High school boys wrestling: Spanish Fork holds on for 5A state title
After taking a slim lead into the final day of the 5A state wrestling tournament, Spanish Fork was able to hold on to beat Box Elder, securing the championship with a total score of 272.5.
Box Elder was runner-up with a total team score of 256, while Wasatch tallied 226.5 points to finish third.
“We for sure expected Box Elder to put up a fight. Them and Wasatch, they have too many stars and a lot of power so we knew they were going to come out tough,” said Spanish Fork head coach Kip Spencer.
Spanish Fork was led by Karson Shelley, who defeated Breyton Banks in the 120-pound weight class with a score of 8-4 to secure the coveted 3-peat.
Shelley attacked Banks early and often, getting a quick 5-0 lead in the first period, a lead he wouldn’t come close to giving up.
“I like to try to wrestle ahead and get as many points as possible early,” Shelley said. “I know that I am strong enough that once I get a big enough lead I can stall out.
“I felt like the first period ended for me the way it has for the last couple of matches for me so I just gave it everything I had.”
Even so, Box Elder was a handful for Spanish Fork all night. In the first match of the night in the 106-pound weight class, Conley Evans defeated Teagen Leavitt by a score of 8-4.
After falling behind 2-0 early in the match, Evans settled in and scored three points in the first period, three points in the second and two points in the third to secure his medal.
Spanish Fork had 13 wrestlers finish in the top six, while Box Elder had 12 and Wasatch managed 10.
In the 157-pound weight class, Wasatch’s Henry Hanssen did his best to help put the pressure on the teams in front of the Wasps.
Hanssen faced Box Elder’s Deegan Hardy and wasted no time with going on the attack. With 50 seconds left in the first period, Hanssen got a fall on Hardy, securing his second title and ending his high school career on the strongest performance possible.
“Wrestling has been transformative for me, not just as a sport but as a person,” Hanssen said. It’s given me grit, determination, focus and helped me to push through adversity.
“I’ve learned things in my high school career that I can take with me that will help me be successful as I pursue other opportunities.”
In the 215-pound weight class, similar to Shelley before him, Woods Cross’ Cash Henderson was also going for a 3-peat, with his opponent being Lione Hola of Kearns.
Up 6-2 and with a minute left in the second period, Henderson was able to pin Hola, securing another title to add to his resume.
“It feels pretty awesome,” Henderson said. “I haven’t pushed the pace like that in a long time against a good opponent.
“It felt great just to score points and have fun. Out of all of the ones that I have won, I’d say this was by far my best. Being able to do it at this state championship and putting up the points that I did, it was just the best.”
Other individual state champs include Maple Mountain’s Caleb Jackson (113), Wasatch’s Benjamin Kohler (126), Wasatch’s Max Richins (132), Wasatch’s Daxton Bonner (138), Box Elder’s Jackson Ricks (144), Spanish Fork’s Junior Wetzel (150), Spanish Fork’s Alex Koyle (165), Box Elder’s Brandon Murray (175), Springville’s Tevita Valeti (190), and Cyprus’ Skyler Armenta (285).
Class 5A state tournament
At Utah Valley University
Team Scores
Spanish Fork, 272.5
Box Elder, 256
Wasatch, 226.5
Salem Hills, 129
Viewmont, 97
Springville, 87
Kearns, 83
Woods Cross, 72.5
Individual results
106 — 1. Conley Evans, Box Elder; 2. Taegan Leavitt, Spanish Fork; 3. Connor Simons, Spanish Fork; 4. Kevin Mayo, Salem Hills; 5. Jacob Gardner, Woods Cross; 6. Dallas Zobell, Springville
113 — 1. Caleb Jackson, Maple Mountain; 2. Kaleb Blackner, Roy; 3. Brody Vogelsberg, Spanish Fork; 4. Mason Bingham, Box Elder; 5. Walter Beacham, Alta; 6. Diego Ortiz, Hunter
120 — 1. Karson Shelley, Spanish Fork; 2. Breyton Banks, Salem Hills; 3. Johnny Orr, Alta; 4. Seth Hall, Skyline; 5. Ryder Christensen, Wasatch; 6. Saul Gamino, Box Elder
126 — 1. Benjamin Kohler, Wasatch; 2. Alex Linquist, Viewmont; 3. Kyler Spencer, Spanish Fork; 4. Bostyn Tucker, Box Elder; 5. Pace Williams, Olympus; 6. Gavin Gulbranson, Box Elder
132 — 1. Max Richins, Wasatch; 2. Dawson Auger, Northridge; 3. Cooper Limb, Hillcrest; 4. Cahill Simons, Spanish Fork; 5. Maximo Quintana, Roy; 6. David Soria, Bonneville
138 — 1. Daxton Bonner, Wasatch; 2. Porter Olson, Spanish Fork; 3. Tate Ripplinger, Viewmont; 4. Jonah Ware, Wasatch; 5. Landon Child, Northridge; 6. Andrew Simmons, Box Elder
144 — 1. Jackson Ricks, Box Elder; 2. Spencer Rees, Viewmont; 3. Edward Sears, Spanish Fork; 4. Sam Morrill, Salem Hills; 5. Blake Buckway, Box Elder; 6. Gavin Houston, West Jordan
150 — 1. Junior Wetzel, Spanish Fork; 2. Tayson Wylie, Box Elder; 3. Davin Fedler, Springville; 4. Daniel Schraedel, Salem Hills; 5. Gabe Barnett, Wasatch; 6. Gatlin Call, Spanish Fork
157 — 1. Henry Hanssen, Wasatch; 2. Deegan Hardy, Box Elder; 3. Brennan Higgs, Clearfield; 4. Ryker Olson, Spanish Fork; 5. Tucker Keller, Northridge; 6. Thatcher Casperson, Salem Hills
165 — 1. Alex Koyle, Spanish Fork; 2. Wyatt Hanssen, Wasatch; 3. Lock Smoot, Woods Cross; 4. Jayce Wandell, Cedar Valley; 5. Zachary Jones, West Jordan; 6. Marcus Sollers, Hillcrest
175 — 1. Brandon Murray, Box Elder; 2. Kaden Moore, Salem Hills; 3. Kenyon Paea, Hunter; 4. Lisiate Valeti, Springville; 5. Kody Whited, Cedar Valley; 6. Logan Cefalo, Box Elder
190 — 1. Tevita Valeti, Springville; 2. Andre Leota, Olympus; 3. Lucas Andtbacka, Skyline; 4. Hyrum King, Spanish Fork; 5. Gavin Riggs, Kearns; 6. Isaac Leichty, Bountiful
215 — 1. Cash Henderson, Woods Cross; 2. Lione Hola, Kearns; 3. Jaxson Young, Salem Hills; 4. Kaleb Djambov, Viewmont; 5. Garrett Christensen, Wasatch; 6. Mack Youngberg, Viewmont
285 — 1. Skyler Armenta, Cyprus; 2. Austin McNaughtan, Wasatch; 3. Siope Havea, Hunter; 4. Cody Kaleikini, Box Elder; 5. Carter Rudolph, Roy; 6. Raymond Tongolei, Kearns
