March 2008: Cottonwood/Holladay Journal

Titan Wrestling On Top Again in Region 6
by Michelle Taft

It was a bit of déjà vu for Olympus as the Titans were awarded the Region 6 wrestling title. They have, after all, done it eight years straight.

“That was our goal,” said Titans coach Theros Johnson. “Eight straight was a big thing for us.”

The Titans qualified 15 athletes to compete at the state tournament Feb. 13-15, where four took home state medals. The team placed eighth in 4A.

“We were excited to be there and we did do well,” said Johnson. “As a coach, I’m always looking to get that state title, but the kids battled and they hung in there, but we wound up in eighth place and that’s how it goes sometimes.”

State medalists included Zack Colton with a third place fi nish in 152, Thomas Lee with a fourth place finish in 160, Ashot Musheghyan in fifth place at 119 and Aaron Hanson at 140 in fifth.

“These guys were solid all year and came through and battled for those places,” said Johnson. “Zack Colton was on the tougher side of the bracket and had things broken down another way he might have been in the finals, but he had an early loss and battled back for that third place spot and did a great job.”

The state tournament was the final high school competition for Colton, a senior. “My goal this season was to place in every tournament and I did that in all but one,” Colton said. “Knowing it’s my last year I just pushed myself harder all year. I obviously also wanted to take state but it was still really fun taking third and I was really glad to finish my season on a win.”

Colton took first in the Region 6 meet at 152. Other top region finishers for Olympus included Casey Kelleher in second at 103, Ashot Musheghyan with third at 119, John Venderberghe in first at 125, Justin Bryner in third at 125, Nick DeJong in third at 130, Colton Gibbons in third at 135, Aaron Hanson in first at 140, Sam Anderson in third at 140, Ben McKay with third at 145, Paul Bradshaw in fourth at 145, Thomas Lee in first at 150, Sam Bailey in third at 160, John Kacinski in fourth at 160 and Steven Hendriks in third at 189.

“We were tenth last year in the state and eighth this year, so we’re heading in the right direction,” said Johnson. “Six sophomores qualified for state this year and got us some good team points at state and had a really strong showing.