High school boys wrestling: Uintah dominates 4A state meet, wins fifth consecutive championship

Uintah Wrestling is certainly no stranger to success, but between 1999 and 2021, it didn’t see a single state championship. The Utes were a dominant program in the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s and now they are returning to their former glory with its fifth consecutive state championship.

“I think we kind of reset our community understanding that we’re all on the same page,” said Uintah head coach Phillip Keddy. “The culture of wrestling was there and we needed to get on the same page and all work together.”

Despite its historical dominance dating back to the ’50s, the Uintah program never had a wrestler break into the prestigious group of winning four individual state titles. The Utes have had six wrestlers in its history get close with three titles, but none could break into the elite group.

That is, until Uintah’s Michael Alexander finally broke through on Wednesday with a fourth individual state title, becoming the first wrestler from Uintah to ever do so.

“It’s just an example of what wrestling is and the examples that are set all around us,” Alexander said. “I’m just following a path that’s already created for me.”

After the final whistle, Alexander was surrounded by his teammates to celebrate his win. However, Alexander said he only cared about the team.

“They mean more to me than any state title could ever mean to me,” said Alexander “I’ll go to war for them and I know they’ll go to war for me.”

It wasn’t just Alexander taking home an individual title for the Utes. Uintah had six wrestlers at the top of the podium on Wednesday, with Brody Rhoades winning the 144-pound weight class and his second individual title.

“Everything was worth it,” Rhoades said. “Every day at practice with my teammates, working hard, sweating and bleeding. It’s just all for them. It’s a team effort.”

Uintah’s Maddax Hacking, Ethan Sharp, Ryan Hacking and Parker Streight also won individual state titles.

“I knew we were going to be favored for this title, but going to every tournament all year, it was surprising how many team points this team could score at every tournament,” said Keddy. “They broke several team scoring records because we didn’t have any holes, every kid was solid. Every kid was capable of winning tournaments, so it’s a really special group.”

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4A state championship

At UVU

Team scores

1. Uintah, 362
2. Timpanogos, 191
3. Mountain View, 171
4. Ridgeline, 121.5
5. Payson, 111.5
6. Hurricane, 99.5
7. Bear River, 85
8. Snow Canyon, 85
9. Stansbury, 64.5
10. West Field, 62

Individual Results

106 pounds

1. Cash Christensen, Murray, Fr.
2. Joshua Garcia, Uintah, Jr.
3. Travis Angus, Uintah, Fr.
4. Brycen Durkin, Murray, Jr.
5. Jhett Steele, Payson, So.

Championship — Cash Christensen, Murray def. Joshua Garcia, Uintah, Dec 4-1

113 pounds

1. Maddax Hacking, Uintah, Fr.
2. Joseph Holbrook, Ridgeline, Jr.
3. Daxton Jolley, Payson, So.
4. Ben Belliston, Timpanogos, So.
5. Jaxon Morgan, Bear River, Jr.
6. Asher Suwyn, Hurricane, So.

Championship — Maddax Hacking, Uintah def. Joseph Holbrook, Ridgeline, Dec 8-4

120 pounds

1. Ethan Sharp, Uintah, So.
2. Jonah Shaw, Payson, Sr.
3. Peyton Hogan, Uintah, So.
4. James Rollins, Mountain Crest, Jr.
5. Kruz Allred, Ridgeline, Jr.
6. Simon Boyer, Timpanogos, Jr.

Championship — Ethan Sharp, Uintah def. Jonah Shaw, Payson, MD 17-7

126 pounds

1. Michael Alexander, Uintah, Sr.
2. Benjamin Ploehn, Stansbury, Jr.
3. Brigham Cookson, Mountain View, Jr.
4. Daxston Bingham, Bear River, Sr.
5. Diesel Knudsen, West Field, Fr.
6. Easton Darley, Green Canyon, Sr.

Championship — Michael Alexander, Uintah def. Benjamin Ploehn, Stansbury, Fall 1:31

132 pounds

1. Rykan Hacking, Uintah, Jr.
2. Glade Harman, Mountain View, Sr.
3. Kael Theobald, Payson, Jr.
4. Trevor Angus, Uintah, Jr.
5. Kooper Keenan, Crimson Cliffs, Jr.
6. Michael Lewis, Stansbury, Sr.

