Feb. 10, 2007: Deseret Morning News

Logan's Underdog Wins Again
by Michael Black

OREM — Scotty Milne's days of sneaking up on opponents is almost over. The senior from Logan has quietly put together one of the most impressive seasons in the state. With his win in the 3A semifinals Friday, his record stands at 45-1, but he just may be the best wrestler nobody has really heard of.

Milne missed last year's state tournament after having knee surgery, so he didn't come in this year with a state-placer's reputation. It also means that today's finals appearance against Uintah's Jared Ruppe will be the biggest stage he has ever wrestled on.

"I get kind of nervous just before the normal matches, so I don't know what is going to happen to my nerves in front of all those people and under the lights," Milne said.

Unlike Milne, Wasatch's Casey Smith knows exactly what it is like to be in a final. Smith is in the finals for the fourth consecutive year, but he said this year will be a little bit different than the previous three years in which he finished as runner-up.

"This year will be the culmination of all the want and desire I've had the last three years. I've got to get it done," Smith said. "This time, there is no next year."

Smith will have plenty of teammates joining him in the finals as Wasatch has seven wrestlers with a chance for a title and leads the team competition with 200 points.

Uintah is in second with 150 points, and the Utes have five wrestlers in the finals, but the one wrestler drawing the most attention on the team is not in the finals.

Candace Workman, who lost a first-day match, won both of her matches on day two, a result that has assured her to be the first female in Utah history to place at the state tournament.

North Sanpete sits third with 141 points, followed by Dixie with 105 and Hurricane at 104.5.

Millard has clinched the 2A team title as well as at least one individual title. The Eagles have 247.5 points and nine wrestlers through to the finals, including an all-Millard final at 130-pounds where Cameron Whitaker will take on defending state champion Mason Stott. What has been the secret to the school's dominance?

"I think that once you see one of your teammates win, it kind of helps to motivate you too," said the Eagles' Kyle Tuttle, a defending state champion and in the finals at 145 pounds. "We are all in good shape, coach works us hard and we all do extra work. Conditioning, strength and skill, in that order, is what makes us tough."

The battle for second place will come down to the last rounds of consolation matches and today's finals. Juab is in second with 174.5 points and has three wrestlers in the finals, including 119-pound Tyson Ashworth, a defending state champion and perhaps the only wrestler to have Millard's number.

"I have never lost to someone from Millard," said Ashworth, a senior who beat Tanner Roberts of Millard in the semis. "I always get a little extra motivation when I know I'm going up against one of our rivals. I guess I never will lose to someone either."

South Summit sits in third with 166.5 points, but the Wildcats have a very realistic shot at second with six wrestlers in the finals. North Sevier is not out of it with 157.5 points and four wrestlers in the finals and several others still fighting for a top-six finish.

"Our seniors have led us a long way," said finalist and senior, Jace Tatum of the Wolves. "We have a lot of leadership that has rubbed off and I think the team has come a long way. We hoped we could compete with Millard, but we knew that we would be fighting for second place. For us to get four guys in the finals after not having any last year, says a lot about how we're coming along."

The Altamont Longhorns control their own destiny. They are going for their second team title in the last three years. As long as they take care of business in the finals, the title is theirs.

The Longhorns have 188.5 points and 11 wrestlers in today's finals. Second-place Duchesne has 168 points and nine grapplers advanced to the championships. The key, however, may come down to the five head-to-head matchups scheduled between the two schools.

The four defending state champions from the classification are all into the final round. Jeffrey Stephenson of Wayne, Aaron Butler from Monticello, John Herrera of Rich and Glenn Woods from Duchesne all are back shooting for repeats.

The wrestling continues today at the McKay Events center beginning at 10 a.m. and with the finals starting at 4 p.m.