Feb. 12, 2008: Tooele-Transcript Bulletin

Two Tooele High Wrestlers Place First at Region
by Mark Watson

Tooele High wrestling team encountered a major setback at the Region 7 tournament last Friday when 135-pounder Daniel Goode was disqualified in his second match of the day against Payson's Ford McCade. Goode was a favorite to place at the top in the state tournament later this week.

As the match was ending Goode and McCade got into a scuffle and the official ejected Goode from the tournament. Goode will not be able to participate in the state meet.

"Daniel fell down on his opponent and they both ended up pushing each other as the match ended," said Tooele coach Gary Coffman. "They ended up tossing Daniel. There is no way it should have cost him from finishing at region and wrestling in the state tournament."

Tooele coaches said Goode probably would have scored 12 more team points which would have lifted Tooele to a third-place finish instead of fifth. Only 7.5 points separated the third-place team from the fifth-place team.

Payson won the region title with 310 followed by Springville 259, Provo 171.5, Mountain View 169, Tooele 164 and Orem 85.

Eight Tooele wrestlers qualified for the state tournament which will be held Wednesday through Friday at Utah Valley University.

Monte Schmalhaus at 152 pounds and Isaac Brown at 215 pounds both won region championships and Coffman expects them to be in the hunt for state honors next week.

Zeb Hansen placed second at 160 pounds.

Thomas Manning, a second THS wrestler in the 135-pound category, ended up finishing third at region and earning a trip to state.

Chris Heaps finished fourth at 140 pounds and a state berth.

Also qualifying for the state tournament were Jake Prather who finished fifth at 112, Koleton Kroeger fifth at 152 and Joel Spendlove fifth at 285.