Nov. 30, 2004: The Standard Examiner

It's Tournament Time: Top of Utah Wrestlers Tuning Up for 2004-05 Season
by Tony Renya

It's not uncommon for schools to pad their preseason basketball tournaments so as to ensure a championship trophy. In wrestling, however, there are no patsies in their tournaments.

Instead of taking the let's-put-one-in-the-trophy case approach, wrestling coaches like to use preseason tournaments to get their younger wrestlers some much-needed mat experience, and to scope out the competition.

"It's really important this early in the year to get these guys some experience. We try to find as many tournaments as we can for our sophomores and freshmen," Weber coach Jody Warren said.

Several Top of Utah schools participate in prestigious preseason events like the recently held Davis Turkey Dart Invitational, this week's Evanston Invitational, and the Warrior Duels slated for the middle of the month.

The Evanston Invitational, will be held Dec. 3-4, and will include Weber and Morgan along with several schools from Wyoming and Idaho.

"One reason we go to Evanston is because we can wrestle the whole team, including ninth- graders and JV," Warren said.

The 15th annual Warrior Duels, considered one of the most grueling tournaments around, will be held two weeks later on Dec. 17-18.

The eight-team tournament includes host Weber, Star Valley, Wyo., Sky View, Pleasant Grove, Alta, Bear River, Morgan and Lone Peak.

"It's a tough tournament," Warren said.

Each wrestler will have seven matches in the two-day event.

Although Weber has one of the top wrestling programs in the state, the Warriors have never won their own tournament.

Unlike their hardwood counterparts, wrestling doesn't settle into a league-only schedule.

Right in the middle of the region wars, more prestigious invitationals are held, including the Richard Memorial, hosted by Box Elder, and the Idaho Falls Invitational, ranked as one of the top 15 tournaments in the country.

"If we can make it past those weeks without injuries, we'll be all right. As we get closer to region and state, we try to get the competition up a little more," Warren said. "Everything we do in wrestling is to prepare for region and state."