The opening day of the 2A and 1A state wrestling tournaments were held at the Sevier Valley Center in Richfield on Friday, and defending champs Millard and Panguitch both positioned themselves well to make a run at a repeat title.
Millard advanced 17 wrestlers into Saturday’s 2A semifinals and sits on 136 team points, well ahead of second-place Beaver’s 108 points. The Beavers will have 12 wrestlers in the semifinals, which begin at 9:30 a.m. The finals are at 4 p.m.
The marquee semifinal on Saturday morning is at 132 pounds with Millard’s Sam Rasmussen facing Beaver’s Gage Raddon. Both are defending state champs from a lower weight last season, and the junior Rasmussen is seeking a third state title with a chance for a possible fourth next year.
Another junior seek a third individual title is Beaver’s Russell Evans at 138 pounds.
Five other 2A wrestlers are chasing a repeat state title on Saturday, Millard’s Dak Eldredge, Beaver’s Douglas Evans, Millard’s Dylan Rees, Millard’s KC Whitaker and San Juan’s Callen Burke.
In 1A, Panguitch has a 15-point lead after Day 1 in its quest for a fourth straight state title. The Bobcats tallied 130 team points on Friday, with Milford in second with 115 points.
Both teams had six wrestlers advance to Saturday’s championship matches, which begin at 4 p.m.
Panguitch and Milford wrestlers will go head to head in two championship matches. At 106 pounds, Panguitch’s Tanner Marshall squares off with Milford’s Boston Thompson, and then at 132 pounds, Panguitch’s Braxton Atkin takes on Milford’s Hagen Mayer. Atkin and Mayer are both defending state champs, with Atkin winning at 120 pounds last year and Mayer at 126 pounds.
Seven other wrestlers are seeking repeat state titles on Saturday, Altamont’s Dillon Ivie, Piute’s Mckray Gayler, Milford’s Quaid Thompson, Monticello’s Javlin Robison, Panguitch’s Cael Houston, Altamont’s Bryant Mullins and Altamont’s Weston Mullins.
For Gayler and Thompson, a win on Saturday would put them in the prestigious group of four-time individual state champs.
2A state tournament
At Sevier Valley Center
Team scores after Day 1
- Millard, 136
- Beaver, 108
- North Sevier, 90.5
- San Juan, 73.5
- Enterprise, 66
- South Sevier, 63
- North Summit, 59.5
- Kanab, 56
Saturday’s semifinals
106
- Kolter Kelly, Millard vs. Statlen Hughes, Beaver
- Michael Williams, Enterprise vs. Chad Yellow, San Juan
113
- Dak Eldredge, Millard vs. Colton Winkler, Duchesne
- Landon Bagley, South Sevier vs. Stephen Meek, North Summit
120
- Camden Moat, Millard vs. Deklan Helquist, San Juan
- Jex Bradshaw, Beaver vs. Caden Adams, Millard
126
- Dierk Skewes, Duchesne vs. Dreyden Stubbs, Kanab
- Ayden Crane, North Sevier vs. Hunter Ashworth, Millard
132
- Sam Rasmussen, Millard vs. Gage Raddon, Beaver
- James Crowley, North Sevier vs. Adreian Briceno, Millard
138
- Conner Hem, Millard vs. Andrew Hollingshead, Beaver
- Russell Evans, Beaver vs. Oakley Walton, Millard
144
- Gatley Farnsworth, Duchesne vs. Parker Snyder, San Juan
- Douglas Evans, Beaver vs. Morgan Tingey, Millard
150
- Dylan Rees, Millard vs. Jameson Hunt, North Sevier
- Tavyn Hollingshead, Beaver vs. Kelton Langston, Beaver
157
- Kaden Turner, Millerd vs. Rusten Lyman, Enterprise
- Cutler Blonquist, North Summit vs. Lincoln Millard
165
- Tucker Blackburn, Duchesne vs. Morgan Wade, Millard
- Brayden Evans, Beaver vs. Mark Roman, Millard
175
- Emilio Jackson, Millard vs. Reilly Burr, North Sevier
- Ayden Bradshaw, Beaver vs. Luke DeGraffenried, Millard
190
- KC Whitaker, Millard vs. Kannin Boswell, North Sevier
- Kutlur Matheson, Beaver vs. Logan Judd, North Summit
215
- Max Kartchner, Kanab vs. Taylor Black, San Juan
- Boden Mackelprang, Parowan vs. Chaz Bradshaw, Beaver
285
- Callen Burke, San Juan vs. Easton Anderson, South Sevier
- Clayton Duckworth, North Sevier vs. Gabe Simons, Millard
1A state tournament
At Sevier Valley Center
Team scores after Day 1
- Panguitch, 130
- Milford, 115
- Altamont, 101
- Piute, 79.5
- Monticello, 49.5
- Bryce Valley, 32
- Wayne, 19
- Rich, 18
Saturday’s championships
106 — Tanner Marshall, Panguitch vs. Boston Thompson, Milford
113 — Trexton Spaulding, Milford vs. Treydon Harris, Monticello
120 — Judd Netto, Milford vs. Dillon Ivie, Altamont
126 — Shad Partridge, Panguitch vs. Rayce Jeffery, Wayne
132 — Hagen Mayer, Milford vs. Braxton Atkin, Panguitch
138 — Daxon Morrill, Piute vs. Colton Barnes, Milford
144 — Mckray Gayler, Piute vs. Isaac Leech, Bryce Valley
150 — Quaid Thompson, Milford vs. Kade Severe, Piute
157 — Javlin Robison, Monticello s. Brayden Webb, Altamont
165 — Monty Morrison, Piute vs. Cael Houston, Panguitch
175 — Theron Evans, Panguitch vs. Bryant Mullins, Altamont
190 — Collin Stewart, Bryce Valley vs. Greysen McKinnon, Altamont
215 — Jesse James, Piute vs. Weston Mullins, Altamont
285 — Cole Harland, Panguitch vs. Jordan Johnson, Rich