August 2007: Draper Journal

Young Wrestler is the Best in the West
by Catherine Garrett

Former national champion wrestler Tayler Johnson is continuing his winning ways in the sport of wrestling. The fourth-grader from Willow Springs Elementary placed first in freestyle and first in Greco-Roman at the 11-state Western Regional Championships held in Klamath Falls, Ore., in the Midget division (ages 9-10 and 70-pound weight limit).

Tayler, son of Mike and Sheila Johnson of Draper, defeated each opponent by “technical superiority” – gaining a six-point lead in two of three rounds – or pinning them. In his nine freestyle matches, Tayler pinned eight of his opponents while pinning five in the same number of Greco matches.

Athletes from Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming competed in the five-day tournament. To qualify for the tournament, Tayler had to secure a spot in the top six in the USA Wrestling-Utah State Championships held in April.

“It feels great because I finally got first in a big tournament,” Tayler said.  Mountain Top Wrestling Club coach Bill Kilpack said Tayler dominated his
division.

“It was something else to see opponents who had me worried before the match started get trashed,” Kilpack said. “It was really amazing.”

Mike Johnson said Tayler had to come from behind in the finals to pull out the win.

“He showed a lot of determination to put his emotions of being behind and found a way to win,” he said. “You could just tell he just wanted it more and found that little extra to finish strong.”

Tayler got started when his parents noticed him wrestling at home, and signed him up for lessons three years ago. Tayler said he likes wrestling because “I like going to the tournaments.”

He won two national championships in the same two wrestling categories at the AAU Grand Nationals two years ago, competing in the 60-pound weight class in the Bantam Division (ages 7-8).

This season, he has a 57-5 overall record from local, regional and national tournaments, where he placed first in the AAU Utah State Championships in freestyle and Greco-Roman as well as winning the championship in USA Wrestling-Utah State Championships in freestyle. He also placed fourth at the U.S. Folkstyle Nationals and took the silver medal in USA Wrestling-Utah State Championships in Greco-Roman.

“I’m very proud of what he has done,” Mike Johnson said. “He works hard at practice, and I think that makes a big difference in how well he does at tournaments.”  As far as his wrestling aspirations go, Tayler said, “I want to be the best of the best.”