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October 2004:
Wrestling USA Magazine, Today's Wrestling News
Wrestling USA Magazine Announces
Preseason Rankings: Utah Wrestlers of the Year
The Utah Editor for Wrestling USA Magazine has selected
Utah wrestlers as preseason picks for Utah wrestlers of
the year and wrestlers to watch. Leading the list is the
preseason pick as Wrestler of the Year for All Divisions,
Cyler Sanderson of Wasatch High School. The list also
includes wrestlers of the year for the senior, junior,
sophomore and freshman classes.
Utah Editor Bill Kilpack said, "Sanderson definitely
deserves to be named the best in Utah, as well as the
nation. His performance is always strong, no matter what
level. He was one of only three Utahns to place in both
freestyle and Greco-Roman at the USA Wrestling Junior
National Championships in Fargo, North Dakota, last
summer, taking home a silver (Greco) and a 3rd-place
bronze (freestyle). He went undefeated in high school,
winning the Reno Tournament of Champions, and took the 3A
state title last year without really breaking a sweat."
Sanderson, a senior at Wasatch, is currently ranked no.
1 at 140 lbs. in Wrestling USA Magazine's rankings for
seniors and all-division rankings. Some of Sanderson's
other notable exploits include racking up an overall
high-school career record of 117-8. He was crowned
champion at 2004 Reno Tournament of Champions, was named
Outstanding Wrestler at the 2004 Minnesota Clash, 2002
High School State Championships Outstanding Wrestler, is a
three-time USA Wrestling Cadet All-American, and a
three-time USA Wrestling Junior All-American.
The preseason picks for Senior Wrestlers of the Year
are Michael Watts of Riverton High School (119), Tyson
Thompson of Lehi High School (145) and Dallin Norton of
Wasatch (275). Kilpack said, "Watts is very fast and his
technique is sharp, but the thing that's most impressive
is his physical strength. In 2003, he was one of the most
powerful 103-pounders I can remember, and followed it up
with a dominating season at 112 lbs. Following state, he
kept right on going, slicing his way through the Reno
World Championships in folkstyle last April, finishing out
with an outstanding 2nd-place finish."
As a freshman, Watts took a 5th-place bronze medalist
at state. He is a two-time Region 2 champion, won the
Timpanogos, South Summit, and Pleasant Grove tournaments,
as well as winning the Rocky Mountain Rumble. For the
20032004 season, Watts was named a Junior Wrestler of the
Year for Utah by Wrestling USA Magazine.
Of Thompson, he said, "This is Thompson's year to
shine. He's been overlooked in some corners in the past,
but this year promises to make his mark in a big way. His
only losses last season were at 145 pounds at the Reno
Tournament of Champions. By season end last year, he was
ranked the no. 10 junior at his weight in the nation. He
has a very exciting athletic style, fun to watch, and will
be turning heads as he's knocking them."
Thompson is a two-time high school state champion, took
a 5th-place bronze at state as a freshman, placed at the
Reno Tournament of Champions twice, and was a Tulsa
National Champion.
Of Norton, Kilpack said, "Norton definitely deserves to
be on the list of the best in Utah, as well as the nation.
He's an extremely athletic 275-pounder with skills. He
just keeps coming, eating away at his opponents until an
opening presents itself, and he executes. It led to a
national junior ranking of no. 4 by season end, and it was
well deserved. Very impressive."
Norton is a two-time high school state champion, a
three-time All-American, a two-time placer at the Reno
Tournament of Champions (4th and 7th), and took a
3rd-place bronze at state as a freshman.
The preseason picks for Junior Wrestlers of the Year
are Jake Swensen of North Sanpete High School (130), Talan
Knox of Brighton High School (152) and Nathaniel Holt of
Provo High School (135). Kilpack said, "Swensen is the
real deal. He's powerful and skilled. It's not often that
you can cite a freshman state champion, even more rare
when it was done outside the bottom two weight classes. He
continued to be a dominant force in the 125-pound weight
class, regardless of the state division he competes
against, as illustrated by his second State Championship."
