Feb. 21, 2008: American Fork Citizen

Cavemen Wrestlers Perform Well at 5A State Competition
by Dean Von Memmott and Beky Beaton

The American Fork wrestling team earned three top-three places and finished 15th overall at last week's state 5A wrestling tournament at UVSC's McKay Events Center.

Justin Ballantyne took second in the 103 weight class, while Michael Hortman at 145 and Jason Day at 285 finished third.

Viewmont (145 points) edged Weber (140.5) for the state title. Of the Region 4 teams, Spanish Fork (107) was the top placer at fifth, with Lehi (101.5) right behind at sixth.

The Cavemen earned 67 points and posted an overall mark of 15-15 for the three-day event.

Justin Ballantyne took on Alta's Carson Kuhn in the Friday championship finals. Kuhn controlled the match from the start. Though Ballantyne did struggle within 4-2, his opponent built up an 8-3 lead before finally pinning him.

Ballantyne had earned his way to the finals by defeating West Jordan's Collin Jorgensen 12-4, staving off Layton's Braden Humphries 7-5, and using a reversal to pin Davis' Brett Naylor.

After besting Davis' Dallin Roth 5-4 in the first round, Day got pinned by quarterfinal opponent Justin Blackmore, who went on to take state at the expense of Lehi's Dylan Stadel.

In the one-loss bracket, Day pinned Skyline's Willie Vea, then outlasted Lone Peak's Kyle Whimpey 4-0 to wrestle the next day.

"I used a barbwire to pin my Skyline opponent," Day said. "I like to use that move. It doesn't always work. I used it halfway through the third period. I want to take third."

In his Friday matches, Day outlasted Viewmont's Ron Wyman 6-2 for the privilege of wrestling Bingham's Spencer Poulson in the match for third place.

The Caveman and the Miner battled to a 2-2 draw in regulation time. However, Day escaped for a 3-2 win in overtime.

American Fork coach Stan Kitchen said, "It's great to see Day finish his career this way."

Hortman scored two falls to reach the semifinals for the 145 weight class division, where he lost by fall to Weber's Logan Hubbard in the second period of their match.

After besting Lone Peak's Chase Stiltson 11-5 in the consolation semifinals, Hortman took on Hunter's Colon Griffiths in the match for third place. The Caveman won his medal by a score of 5-0.

Kitchen said, "That was a great way for Hortman to come back after his loss in the semifinals last night. To beat his Hunter opponent, he scored a takedown and three-point near fall."

Sophomore Scott Newman defeated Taylorsville's C.J. Coggins 9-4 in first-round action in the 119 weight class before he was eliminated by two losses. Newman said, "I'm going to work harder in the off-season and do some freestyle wrestling."

Jason Ballantyne (103), Jake Horan (160) and Kyle Sumsion (189) all won in the first round also, but failed to advance after two losses.

American Fork State Wrestling Results

• 103: Justin Ballantyne - Second place
  
  First round: Justin Ballantyne (AF) def. Collin Jorgensen (WJ), maj. dec. 12-4. Quarterfinals: Justin Ballantyne (AF) def. Braden Humphries (Lay), dec. 7-5. Semifinals: Justin Ballantyne (AF) def. Brett Naylor (Da), fall 1:57. Finals: Carson Kuhn (Alta) def. Justin Ballantyne (AF), fall 3:07.
   

• 103: Jason Ballantyne
  
  First round: Jason Ballantyne (AF) def. Dominic Ek (Hu), fall 4:40. Quarterfinals: Carson Kuhn (Alta) def. Jason Ballantyne (AF), fall 4:40. Consolation: Gavin Robbins (Hc) def. Jason Ballantyne (AF), dec. 13-10.
   

• 119: Scott Newman 2; so 26-12
  
  First round: Scott Newman (AF) def. C.J. Coggins (Tville), dec. 9-4.
  
  Quarterfinals: Trae Bennett (Fr) def. Scott Newman (AF), maj. dec. 14-2.
  
  Consolation: Devon Paraso (WJ) def. Scott Newman (AF), maj. dec. 16-6.
   

• 145: Michael Hortman - Third place
  
  First round: Michael Hortman (AF) def. Matt Waldron (Da), fall 3:31. Quarterfinals: Michael Hortman (AF) def. Travis Mcrae (Bi), fall 2:31. Semifinals: Logan Hubbard (We) def. Michael Hortman (AF), fall 2:46. Consolation: Michael Hortman (AF) def. Chase Stilson (LP), dec. 11-5; Hortman (AF) def. Colton Griffiths (Hu), dec. 5-0.
   

• 160: Jake Horan
  
  First round: Jake Horan (AF) def. Braden Wamsley (Hu), dec. 8-3. Quarterfinals: Chase Hart (We) def. Jake Horan (AF), dec. 6-3. Consolation: Shaun Hunt (We) def. Jake Horan (We), dec. 7-2.
   

• 171: Mitch Nicholes
  
  First round: Shea Kopecky (La) def. Mitch Nicholes (AF), fall 1:57. Consolation: Mark West (Nr) def. Mitch Nicholes (AF), dec. 11-5.
   

• 171: Lee Caldwell
  
  First round: Sam Graham (Vm) def. Lee Caldwell (AF), fall 1:43. Consolation: Seth Endemano (Ri) def. Lee Caldwell (AF), dec. 7-1.
   

• 189: Kyle Sumsion
  
  First round: Kyle Sumsion (AF) def. Duke Babka (Jo), fall 0:41. Quarterfinals: Adam Fager (La) def. Kyle Sumsion (AF), fall 4:18. Consolation: Ryan Vasquez (CH) def. Kyle Sumsion (AF), fall 3:43.
   

• 285: Jason Day - Third place
  
  First round: Jason Day (AF) def. Dallin Roth (Da), dec. 5-4. Quarterfinals: Justin Blackmore (WJ) def. Jason Day (AF), fall 4:51. Consolation: Jason Day (AF) def. Will Vea (Sky), fall 2:42; Day (AF) def. Whimpey (LP), dec. 4-0. Jason Day (AF) def. Ron Wyman (Vm), dec. 6-2; Day (AF) def. Spencer Poulson (Bi), dec. 3-2.