High school boys wrestling: Wasatch ends 6-year drought with 5A championship

At the end of Thursday’s Day 1 of the 5A boys wrestling championship, it was a three-team race, as back-to-back defending state champion Spanish Fork held a narrow lead over Box Elder and Wasatch, but all three teams were within six points of each other.

It was Wasatch that pulled off a big performance Friday as it got five wrestlers to final matches, three of whom won individual titles en route to the Wasps winning the 5A state team championship.

It’s the first state championship for Wasatch since it won back-to-back titles in 2019 and 2020.

“It was a full group effort,” said Wasatch head coach Kamron Day. “We had eight of our varsity guys in, and we only lost three matches today, so it’s pretty incredible.

“These guys just worked their tail off all year long, and it’s just been a really fun group to be around. They just had a goal, and they went and got it.”

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Wasps senior Benjamin Kohler stood out in the 138-pound weight class and added a third individual state title. Kohler’s win ended up being big not only because the team race was tight, but also because he gave the Wasps a crucial edge over the Dons as he won the final over Spanish Fork’s Connor Simons.

I just wanted to focus on the team more than myself. I’m wrestling for the team," Kohler said.

“It’s just a mindset. Just believing you can, believing that you’re better than the person across from you. Doesn’t matter who it is, you put on the shoes the same way as they do.”

Both Wasatch and Box Elder started to separate from Spanish Fork toward the end of the day, and the Bees actually took a slim lead in the team race as Kolvin Thompson and Kamon Thompson took back-to-back individual wins in the 144-pound and 150-pound weight classes.

But it was just a few minutes later that Wasatch’s Jonah Ware delivered the title-winning wrestle in the 165-pound weight class to clinch the team win.

Then, Wasatch junior Wyatt Hansen went out in the 215-pound wrestle and went three periods with Viewmont’s Mack Youngberg.

Hansen stuck with it and delivered a third individual title for the Wasps. His win was also his second consecutive individual title.

“We told them, ‘Just have fun, relax and just be in the moment,’” Day said. “Let everything take care of itself. We prepared for this. Every one of these kids bought in and trusted in it, and trusted in their training.”

Said Hansen: “In the moment, the headgear echoes the sound. You can’t hear a thing, I can’t even describe it, but it was really nice locking in the state championship before I went out there so I could just wrestle free.

“It’s incredible. It wasn’t pretty, and I know I can wrestle better, but it was such a blessing.”

Class 5A boys state tournament

Final Team scores

1. Wasatch, 200.5
2. Box Elder, 190
3. Spanish Fork, 189
4. Payson, 147.5
5. Pleasant Grove, 99
6. Viewmont, 97.5
7. West Field, 85.5
8. Salem Hills, 76.5

Individual results

106 pounds

1. Dane King, Alta, Fr. (33-6)
2. Conner Finch, Payson, So. (34-16)
3. Ryder Thomas, Salem Hills, So. (32-10)
4. Chase Weight, Salem Hills, Fr. (30-19)
5. Andre Tavtigian, West, Sr. (28-13)
6. Tyson Lee, Viewmont, So. (28-16)

Championship — Dane King, Alta def. Conner Finch, Payson, MD 17-9

113 pounds

1. Easton Shelley, Spanish Fork, Jr. (49-4)
2. Tate Allred, Olympus, Jr. (22-9)
3. Jake Zesiger, Viewmont, Fr. (25-16)
4. Ryker Winward, Box Elder, So. (29-21)
5. Aaron Beckett, Northridge, Jr. (35-14)
6. Jesse Judkins, Maple Mountain, So. (37-14)

Championship — Easton Shelley, Spanish Fork def. Tate Allred, Olympus, Fall 3:50

120 pounds

1. Taegan Leavitt, Spanish Fork, Jr. (58-7)
2. Bennett Weight, Salem Hills, Sr. (43-10)
3. Gage Anderson, Wasatch, Sr. (32-18)
4. Lucas Herbert, Maple Mountain, Sr. (39-15)
5. Ken Starr, Roy, Jr. (24-12)
6. Conley Evans, Box Elder, Jr. (26-6)

Championship — Taegan Leavitt, Spanish Fork def. Bennett Weight, Salem Hills, Fall 4:53

126 pounds

1. Kaleb Blackner, Roy, Sr. (37-7)
2. Seth Hall, Skyline, Sr. (36-5)
3. Daxton Jolley, Payson, Jr. (43-8)
4. Hunter Young, Maple Mountain, Fr. (41-19)
5. Gunner Knudsen, Westfield, Fr. (36-15)
6. Adrian Gamino, Box Elder, Sr. (30-16)

Championship — Kaleb Blackner, Roy def. Seth Hall, Skyline, Fall 2:34

132 pounds

1. Diesel Knudsen, Westfield, So. (35-8)
2. William Shallenberger, Wasatch, So. (31-13)
3. Walter Beacham, Alta, Sr. (47-7)
4. Braken Hester, Box Elder, Jr. (19-20)
5. Brody Rydalch, Bountiful, Sr. (40-9)
6. Colt Hanssen, Wasatch, Fr. (6-6)

