|
Nov.
10, 2005: The Wrestling Mall, High School News
Wasatch's Salazar Ranked No. 1 in
National Preseason Sophomore/Freshman Rankings
Wrestling USA Magazine published a
national ranking of high-school sophomore and freshman
wrestlers in the most recent issue of their magazine. Top
ranked of the 11 Utahns on the list was sophomore Jacob
Salazar of Wasatch High School, ranked no. 1 at 135 lbs.
Salazar was about as exciting a freshman
as there was last year. He's won some prestigious
championships, including the Rocky Mountain Nationals in
Denver and the BRUTE-adidas Nationals in Lincoln. Last
summer, he went an astonishing 6-1 in freestyle at the USA
Wrestling Cadet National Duals, losing his only match in a
close 5-3 decision. This is after he went 5-2 in
Greco-Roman at the same tournament. At the later USA
Wrestling Cadet Nationals in Fargo, he took silver in
Greco-Roman. He is definitely holding up the family
tradition. Over the high-school season, he racked up a
very impressive 34-6 record, losing out in the
championship match at state to senior champion Rodney
Sager of Lehi. No mean accomplishment there. In 2005, he
was selected by the Bill Kilpack, Utah Editor of Wrestling
USA Magazine, as a Utah Freshman Wrestler of the Year.
Ranked no. 2 at 119 pounds was another
Utah superstar, Jason Chamberlain of Springville High
School. Chamberlain comes from a family with a long
history in wrestling, and he is every bit as good as any
of them. He is a slick technician who never loses his
head, regardless of the situation. He is patient and waits
for his openings and opportunities. And it's paid off in
his career so far. He has had two undefeated seasons prior
to high school, and has an interscholastic record that
would make anyone envious, and is a National Champion to
boot. His freshman year proved out as expected, taking
only one loss over the season and having about as dominant
a tournament as possible at the state championships. He's
got some impressive titles to his record, also: four
Western Regional titles, and winning the Rocky Mountain
Nationals in Denver. He was also selected by the Wrestling
USA Magazine Utah Editor as a Utah Freshman Wrestler of
the Year in 2005.
The list was compiled by Dan Fickel,
National Editor for the magazine, based on six criteria:
1) accomplishments at state high-school championships (folkstyle);
2) National Junior freestyle and Greco-Roman success; 3)
Cadet National freestyle and Greco-Roman success; 4)
performance at prestigious high-school tournaments; 5)
information from coaches and parents; and 6) the state
from which the nominee hails.
Eleven Utah wrestlers appeared in the
rankings in eight of the 14 weight divisions. This is up
from the eight Utah sophomores and freshmen who were
ranked preseason last year.
Other standouts include no. 8, 275 lbs.,
Matthew Fairbrother, Murray High School; no. 13, 140 lbs.,
Ethan Smith, Wasatch High School; no. 21, 125 lbs., Blake
Mangum, Lone Peak High School; and no. 28, 140 lbs., Cole
Shafer, Brighton High School. Receiving Special Mention
were 103 lbs., Jaes Jones, Brighton High School; 112 lbs.,
Matthew Brown, Cyprus High School; 112 lbs., Jonathan
Gappmaier, Jordan High School; 125 lbs., Tag Miller,
Payson High School; and 130 lbs., Quincy Thatcher, Millard
High School
Of all the high schools represented by
wrestlers in the national rankings, Wasatch and Brighton
both had two listed. Cyprus, Jordan, Lone Peak, Millard,
Murray Payson and Springville each had one listed.
Wrestling USA Magazine has been the
voice of national high school wrestling since 1965. For
more information, see
www.wrestlingusa.com.
Kilpack is editor of UtahWrestling.org, an
AAU national champion and seven-time national silver
medalist, a 15-time AAU/USA Wrestling All-American, and
earned an alternate position on the U.S. Pan-Am Team in
Greco-Roman. He coaches an independent freestyle and
Greco-Roman wrestling program through Salt Lake County
Parks and Recreation, Mountain Top Wrestling Club. |
|