March 8, 2007: Wrestling USA Magazine

Mountain Top Classic One-Half of Intermountain Champion Series

(Sandy, Utah) March 8, 2007 — The Mountain Top Classic, largest freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling tournament in Utah, has been selected as the last leg of the Intermountain Champion Series, aimed at recognizing the finest athletes in the Intermountain West.

The two tournaments at the Mountain Top Classic, coupled with the freestyle and Greco-Roman tournaments at the Idaho Express Invitational in Boise, Ida., will be used as criteria for naming an Intermountain Champion in each of the seven USA Wrestling age divisions. The Idaho Express Invitational will be held on March 9-10, 2007, at Centennial High School; the Mountain Top Classic will be held on March 23-24, 2007, at Jordan High School in Sandy, Uta.

"We have been talking about this for a couple years," said Bill Kilpack (III), coach of Sandy-based Mountain Top Wrestling Club. "What it came down to was, finally, we should just DO it. We worked hand in hand to develop the criteria for the point system, and cross-promote our events to generate greater competition."

Tournament Directors Terry and Lani Wall of Boise and Kilpack created the point system to track the accomplishments of the athletes participating in their events. First-place winners would receive 100 points, second-place 85 points, third 70 points, fourth 55 points, fifth 40 points, and sixth 25 points. Winners of Outstanding Wrestler awards in the different age divisions would receive an additional 50 points, and winners of Fastest Pin awards from each tournament would receive an additional 25 points.

"Top point scorers in each division will receive a very attractive award proclaiming that athlete an Intermountain Champion," Kilpack said.

This is the first year of the Intermountain Champion Series and, in the future, we are confident that it will continue to grow and develop, adding more tournaments to the series and recognizing more athletes as the best of the Intermountain West, he said.

Mountain Top Wrestling Club is a nonprofit 501(c)3 corporation dedicated to providing a venue for individuals to learn, develop and refine their athletic skills and abilities; and teaching the rules and regulations of freestyle, folkstyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. It is open to male and female athletes ages four and older who live anywhere in the State of Utah. The program will start back up for the freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling season in late January. For more information, call 641-9832, e-mail coach@mountaintopwrestling.com or visit them on the Worldwide Web at www.mountaintopwrestling.com.