Championship — Rykan Hacking, Uintah def. Glade Harman, Mountain View, Dec 10-6

138 pounds

1. Kaden Guymon, Snow Canyon, Sr.
2. Connor Knudsen, Timpanogos, Sr.
3. Gage Mcmickell, Uintah, Jr.
4. Lorenzo Call, Stansbury, Sr.
5. Tracen Backus, Payson, Sr.
6. Kayson Leak, Sky View, Jr.

Championship — Kaden Guymon, Snow Canyon def. Connor Knudsen, Timpanogos, Dec 5-3

144 pounds

1. Brody Rhoades, Uintah, Sr.
2. Isaac Dickinson, Hurricane, Sr.
3. Mack Rutledge, Ridgeline, So.
4. Preston Lang, Snow Canyon, Jr.
5. Ryker Maestas, Payson, Sr.
6. Payton Redd, Logan, Sr.

Championship — Brody Rhoades, Uintah def. Isaac Dickinson, Hurricane, MD 13-1

150 pounds

1. Jason Worthley, West Field, Sr.
2. Myka Love, Jordan, Sr.
3. Stetson Bingham, Mountain Crest, Jr.
4. Zack Mccann, Timpanogos, So.
5. Brady Mccurdy, Uintah, So.
6. Chance Blevins, Mountain View, So.

Championship — Jason Worthley, West Field def. Myka Love, Jordan, TF-1.5 2:19 (19-3)

157 pounds

1. Parker Streight, Uintah, Sr.
2. Cason Smith, Snow Canyon, Sr.
3. Sam Rassi, Ridgeline, Sr.
4. Brice Hawkins, Hurricane, So.
5. Keaton Smith, Bear River, Sr.
6. Josue Pineda, Tooele, Sr.

Championship — Parker Streight, Uintah def. Cason Smith, Snow Canyon, Dec 3-1

165 pounds

1. Fisher Jolley, Timpanogos, Jr.
2. Mason Grow, Mountain View, Sr.
3. Keaton Terry, Crimson Cliffs, Jr.
4. Talon Stevens, Uintah, Sr.
5. Vincent Fertig, Bear River
6. Clark Weakley, Snow Canyon, Jr.

Championship — Fisher Jolley, Timpanogos def. Mason Grow, Mountain View, Dec 10-8

175 pounds

1. Xander Carlson, Timpanogos, Sr.
2. Hyrum Stafford, Mountain View, So.
3. Chase Mccurdy, Uintah, Sr.
4. Patrick Miller, Hurricane, Sr.
5. Jacob Proctor, Tooele, Sr.
6. Kannon Ufford, Uintah, Sr.

Championship — Xander Carlson, Timpanogos def. Hyrum Stafford, Mountain View, Dec 7-6

190 pounds

1. Seth Montierth, Ridgeline, Sr.
2. Landon Shumway, Mountain View, Sr.
3. Micah Wilcox, Timpanogos, Sr.
4. Lukas Turner, Uintah, Fr.
5. Max Anderson, Bear River, Sr.
6. Carter Egbert, Mountain Crest, Jr.

Championship — Seth Montierth, Ridgeline def. Landon Shumway, Mountain View, Dec 6-3

215 pounds

1. Isaac Mcgee, Mountain View, Sr.
2. Titan Wright, Hurricane, Jr.
3. Cutler Rowley, Cedar, Sr.
4. Dallin Bowman, Timpanogos, Sr.
5. Spencer Mitchell, Green Canyon, Jr.
6. Xander Stokes, Sky View, Jr.

Championship — Isaac Mcgee, Mountain View def. Titan Wright, Hurricane, Fall 1:44

285 pounds

1. Caleb Patton, Pine View, Jr.
2. Caden Young, Uintah, Jr.
3. Sam Tanner, Green Canyon, Jr.
4. Jesse King, Timpanogos, Jr.
5. Preston Smith, Sky View, Sr.
6. Matthew Blackwell, Murray, Sr.

Championship — Caleb Patton, Pine View def. Caden Young, Uintah, Dec 2-1