consolation rounds. By Swensen's Friday calculations, his team needed to be within eight points after consolation matches to have a solid shot at the title. "We had a little cushion [for the finals], but you never know in this business," he said.
Bees coach Mike Ripplinger seemed to sense the impending end to his run of three 4-A titles: "We missed out on a couple of consolation matches. We just didn't have enough guys in the [championship] finals." One who was there -- Jeff Newby -- joined an elite group of eight wrestlers to win four state titles. "It really hasn't sunk in yet," said Newby of the executive standing. What was registering was pain in his left shoulder. "It hurts," acknowledged Newby, who suffered a "stinger" 53 seconds from the end of his match with Sky View's Matt Pugh. "I knew I had to forget about the shoulder and get out there and score a takedown." Newby did so and won, 5-3.
Swensen said the tone for the night was established by Burnett, who scored his school-record 29th pin in downing Region 6 champ Dave Beagley of Spanish Fork. "I don't really set out to pin a guy, but I'll take it," said Burnett, whose dad, Jeff, won three state titles for Sky View.
Then, the drama began, building toward a crescendo with the Mustangs' Nate Jackson, a running back on Mountain Crest's 4-A state championship football team, winning at 171.
Lofthouse needed to win at 189 to clinch the championship and he won for the fourth time this season over Box Elder's Jon Larsen. "Nate's win took some of the pressure off, but I was stoked for a pin," said Lofthouse, who went undefeated at 40-0.
Swensen, who coached seven years in Idaho before landing in Hyrum in 1985, said he "felt something special was happening when we won the Viewmont Christmas tournament over Box Elder and Viewmont."

Class 4-A Team Scores

1, Mountain Crest 212.5.
2, Box Elder 207.
3, Timpanogos 192.
4, Spanish Fork 169.
5, Orem 123.
6, Mountain View 95.5.
7, Payson 86.
8, Bountiful 75.
9, Murray 69.
10, Pleasant Grove 65.5.
11, Olympus 52.5.
12, Sky View 51.
13, Highland 48.
14, Springville 45.
15, West 45.
16, American Fork 42.
17, Provo 30.5.
18, (tie) Roy, Timpview 16.
20, Lone Peak 14.
21, Logan 12.

Championship Matches

103 -- Josh Burnett (Mountain Crest) def. Dave Beagley (Spanish Fork), fall, 3:22.
112 -- Cyler Sanderson (Timpanogos) def. Seth Wright (Payson), 9-8.
119 -- Jordan Webb (Spanish Fork) def. Mckay Sanderson (Timpanogos), 5-3.
125 -- Lloyd Vigil (Springville) def. Steve Robertson (Timpanogos), 11-10.
130 -- Chase Walker (Timpanogos) def. Jeb Clark (Spanish Fork), 10-3.
135 -- Cheney Haight (Timpanogos) def. Matt Knighton (Bountiful), 10-8.
140 -- Landon Law (Timpanogos) def. Tate Brindley (Spanish Fork), fall, 1:53.
145 -- Jeff Newby (Box Elder) def. Matt Pugh (Sky View), 5-3.
152 -- Jeff Maughan (Orem) def. Daniel Grange (Mountain Crest), 7-6.
160 -- Matt Baker (Orem), def. Kyle Robinette (Pleasant Grove), 13-1.
171 -- Nate Jackson (Mountain Crest) def. Rob Raeder (Mountain View), 6-3.
189 -- Luke Lofthouse (Mountain Crest) def. Jon Larsen (Box Elder, 25-10, technical fall.
215 -- Garret Story (Mountain View) def. Carson Jessop (Mountain Crest), 4-3.
275 -- Mark Freeman (Orem) def. Nick Jensen (American Fork), 3-2.

Third-Fourth

103 -- Dan Olsen (Bountiful) def. James Johnson (Box Elder), 5-1.
112 -- Kevin Hunter (Orem) def. Trevor Melon (Payson), fall, 2:08.
119 -- Josh Sliger (Orem) def. Justin Morrill (Mountain Crest), 2-1.
125 -- Brandon Denboer (Pleasant Grove) def. Steve Pulver (Highland), 6-4.
130 -- Wes Hogan (Payson) def. Chuck Burtis (Mountain Crest), fall, 3:47.
135 -- Cody Burdett (Mountain Crest) def. Joe Shannon (Box Elder), 5-4.
140 -- Scott Sonntag (Olympus) def. Mathew Chambers (Mountain Crest), 3-2.
145 -- Tyson Lewis (Spanish Fork) def. Kurt Badger (West), 7-4.
152 -- Ben Mcaffee (Mountain View) def. Chase Miller (Payson), 5-4, OT.
160 -- Evan Ault (American Fork) def. Mike Rutledge (Mountain Crest), fall, 3:37.
171 -- Brett Kearl (Box Elder) def. Greg Soderberg (Bountiful), fall, 4:40.
189 -- Bryan Lott (Timpanogos) def. Nate Jepson (Provo), 9-3.
215 -- Reid Holt (Box Elder) def. Colt Mund (Box Elder), 11-8.
275 -- Ty Ulrich (Murray) def. Archie Hogan (Timpanogos).

Fifth-Sixth

103 -- Flint Ray (Roy) def. Jacob Farnsworth (Springville), 8-4.
112 -- Todd Robins (Mountain View) def. Spencer Dinkins (Spanish Fork), 5-4.
119 -- Jacob Hanks (Bountiful) def. Adam Hubbard (Box Elder) 8-2.
125 -- Caleb Hardy (Box Elder) def. Chris Hansen (Logan), fall, 1:59.
130 -- Jake Balls (Sky View) def. Josh Jensen (West), 7-0.
135 -- Craig Barton (Olympus) def. Tyson Thompson (Payson), 13-12.
140 -- Brock Payton (Murray) def. Jason Holland (Box Elder), forfeit.
145 -- Westin Sampson (Pleasant Grove) def. Andy Kano (Box Elder), 13-12.
152 -- Adam George (Bountiful) def. Paul Leishman (Logan), disqualification.
160 -- Andy Stringfellow (Highland) def. Bill Brothers (Timpview), 4-1.
171 -- Ben Cottle (Timpanogos) def. Josh Tibbs (Spanish Fork), fall, 2:00.
189 -- Garrett Elliott (Spanish Fork) def. Tanner Cooley (Sky View), 5-1.
215 -- Brandon Dennis (Murray) def. Justin McBride (Murray), 4-2, OT.
275 -- Tom Higley (Box Elder) def. Dugan Wightman (West), fall, 2:00.