Jan. 25, 2005: Uintah Basin Standard

Rated No. 1 1-A Team: Powerful Altamont Longhorn Mat Crew Edges Rich Rebels
by Aldon Rachele

If you’re a fan of defending 1-A 103 pound champion, Colton Miles and you were late arriving for the meet in Altamont, then you missed all the mat excitement with the Altamont matman using just 14 seconds to put away Rich’s Cortney Weddison on a pin fall. He helped to pump up the Longhorns to 48-36 triumph, Wednesday, over Rich in a rematch of the 2004 1-A State Tournament where Altamont edged Rich by six points, 187 to 181, for the championship.

Miles decked Weddison for the takedown and before the Rich wrestler could count to 14 he was stuck. It happened so fast that Miles couldn’t recall much of the contest later on.

“I don’t remember the pin hold. I just put it on him and got the pin,” said Miles, who is a sophomore. “It was my goal to be state champion and it was pretty fun to take state. I beat Skye Marshall of Panguitch for the championship. He (Marshall) is 19-years-old and still wrestling. I’m looking forward to going back and defending my state title that I won as a freshman.”

Miles’ pin was contagious as everyone following suit with 12 more pins for a total of 13 (one came in an exhibition match), but the last match of the evening between Altamont’s Matthew Kofford and Rich’s Zach Marler at 215 pounds was the most important of all because a Rebel pin and a forfeit that was waiting for them at 275 pounds would give Rich a 42-42 tie.

The action started off badly for Kofford. He was down 9-3 after one round, and then rallied to tie it all up at 9-9 on a neutral, takedown and near fall. He added another near fall and then locked up Altamont’s win with a pin of Marler with 28 seconds remaining in the second round.

“I got him with the half and then put the pressure on him. It was kind of scary at first, but I had to win so we (Altamont) could win,” stated Kofford.

Altamont’s other returning state champ, Nick Samuels of Altamont lost a wild battle with Rich tussler, Jon Herrera on a pin with 30 seconds left in the third round.

He fell behind 10-4 to Herrera after one round, but then powered himself to a 12-12 tie on a reversal and two near falls. Herrera won the battle for the takedown with a minute to go and ended it all 30 seconds later.

Samuels joined his dad, Jeff as state champion in 2004. Jeff Samuels placed first in the 2-A class years ago for Union High School. Recently, Altamont pounded Union’s varsity, 60-24 in a dual meet in Altamont. Earlier this month, Altamont crushed Duchesne in Altamont.

“It was always a goal for me to be a state champ like my dad,” Nick Samuels said. “I screwed up tonight. I will get him (Herrera) next time.”

Jake Farnsworth won the 112 pound match for Altamont on a forfeit, but wrestled an exhibition and won on a fall with 32 seconds to go in the second round. Rich tussler, Jake Webb led 7-6 after one round and 9-6 after two. Webb then spun his way to a pin over Altamont 125 pounder, Jordan Thacker with 30 seconds left in the third round to tie up the meet at 12-12.

Altamont didn’t waste any time getting back into the lead. They netted four straight pins with three in the first round for a 36-12 edge. Randy Bird of Altamont used 49 seconds to pin Rich’s Chris Dalkeessen at 130 pounds and a second round fall by 135 pound, Shad Thayne of Altamont over Caleb Oldroyd with 1:10 left was the best news for Longhorn fans. Thayne scored a takedown and near fall in the first round.

Tyrell Carter, 140, and Casey Iorg, 145, Altamont, were practically “copy cats or copy longhorns”. Carter pinned Rich’s Clay Barker in 28 seconds and Iorg decked Jon Lee in 25 ticks off the clock.

“It was just a half for the pin. I used a fireman’s carry to set up the fall,” commented Carter. Iorg stated, “I also used the half. I gave him a shot (takedown move) and came around to place in the half.”

After a first round pin win by Rich’s David Herrera, 152, over Altamont’s Maclain Miles, LaDell Brinkerhoff, Altamont, was the main show at 160 pounds. He pinned Erik Showalter of Rich with nine seconds left in the first round for a 42-18 Longhorn lead.

It was first round blues for Altamont with Zack Argyle of Rich socking it to Altamont’s 171 pounder, Bobby Mitchell with 19 seconds left and 2004 275 pound state champ–now at 189–Sean Weston, Rich, dropping Brayden Oman, Altamont, on a fall at the 1:41 mark to drop the AHS lead to 12 points at 42-30.

Kofford came through at 215 pounds to put the win in Altamont’s victory bag, but it isn’t over with Altamont and Rich expected to battle for all the marbles at region and state meet action next month.