OREM — Nate Larsen experienced pressure Friday night. As he walked to the center mat for his final at 112 against Ryker Vandertoolen, Larsen knew what was on the line. Vandertoolen had knocked Larsen out of the state tournament a year earlier in the semi-finals and there was a sense of revenge, but his team also depended on his win for its state title.

Six minutes later, Larsen had earned a 3-2 win while picking up valuable team points.

“I’m just relieved that it’s all over,” Larsen said. “I’m not stressed anymore.”

Larsen won his semi-final match Thursday night and had to watch from the stands as his teammates worked their way back to first place for the team title.

“I didn’t even think about my own match until about an hour before the finals,” Larsen said. “I was watching my teammates all day.”

Larsen knew he could depend on his buddies.

“We’ve been in those situations where we needed to step it up and the guys have always come through so I was nervous, but confident,” Larsen said. “I knew they’d stick it out and get the job done.”

Larsen leaves Viewmont wrestling with two state championships, a third-place finish, and a junior national championship.

“Getting beat last year was a terrible feeling so it helped motivate me for everything I came up against since then.”

“I also have a great coach in Brandon Ripplinger who pushed me and teammates that supported me.”

And while being known as a master wrestler, Larsen acknowledges that it does have a few drawbacks. He wished people knew there was much more to his life than the sport he loves.

“It’s sad because a lot of people see me and think only about wrestling,” Larsen said.

“I do so many other things in my life. If I wasn’t wrestling I’d be on the slopes every day.”

Ripplinger even moved the time of a practice during vacation so Larsen could go snowcaving. He also spent last summer earning money deep sea fishing off the Alaska coast.

“Those are things I also enjoy just as much as wrestling.”

Larsen is hanging up his wrestling shoes as he will leave this summer for a two-year LDS mission, something that is a major priority to him.

“I think having gone through the challenges I have as a wrestler and as a member of this team will help me as a missionary.”

Said Ripplinger, “A kid like Nate Larsen doesn’t come along every day. He had one of the toughest weight classes in the state and he went the whole year undefeated. He was one of our leaders. It was like having an extra coach in the room.”