High school girls wrestling: Annual All-Star Dual provided interesting matchups

Published: Jan 8, 2025, 9:43 p.m. MST

Westlake’s Keilikki Nau Rarick and Canyon View’s Rarick Tilisa Matakaiongo and other high school wrestlers compete in the Ross Brunson All-Star Dual at UVU’s UCCU Center in Orem on Wednesday January. 8, 2025. Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Carson Hilton has covered high school sports in Utah for the Deseret News since 2022.

The 2024-25 school year marks the fifth year of sanctioned girls wrestling, and Wednesday’s Ross Brunson All-Star Dual provided interesting matchups across Utah’s prep wrestling scene. A 235 matchup between Westlake’s Keilikki Nau Rarick and Canyon View’s Tilisa Matakaiongo set the stage.

Matakaiongo is a two-time state champion and entered Wednesday’s match unbeaten in her prep career. Nau Rarick is a three-time state champion, with only three losses before the All-Star Dual.

Matakaiongo got in an early 1-5 deficit, but fought back to keep the unbeaten streak and earn another win over Nau Rarick.

“I feel like I’m in better shape and I have been practicing better,” Matakaiongo said. “It’s my senior year, so I’m just more motivated to work hard, just to do better this year than I have in the past.”

“Just it being my senior year, I want to set an example for the new girls on my team and just show this is what wrestling is.”

Wasatch’s Regan Heywood and Provo’s Ella Reynolds joins other high school wrestlers competing in the Ross Brunson All-Star Dual at UVU’s UCCU Center in Orem on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Ian Fritz of Pleasant Grove is taken to the mat by Austin Paris of Grand as they and other high school wrestlers compete in the Ross Brunson All-Star Dual at UVU’s UCCU Center in Orem on Wednesday January. 8, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Westlake’s Keilikki Nau Rarick and Canyon View’s Tilisa Matakaiongo and other high school wrestlers compete in the Ross Brunson All-Star Dual at UVU’s UCCU Center in Orem on Wednesday January. 8, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Corner Canyon’s Kaydon Williams tries to take South Summit’s Trayvn Boger down as they join other high school wrestlers competing in the Ross Brunson All-Star Dual at UVU’s UCCU Center in Orem on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Payton Gines of Syracuse and Abbey West of Jordan wrestle as high school wrestlers compete in the Ross Brunson All-Star Dual at UVU’s UCCU Center in Orem on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

High school wrestlers compete in the Ross Brunson All-Star Dual at UVU’s UCCU Center in Orem on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

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The 2024 5A and 6A 115 individual champions, Eliza Zimmerman from Hillcrest and Brynlee Sorensen from Layton, faced off on Wednesday. Zimmerman got out to a quick 3-0 lead, but ultimately Sorensen pulled away with the win.

Arguably no wrestler had a better day than Snow Canyon’s Nia Hagler, who wrestled both Ridgeline’s Taya Crookston and Cedar Valley’s Isabella Sagastume in Wednesday’s All-Star Dual. The Snow Canyon junior defeated both Crookston and Sagastume decisively.

“I’m feeling pretty great,” Hagler said. “I think I definitely challenged myself a lot tonight. I had two good strong matches and I wrestled up a weight class. It was a great way to challenge myself tonight to prep myself for the rest of the season, which is really what matters to me.

“With every match I have I feel better and better. Even when I lose time I always take that as an opportunity to learn something. Even when I win I know I everyone makes at least one little mistake in every match and I just try to learn.”

Individual results

100 — Katie Zimmerman (Hillcrest) def. Madaliegh Grimstead (Tintic), fall 0:48
100 — Leena Sharp (Uintah) def. Rhiannon Towers (Olympus), MD 15-5
105 — Payton Gines (Syracuse) def. Abbey West (Jordan), 6-3
105 — Kristina Kent (Davis) def. Jaskin Hair (ALA), fall 1:56
110 — Lindsey Hansen (Tooele) def. Breann Ivie (Duchesne), fall 4:57
110 — Andi Stephensen (Juab) def. Caroline Pastrana (Cyprus), fall 4:49
115 — Martha Camacho (ALA) def. Quinci Smith (Crimson Cliffs), 18-11
115 — Sadie Rhoades (Uintah) def. Makayla Carrick (Salem Hills), MD 10-2
120 — Alexandra Ramirez (Enterprise) def. Azia Kendall (Northridge), fall 3:07
120 — Keagan Grange (Ridgeline) def. Elliza Brunner (Copper Hills), fall 2:47
125 — Bailey Rainer (Grantsville) def. Addilee Hall (Enterprise), fall 4:51
125 — Marabelle Brown (Wasatch) def. Addison Hills (Green Canyon), fall 2:30
125 — Brynlee Sorensen (Layton) def. Eliza Zimmerman (Hillcrest), fall 2:19
130 — Makenzi McCoy (Wasatch) def. Ariana Jones (Duchesne), MD 21-7
130 — Brooke Deeter (Westfield) def. Ellie Jensen (Maple Mountain), TF 2:45, 18-1
135 — Regan Heywood (Wasatch) def. Ella Reynolds (Provo), 5-0
135 — Giovonna Good (Cedar Valley) def. Kieran Mooney (Panguitch), fall 0:45
140 — Sam Reynolds (Juab) def. Daniella Spencer (Duchesne), fall 0:45
140 — Nia Hagler (Snow Canyon) def. Taya Crookston (Ridgeline), fall 3:12
140 — Evie Davidson (Union) def. Rhya Balmforth (Cedar Valley), fall 2:59
140 — Nia Hagler (Snow Canyon) def. Isabella Sagastume (Cedar Valley), fall 3:49
145 — Jeanine Field (Snow Canyon) def. Olivia Merino (Mountain Ridge), fall 3:46
145 — Alexis Kirkland (Bonneville) def. Hilary Rex (Rich), fall 0:56
155 — Madison Sherman (Skyridge) def. Ruby Lindstrom (Salem Hills), fall 3:43
155 — Nina Hillier (Rich) def. Rhees Hatch (Bear River), fall 4:41
155 — Avery Winterton (Salem Hills) def. Hallie Denney (Cedar Valley), fall 1:59
170 — Hannah Bowler (Bonneville) def. Gabi Merino (Mountain Ridge), fall 2:51
170 — Summerlynne Mikesell (Richfield) def. Eve Allsup (Bear River), fall 5:12
190 — Tevia Nau Rarick (Westlake) def. Sydnee Neilson (Bear River), fall 1:09
190 — Asinate Mafuahingano (Cedar Valley) def. Abigail Woods (Duchesne), fall 3:04
235 — Maitae Cardenas (Canyon View) def. Kalyn Wade (Northridge), fall 0:53
235 — Macee Ercanbrack (Juab) def. Ina Slivers (Enterprise), fall 3:27
235 — Tilisa Matakaiongo (Canyon View) def. Keilikki Nau Rarick (Westlake), 10-6

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