High school boys wrestling: Millard wins 4th consecutive 2A state title

The Millard Eagles hoisted their fourth consecutive state wrestling trophy in the air Friday night at the Sevier Valley Center in Richfield.

“They did it,” said coach Brenden Turner, in his fifth year as Millard’s head coach. “They worked together as teammates and brothers, and they deserve it.”

Millard landed 10 wrestlers in the final bouts of the tournament, bringing home eight individual titles and a total of 335.5 team points, followed by Beaver with 260 and San Juan at 153.

“This is a special group,” Turner said. “I’ve been around these boys since little league wrestling. To have been able to watch them grow as a brotherhood and as a team has been phenomenal.”

First up in Friday’s finals was Porter Dahl at 106 pounds. A sophomore, Dahl was able to pin Duchesne’s Easton Moat.

“Before the season even started I would get up at 4:45 a.m.,” Dahl said, adding that his family has a room set aside for wrestling, where he trained and put in extra hours to get ready.

“I wouldn’t be here without my coaches,” Dahl said.

Sophomore Lane Monroe (120) also battled his way to the top, taking down Chad Yellow of San Juan in the championship.”

“It feels so good,” Monroe said. “My whole family was so into it.”

Monroe said his grandpa even promised him $1,000 if he won tonight, which paid off, literally.

“I’m stoked,” Monroe said, adding that his teammate Kolter Kelly has pushed him a great deal in practice. “My whole family has made it so fun.”

Kelly (132) also took home the gold Friday night, beating Beaver’s Statlen Hughes in a 9-6 decision. As a senior, it was Kelly’s final wrestling match, earning him his third individual state title.

“It’s hard work and you have to want it,” Kelly said. “I love wrestling. No matter how your team is doing, it’s still all on you.”

Cal Bray (126), a freshman, made his state tournament debut and won over San Juan’s Kasen Bird.

“It’s cool,” Bray said. “I like how it’s just going out and wrestling your hardest and doing your best. I’m thankful my coaches took the time to help me get better.”

Millard senior Dak Eldredge (138) was voted as the outstanding wrestler of the tournament after he pinned San Juan’s Stephen Meek.

“It’s something I’ve looked forward to my whole life,” Eldredge said.

The win capped Eldredge’s senior year, as he went 4-4 in winning individual titles. There was a lot of pressure heading into the match, but Eldredge said he just took it one step at a time.

“Whatever happened, happened,” Eldredge said. “It’s awesome knowing that the freshmen are coming into a dynasty.”

However, nothing is a sure thing at state.

“To be honest, I went in there kind of scared,” said junior Adreian Briceno (157), who won his championship match against Alexander Williams of Beaver.

“It took a lot of hard work and peanut butter and honey sandwiches to get here.”

Senior Kaden Turner (190) brought home his second individual title against North Summit’s Logan Judd.

“I feel like I’ve wrestled pretty well this year, but there’s been tough competition for sure,” Turner said. “It’s fun to be part of something great.”

Sophomore Gael Gutierrez (215) captured the final individual title for Millard, outlasting Gunnison’s Soren Jensen.

“I’ve just been trying to make my journey all the way to varsity,” Gutierrez said, adding that he had to climb the ladder to his varsity spot one rung at a time.

“I didn’t know if I was going to make it, but I knew I didn’t want all that hard work to be for nothing.”

Concluded coach Turner: “Wrestling is definitely a life lesson every time you step out onto the mat. It’s an incredible sport. I’m grateful to be the coach at Millard High School and to be in the position I’m in. I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

2A state championships

At Sevier Valley Center

Team scores

1. Millard 335.5
2. Beaver 260
3. San Juan 153
4. Grand County 128
5. Duchesne 126
6. Kanab 120.5
7. North Summit 117.5
8. North Sevier 108.5
9. American Leadership 54
10. Gunnison Valley 47

Individual Results

106 pounds

1. Porter Dahl, Millard, So.
2. Easton Moat, Duchesne, Fr.
3. Ruston Peterson, Grand County, Fr.
4. Kash Wilson, Grand County, Fr.
5. Liam Lacy, San Juan, Fr.
6. Rhett Kelly, North Summit, Fr.

Championship — Porter Dahl, Millard def. Easton Moat, Duchesne, Fall 3:05

113 pounds

1. Trexden Olsen, Beaver, So.
2. Kaden Wilson, Grand County, Fr.
3. Trayl Moat, Millard, Fr.
4. Tate Torgerson, North Sevier, So.
5. Quade Hughes, Enterprise, So.
6. Lake Morgan, American Leadership, Sr.

Championship — Trexden Olsen, Beaver def. Kaden Wilson, Grand County, Fall 1:14

120 pounds

1. Lane Monroe, Millard, So.
2. Chad Yellow, San Juan, Sr.
3. Grady Lacy, San Juan, Jr.
4. Tristan Park, Duchesne, So.
5. Ernie Hulet, Kanab, Fr.
6. Carson Kelsch, Beaver, So.