Championship — Diesel Knudsen, Westfield def. William Shallenberger, Wasatch, Dec 4-3

138 pounds

1. Benjamin Kohler, Wasatch, Sr. (55-6)
2. Connor Simons, Spanish Fork, Jr. (47-8)
3. Rylan Winward, Box Elder, Jr. (38-16)
4. Clayton Morrill, Payson, Jr. (36-10)
5. Maximo Quintana, Roy, Sr. (31-9)
6. Colby Tennant, Westfield, Sr. (40-11)

Championship — Benjamin Kohler, Wasatch def. Connor Simons, Spanish Fork, Dec 16-9

144 pounds

1. Kolvin Thompson, Box Elder, Jr. (47-10)
2. Daxton Bonner, Wasatch, Sr. (45-11)
3. Jonas Lotz, Payson, Sr. (33-12)
4. Kale Zorn, Fremont, Jr. (8-3)
5. Braxton Trimble, Westfield, So. (39-14)
6. Taima Anderson, Spanish Fork, So. (31-20)

Championship — Kolvin Thompson, Box Elder def. Daxton Bonner, Wasatch, Fall 3:27

150 pounds

1. Kamon Thompson, Box Elder, Fr. (48-7)
2. Kael Theobald, Payson, Sr. (31-6)
3. Max Richins, Wasatch, Sr. (12-3)
4. Ben Redd, Viewmont, So. (34-18)
5. Rider Eggett, Viewmont, Jr. (37-12)
6. Derek Harrison, Pleasant Grove, Sr. (42-14)

Championship — Kamon Thompson, Box Elder def. Kael Theobald, Payson, Fall 3:14

157 pounds

1. Ryker Olson, Spanish Fork, Sr. (52-6)
2. Porter Kemp, Pleasant Grove, Sr. (22-8)
3. Logan Mcnally, Wasatch, So. (40-17)
4. Joseph Naylor, West Jordan, Jr. (43-15)
5. Ryker Cluff, Spanish Fork, Jr. (22-13)
6. Dean Christensen, Box Elder, Fr. (23-20)

Championship — Ryker Olson, Spanish Fork def. Porter Kemp, Pleasant Grove, MD 10-0

165 pounds

1. Jonah Ware, Wasatch, Sr. (42-10)
2. Isaac Katoa, West, Sr. (29-6)
3. William Childs, Maple Mountain, Jr. (41-12)
4. Ethan Castillo, Pleasant Grove, Sr. (35-18)
5. Christian Miller, Box Elder, Jr. (27-13)
6. Noah Vaterlaus, Viewmont, Sr. (26-12)

Championship — Jonah Ware, Wasatch def. Isaac Katoa, West, Fall 0:50

175 pounds

1. Bo Goodman, Pleasant Grove, Sr. (46-10)
2. Preston Graver, Spanish Fork, Sr. (45-12)
3. Alexander Swain, West Jordan, Jr. (27-15)
4. Bruce Walker, Hunter, Jr. (41-11)
5. Alexander Navarro, West Jordan, Sr. (37-10)
6. Trent Harris, Springville, Sr. (25-11)

Championship — Bo Goodman, Pleasant Grove def. Preston Graver, Spanish Fork, MD 10-1

190 pounds

1. Karter Casperson, Pleasant Grove, Jr. (47-8)
2. Zion Talia, Northridge, Sr. (39-14)
3. Lisiate Valeti, Springville, Sr. (27-2)
4. Hyrum King, Spanish Fork, Sr. (51-11)
5. Judson Yorgason, Westfield, Sr. (34-11)
6. Kingston O`bannon, Salem Hills, Jr. (34-15)

Championship — Karter Casperson, Pleasant Grove def. Zion Talia, Northridge, Dec 5-2

215 pounds

1. Wyatt Hanssen, Wasatch, Jr. (53-6)
2. Mack Youngberg, Viewmont, Sr. (35-7)
3. Tuiono Valeti, Springville, Sr. (30-9)
4. Porter Jones, West Jordan, Jr. (32-4)
5. Viliami Tapa, Woods Cross, Sr. (27-15)
6. Ethan Ure, Payson, Sr. (32-18)

Championship — Wyatt Hanssen, Wasatch def. Mack Youngberg, Viewmont, MD 14-3

285 pounds

1. Moroni Mahe, Hillcrest, Sr. (40-4)
2. Kyler Olson, Spanish Fork, So. (61-10)
3. Malakai Filimoe`atu, Payson, Jr. (38-13)
4. Caleb Cefalo, Box Elder, Jr. (35-14)
5. Garrett Pickett, Clearfield, Sr. (27-16)
6. Carter Rudolph, Roy, Sr. (24-6)

Championship — Moroni Mahe, Hillcrest def. Kyler Olson, Spanish Fork, Dec 4-2