High school girls wrestling: Mountain Crest continues title dominance

There were surprises and upsets to be sure, but not enough to stop the Mountain Crest High School girls from securing their third 4A state wrestling title on Saturday night. 

“It’s been a great experience,” said coach Susan Dart, now in her first year as head coach of the Lady Mustangs. “We knew it would be tight against Bear River, and it came down to the final matches. Our girls just stepped up and did awesome.”

Heading into the first and second place matches, Bear River only trailed Mountain Crest by 20 team points and had seven wrestlers vying for individual gold. 

In all, there were eight girls from Mountain Crest who wrestled for individual state titles; seven of whom won.

“Half of our team this year was first year wrestlers,” Dart said. She said she recruited girls wherever she could, even talking one into joining the team when she ran into her at a grocery store. 

“We have a great room with some of the best wrestlers in the state, so they have to step up and they did,” Dart said. 

One of the upsets that went in favor of the Lady Mustangs was the 235-pound match between Mountain Crests’ Kalie Jensen and Bear River’s Bretlee Potter, a two-time champ. 

“She did amazing,” Dart said. 

The match started as Jensen and Potter both worked to get the advantage through the first two rounds. Finally, Jensen was able to grab Potter’s shoulders, take her down and lock her up for the pin in the third round.

“I was ready to be done,” Jensen said. “I’ve wrestled her twice, so it was my turn to win.” 

Jensen is a first year wrestler and a senior. She said she never saw herself as an individual title winner. 

Another win for Mountain Crest came thanks to Emmalee White in the 145-pound division, where she beat Catherine Fitzgerald of Skyview by fall. White had to overcome a dislocated elbow from earlier in the season to make it to state. 

While doctors said her season was likely over, White wrapped up the injured arm and drilled every morning with the team, even making her little brother come along and spar with her. She pushed herself at practice and physical therapy to make it back on the mat within five weeks. 

“This was my senior year, and this is what I love doing,” White said. 

Sophomore Mattee Turnbow scored Mountain Crest’s first gold of the tournament as she outlasted SkyLynn Thompsen of Bear River in a 7-3 decision match at 110-pounds. 

“It just shows that I can do hard stuff,” Turnbow said. It was her second state title as an individual.

“This means the world to me,” said Jacie Shock, a sophomore who won the 120-pound title for Mountain Crest — her second. “I wouldn’t have been here without my teammates. We’re all equally yoked, so it’s pretty amazing to be back here this year.”

Junior Easton Nyman, 130, picked up her second state championship against Pine View’s Lily Pomeroy.

“It takes a lot of grit,” Nyman said. “It helps so much to go out there and know I have so many people in my corner.”

At 170, junior Gracie Howard was able to pin Green Canyon’s Jorilyn Herzog in the first round of the title bout, earning her second state gold. 

“I just have such a good support team with my teammates, coaches and family,” Howard said. “They help me so much when I’m out there.”

“That was crazy,” said junior Brooke Keller, who won the 190 division by fall against Dixie’s Komiki Manumuleuna. Keller said she’s only been able to wrestle a few weeks this season.

“It was just so fun, “ Keller said. 

4A girls state tournament

At Sevier Valley Center

Team scores

1. Mountain Crest, 399.5
2. Bear River, 353
3. Crimson Cliffs, 103.5
4. Green Canyon, 98
5. Ridgeline, 93
6. Pine View, 92
7. Desert Hills, 59
8. Sky View, 58

Individual results

100 pounds

1. Sadie Hardy, Bear River
2. Jayci Tolman, Mountain Crest
3. Ma`apupula Faumui, Pine View
4. Samantha Thomas, Desert Hills
5. Addilyn Baxter, Mountain Crest
6. Hadley Carrigan, Bear River

Championship — Sadie Hardy, Bear River def. Jayci Tolman, Mountain Crest, 9-3

105 pounds

1. Keagan Grange, Ridgeline
2. Rachel Epling, Bear River
3. Amelia Choate, Mountain Crest
4. Shelby Bevan, Mountain Crest
5. Grey Stone, Logan
6. Dylan Randall, Bear River

Championship — Keagan Grange, Ridgeline def. Rachel Epling, Bear River, 7-2

110 pounds

1. Mattee Turnbow, Mountain Crest
2. SkyLynn Thompsen, Bear River
3. Livia Meeds, Bear River
4. Breanna Young, Logan
5. Onnika Christensen, Green Canyon
6. Sara Salas, Desert Hills