Swensen is a two-time high school state champion and
was named Outstanding Wrestler at the state tournament in
2003, as well as being named the Freshman of the Year by
the Utah Wrestling Coaches Association that same year. In
2003, he was the USA Wrestling Cadet Greco-Roman National
Champion; in 2001, USA Wrestling National Champion in
Freestyle, Greco-Roman and Folkstyle (Triple Crown
Winner); in 2000, he was the USA Wrestling National
Champion in Folkstyle (Trinity Winner); and in 1999, he
was the USA Wrestling National Champion in Greco-Roman.
For the 20032004 season, he was named a Sophomore
Wrestler of the Year for Utah by Wrestling USA Magazine.
Of Knox, he said, "I've watched Knox develop from
elementary school. He's got a work ethic that's rare; he
really understands the sport and he loves it. It's obvious
when you watch him wrestle. Taking second in state as a
freshman in a tough weight class is nothing to sneeze at,
either. He is continuing to knock heads and take home top
places, such as a silver medal at the Layton Invitational
(at 145 lbs.) and taking state as a sophomore. At the USA
Wrestling Cadet National Duals he went undefeated in
Greco-Roman and lost one decision in freestyle, while
taking a silver medal at the USA Wrestling Cadet National
Championships with a one-point loss in overtime."
Knox took state last year and took second in state as a
freshman. In 2002, he was the USA Wrestling National
Champion in Greco-Roman, is a three-time USA Wrestling
Western Regionals Greco-Roman Champion, a two-time USA
Wrestling Western Regionals Freestyle Champion, a
four-time USA Wrestling Freestyle state champion, a
three-time USA Wrestling Greco-Roman state champion, and a
seven-time USA Wrestling All-American. In 2004, he was the
High School Region 2 Champion; in 2003, he was the Kids
Freestyle World Cup Champion (Boise, ID). For the
20032004 season, he was named a Sophomore Wrestler of the
Year for Utah by Wrestling USA Magazine.
Of Holt, he said, "I've watched Holt for a some time
now and, in the last year or so in particular, he has
really developed into a fine wrestler. He's skilled, he's
fast, he's powerful. But what really impressed me was when
he didn't leave anything on the mat when he fell short in
the bronze-medal match at the Reno World Championships
last April. I'm sure this is just one of many great things
ahead of him, because he's a gifted wrestler. The strong
turnout at Reno was only one of his glowing performances
supporting the expectations being laid by his national
sophomore ranking last season, including a second-place
finish at the high school state championships, losing to
senior powerhouse McKay Sanderson."
Holt is a one-time high school state silver medalist
and a USA Wrestling Cadet All-American. In 2004, he was
the 4A Duals Champion and won the Bear River Tournament;
took silvers at the Rocky Mountain Nationals in both
Freestyle and Greco-Roman, and took 4th at the Reno World
Championships in folkstyle. In 2003, he was the USA
Wrestling Utah State Champion in freestyle and
Greco-Roman, took silver at the USA Wrestling Western
Regionals in freestyle and finished 6th at the USA
Wrestling Cadet Nationals in freestyle. For the 20032004
season, he was named a Wrestler to Watch for Utah by
Wrestling USA Magazine.
The preseason picks for Sophomore Wrestlers of the Year
are Shay Warren of Weber High School, Sean Porter of Davis
High School and Shaun Holt of Enterprise High School.
Kilpack said, "Warren was very impressive his freshman
year. He won the 5A title at 103 pounds, recovering from a
loss to Caleb Isom of Layton in the Region 1 finals. And
when he recovers, he recovers strong - he pinned Isom in
the second round of the finals for the 5A title."
Warren took state as a freshman, is a six-time USA
Wrestling Utah freestyle state champion (19992004), a
four-time USA Wrestling Utah Greco-Roman state champion
(20002001, 20032004), a two-time USA Wrestling Utah
Greco-Roman state silver medalist (1999, 2002), a 2004 USA
Wrestling Western Regional Champion in freestyle, a 2004
USA Wrestling Western Regional silver medalist in
Greco-Roman and a silver medalist at the Rocky Mountain
Nationals. In 2004, he won the Richardson Memorial and
Evanston Tournaments. In 2003, he took 3rd at the USA
Wrestling Western Regionals in freestyle, and a three-time
silver medalist at the Reno World Championships in 2003,
2002, 2000. In 2002, he took a bronze at the Tulsa
Nationals, and a silver at the Mile High Tournament of
Champions. In 2001, he was the Rocky Mountain Nationals
Champion. In 2000, he was the USA Wrestling Western
Regional Silver medalist in freestyle, and took 3rd in
freestyle at the USA Wrestling Western Regional in 1998.
