Dec. 15, 2004: Vernal Express

Wrestlers Compete in Ohio

Uintah High School’s wrestling team took 12th in a tournament last week in Cleveland, Ohio, which has been called the “toughest wrestling tournament in the nation.”

Four of the five top ranked teams in the nation were at the Iron Man Tournament hosted by Walsh Jesuit High School. Uintah was the team which was farther west of the other 31 teams in the tournament which was attended by teams from Colorado, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illionis, West Virginia and other eastern states.

Three Uintah Utes placed at the tournament. Phillip Keddy, 171, took the championship in his weight class with a win-loss record of 5-0. Levi Mele, 112, took third with a win-loss record of 5-1 and Jared McCurdy, 189, was in the top eight with a win-loss record of 4-2. Nate Cook also had a good tournament, said Coach Gregg Stensgard.

“It was a very large tournament,” Stensgard said. “Some of our wrestlers were like deer in lights — in awe because of the size of the event.”

The team could have done better than it did, but it was the first time for many of the wrestlers to travel east of the Mississippi.

“Keddy gained a lot of respect at the tournament,” Stensgard said. “He received a lot of prestigious offers from colleges after winning the championship.”

The team plans to attend the event again next year.

“The drawback of travel and cost of the tournament are offset by the self-esteem and confidence it builds,” Stensgard said.