January 2008: West Jordan Journal

Up and Coming Copper Hills Wrestling Team Looking to Compete in Region 3
by Josh McFadden

In a region that features traditional powers Bingham, Hunter and Riverton, the Copper Hills wrestling team has struggled in the win column over the years, but head coach Scott Norton is hopeful his squad is ready to change that.

To start with, Norton believes he has as many as seven wrestlers who are capable of qualifying for the state tournament. Last year, the Grizzlies sent two wrestlers to state, including 215-pound competitor David Williams, who won first place in his weight class. Williams has graduated, but senior Ryan Vasquez, the other Grizzly who went to state a year ago, is poised for big things this season.

“[Vasquez] is doing pretty well this season,” Norton said. “He’s had his ups and downs so far, but is pretty solid. Hopefully he’ll place in state.”

Vasquez has suffered some early losses this season, but has a handful of teammates ready to step up and help the team. Mitch Myler, a 140-pound senior who moved to West Jordan from Washington for this school year, has impressed Norton enough to earn the title of team captain. Junior Ryan Zumwalt and sophomore Robbie Fletcher have only been wrestling for two years, but have made so much progress they are in contention for state tournament berths.

“[Myler] is very solid and should go to state,” Norton said.  "[Zumwalt] has been knocking off top-notched wrestlers all year.”

The Grizzlies have 30 wrestlers on their roster, though they had more at the beginning of the season. Norton said it’s common for wrestling teams to lose kids throughout the year, due to the intense and demanding nature of the sport. Injuries have also plagued the Grizzlies, causing the team to be short-handed in most matches.

To bolster the team’s numbers and to prepare for the years to come, Norton has devoted considerable time to recruiting at local junior high schools. The efforts have proven successful; the Grizzlies have 10 ninth graders on this year’s squad. Norton said once his pupils get used to wrestling on the high school level, the program should improve significantly.

“We’ve put on camps and talked to a lot of kids,” Norton said. “This is good for us in the long run. Considering all the new kids have, we’re doing well. The kids just need mat time and to continue to get experience.”

Another objective Norton has is to instill physical and mental toughness in his wrestlers. Rather than focus on the team’s record, Norton is concerned with how hard the team members work and how much progress they make.

“I’m not so much worked up about the win-loss record,” he said. “We’re trying to build a team that can match the competition. We want to be mentally ready to go out and battle. We’re going to go after every team. The kids are good workers and work as hard, if not harder, than any team in the state. If we lose it won’t be because we’re out of shape.”

The Grizzlies will compete in the Rocky Mountain Rumble at Utah Valley State College Jan. 18-19. The team also has region matches against Riverton on Jan. 24 and at Jordan on Jan. 25-26.