He was a four-time junior high state champion.
Of Porter, he said, "Porter landed the 5A State
Championship outside the lower weights. He improved
steadily over the year, He was named Outstanding Lower
Weight Wrestler for 5A last season, beating two top-ranked
wrestlers to do it (Kalen Wilson, 2nd in state the year
previous, and Evan Woody, 3rd in state the year previous).
He traveled back to Lincoln, Neb., this past spring to
compete in the National High School Coaches Association
National State Duals, and finished with an impressive
record of 2-1. Like Holt, Porter could also be added to
that oh-so-short list of four-time state champion."
Of Holt, he said, "He's taking down the wins and
bringing home medals. It says a lot when a freshman takes
state, regardless of the class, and it came as no
surprise. He was ranked no. 1 from the first state ranking
this season. And he recovered from a 2nd-place finish in
Region 13 to win that state title, to boot! This could be
the next four-time state champion."
The preseason picks for Freshman Wrestlers of the Year
are Jason Chamberlain of Springville High School, Matt
Brown of Cyprus High School and Ky Lucero of Jordan High
School. Kilpack said, "Chamberlain comes from a family
with a long history in wrestling, and he is every bit as
good as any of them. He is a slick technician who never
loses his head, regardless of the situation. He is patient
and waits for his openings and opportunities. And it's
paid off in his career so far. He has had two undefeated
seasons prior to high school, and has an interscholastic
record that would make anyone envious, and is a National
Champion to boot."
Chamberlain was the 2004 USA Wrestling National
Champion in Greco-Roman and silver medalist in freestyle.
He was a two-time USA Wrestling Western Regional Champion
in Greco-Roman (20032004), and a three-time USA Wrestling
Western Regional Champion in freestyle (20022004).
Of Brown, he said, "Brown is a skilled technician with
power. He keeps his head even in the most wild situations.
In his championship match at Western Regionals last
summer, he had to maintain his composure as the match
ended in overtime, then was restarted three times, as the
sudden-death score was overruled. That's tough on anyone,
let alone a 14-year-old. He finished with championship
titles in both freestyle and Greco-Roman at Western
Regionals, then went on to capture a USA Wrestling Kids
National Title in freestyle back in Wisconsin, as well as
an All-American finish in Greco-Roman. This one's set for
a great freshman year."
Brown was the 2004 USA Wrestling Kids National Champion
in freestyle and took 5th in freestyle; and the 2004 USA
Wrestling Western Regional Champion in both freestyle and
Greco-Roman.
Of Lucero, he said, "I've watched and coached Ky since
he first started wrestling in 2002. He came out, no
experience, but had a natural feel for the sport. No
doubt, it's genetic, being the son of a pretty amazing
Utah wrestler. Ky was as diligent a student as I've ever
seen, drinking in technique, absorbing it like a sponge,
and applying it immediately. This yeoman-like attitude for
learning led to state championships in Greco-Roman and
freestyle as a first-year wrestler. He followed that with
a silver medal at Junior High State in 2003, then double
championships in freestyle and Greco for the second year.
In 2004, he was crowned champion at Junior High State, and
racked up his third straight season as a double medalist
the USA Wrestling Utah State Championships. Ky is as
exciting a freshman wrestler as I can remember."
Lucero was a 2004 junior high school state champion, a
three-time USA Wrestling Utah freestyle state champion
(20022004), a three-time USA Wrestling Utah Greco-Roman
state champion (20022004), and a 2003 junior high school
state silver medalist.
For more information about wresting in Utah, go to
UtahWrestling.org or call (801) 641-9832. |
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