Championship — Mattee Turnbow, Mountain Crest def. SkyLynn Thompson, Bear River, fall 3:04

115 pounds

1. Melbourne Earl, Cedar City
2. Genesis Diaz, Pine View
3. Bella Gunderson, Bear River
4. Kate Bunce, Bear River
5. Dani Alexander, Mountain Crest
6. Abigail Miles, Crimson Cliffs

Championship — Melbourne Earl, Cedar City def. Genesis Diaz, Pine View, fall 0:44

120 pounds

1. Jacie Shock, Mountain Crest
2. Samara Ward, Bear River
3. Quinci Smith, Crimson Cliffs
4. Erin Smith, Mountain Crest
5. Taya Crookston, Ridgeline
6. Addison Call, Bear River

Championship — Jacie Shock, Mountain Crest def. Samara Ward, Bear River, fall 1:01

125 pounds

1. Anja Hansen, Crimson Cliffs
2. Nia Hagler, Snow Canyon
3. Kaitlin Lofthouse, Mountain Crest
4. Amberly Shelley, Green Canyon
5. Ally Taylor, Mountain Crest
6. Emi Stahl, Ridgeline

Championship — Anja Hansen, Crimson Cliffs def. Nia Hagler, Snow Canyon, 4-3

130 pounds

1. Eastyn Nyman, Mountain Crest
2. Lily Pomeroy, Pine View
3. Gracie Blake, Green Canyon
4. Shea Buttars, Sky View
5. Hazlee Reeder, Bear River
6. Alexis Mora, Dixie

Championship — Eastyn Nyman, Mountain Crest def. Lily Pomeroy, Pine View, 14-3

135 pounds

1. Hailey Woolley, Crimson Cliffs
2. Kiah Saurey, Green Canyon
3. Tassie Hatch, Bear River
4. Breanne Lundahl, Ridgeline
5. Anna Van huss, Mountain Crest
6. Rachel Nelson, Bear River

Championship — Hailey Woolley, Crimson Cliffs def. Kiah Saurey, Green Canyon, fall 3:43

140 pounds

1. Abigail Trayhorn, Bear River
2. Lucy Harris, Desert Hills
3. Hailee Sharp, Mountain Crest
4. Emma Peterson, Bear River
5. Brooklyn McBride, Ridgeline
6. Sarah Walsh, Ridgeline

Championship — Abigail Trayhorn, Bear River def. Lucy Harris, Desert Hills, 9-1

145 pounds

1. Emmalee White, Mountain Crest
2. Catherine Fitzgerald, Sky View
3. Rhees Hatch, Bear River
4. Maggi Budge, Mountain Crest
5. Alyssa McCallson, Hurricane
6. Nicole Harris, Desert Hills

Championship — Emmalee White, Mountain Crest def. Catherine Fitzgerald, Sky View, fall 5:43

155 pounds

1. Eve Allsup, Bear River
2. Payton Graham, Snow Canyon
3. Hadley Glenn, Mountain Crest
4. McKelle Jeppson, Pine View
5. Katherine Hall, Cedar City
6. Caroline Kirk, Ridgeline

Championship — Eve Allsup, Bear River def. Payton Graham, Snow Canyon, fall 1:48

170 pounds

1. Gracie Howard, Mountain Crest
2. Jorilyn Herzog, Green Canyon
3. Breanna Maldonado, Crimson Cliffs
4. Litia Misa, Dixie
5. Crislyn Potter, Bear River
6. Alaina Helm, Logan

Championship — Gracie Howard, Mountain Crest def. Jorilyn Herzog, Green Canyon, fall 1:43

190 pounds

1. Brooke Keller, Mountain Crest
2. Komiki Manumuleuna, Dixie
3. Sydnee Nielson, Bear River
4. Anna Trevizo, Logan
5. Sujeili Martinez, Mountain Crest

Championship — Brooke Keller, Mountain Crest def. Komiki Manumuleuna, Dixie, fall 1:40

235 pounds

1. Kalie Jensen, Mountain Crest
2. Bretlee Potter, Bear River
3. EliAnna Santos-Banks, Pine View
4. Marjorie Tauti, Sky View
5. Rachael Godfrey, Mountain Crest
6. Danika Bair, Sky View

Championship — Kalie Jensen, Mountain Crest def. Bretlee Potter, Bear River, fall 5:24