Championship — Lane Monroe, Millard def. Chad Yellow, San Juan, Fall 1:50

126 pounds

1. Cal Bray, Millard, Fr.
2. Kasen Bird, Duchesne, So.
3. Christian Briceno, Millard, So.
4. Whitney Oldham, North Summit, Sr.
5. Brayden Bosh, Grand County, Fr.
6. Trey Bradshaw, Beaver, Fr.

Championship — Cal Bray, Millard def. Kasen Bird, Duchesne, TF-1.5 6:00 (27-9)

132 pounds

1. Kolter Kelly, Millard, Sr.
2. Statlen Hughes, Beaver, Jr.
3. Nash Nielsen, North Sevier, So.
4. Conner Conca, Duchesne, So.
5. Stedson Stott, Millard, Fr.
6. Ryder Coates, Gunnison Valley, Jr.

Championship — Kolter Kelly, Millard def. Statlen Hughes, Beaver, Dec 9-6

138 pounds

1. Dak Eldredge, Millard, Sr.
2. Stephen Meek, North Summit, Sr.
3. Miken Keith, San Juan, So.
4. Isaac Masner, Millard, Jr.
5. Leo Deleon, Beaver, Fr.
6. Austin Church, Kanab, Sr.

Championship — Dak Eldredge, Millard def. Stephen Meek, North Summit, Fall 2:36

144 pounds

1. Gage Raddon, Beaver, Sr.
2. Dakota Blad, Millard, Sr.
3. James Crowley, North Sevier, Sr.
4. Jackson Ray, Kanab, Sr.
5. Lane Peterson, Grand County, Sr.
6. Matthew Whitaker, Millard, Fr.

Championship — Gage Raddon, Beaver def. Dakota Blad, Millard, MD 14-0

150 pounds

1. Jex Bradshaw, Beaver, Jr.
2. Hunter Ashworth, Millard, Sr.
3. Brayce Smith, North Sevier, Sr.
4. Caleb Carter, Beaver, Jr.
5. Cameron Adair, San Juan, Fr.
6. Treyden Rose, Parowan, Sr.

Championship — Jex Bradshaw, Beaver def. Hunter Ashworth, Millard, MD 9-1

157 pounds

1. Adreian Briceno, Millard, Jr.
2. Alexander Williams, Beaver, Jr.
3. Andrew Hollingshead, Beaver, Sr.
4. Isaac Clarkson, Kanab, Sr.
5. Rigley La giglia, San Juan, Sr.
6. Kasen Crum, Duchesne, Jr.

Championship — Adreian Briceno, Millard def. Alexander Williams, Beaver, Dec 4-0

165 pounds

1. Austin Paris, Grand County, Jr.
2. Davin Orton, Beaver, Jr.
3. Cincinnatus Treadwell, Kanab, Jr.
4. Logan Keith, San Juan, Sr.
5. Jaxson Lopshire, Beaver, Jr.
6. Jaymon Bailey, North Summit, So.

Championship — Austin Paris, Grand County def. Davin Orton, Beaver, Fall 1:31

175 pounds

1. Titan Hunter, Beaver, Jr.
2. Jd Palmer, San Juan, Sr.
3. Morgan Tingey, Millard, Sr.
4. Reagan Bradshaw, Beaver, Sr.
5. Jack Wood, North Summit, Jr.
6. Deegan Leatham, Millard, Jr.

Championship — Titan Hunter, Beaver def. Jd Palmer, San Juan, Dec 10-7

190 pounds

1. Kaden Turner, Millard, Sr.
2. Logan Judd, North Summit, Sr.
3. Marshall Williams, Beaver, So.
4. Caden Swasey, Grand County, Sr.
5. Mason Holgreen, Beaver, Jr.
6. Thomas Hardin, San Juan, So.

Championship — Kaden Turner, Millard def. Logan Judd, North Summit, Dec 5-0

215 pounds

1. Gael Gutierrez, Millard, So.
2. Soren Jensen, Gunnison Valley, So.
3. Adrian Betancourt, Beaver, Jr.
4. Cooper Thurston, North Sevier, Sr.
5. Thomas Unsicker, South Sevier, Sr.
6. Gabe Robinson, Beaver, Jr.

Championship — Gael Gutierrez, Millard def. Soren Jensen, Gunnison Valley, Dec 8-3

285 pounds

1. Jackson Stansfield, Duchesne, So.
2. Rayce Adams, Millard, Sr.
3. Jesus Lopez, American Leadership, Jr.
4. Deagan Allen, Kanab, Fr.
5. Daniel Gates, Millard, Sr.
6. Beachem Bosh, Grand County, Sr.

Championship — Jackson Stansfield, Duchesne def. Rayce Adams, Millard, MD 13-2