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Orem • Nick Sorenson had one last shot at glory.
Twice before, the Millard Eagle had wrestled his way to the brink of a state championship, only to have to endure the sight of a referee raising his opponent's arm in victory.
Sorenson, now a senior, found himself again in a struggle during the Class 2A finals Saturday. He was tied at 2, and sandwiched between the mat and Richfield's Devin Morrison.
That's when Sorenson turned a quick reversal into a cradle and a lead. A short while later, Sorenson had his man again in his cradle. This time he pinned him.
"It feels amazing. Finally after three years!" Sorenson said after the referee had lifted his arm in the air. "I knew the third time was going to be the charm."
In a hallway away from the wrestling mats, his Millard teammates rushed to congratulate him, lifting him off the ground with bear hugs.
"I was so happy," senior DonE Fullmer said of Sorenson's win. "Three years, it finally paid off. I was freaking out. I was jumping up and down."
The Eagles owned the day, walking away with a final score of 286 — nearly 70 points better than the next closest competitor. It was Millard's second straight championship and its seventh in the last eight years.
Millard also won four individual championships Saturday.
Jeremy Aleman won at 220 pounds. Chase Kelly clung to a one-point lead to take first at 132 pounds.
Fullmer, who won a championship last year wrestling at 182 pounds, also found himself in a battle. Beaver's Travis Gilman seemed to stall at times, forcing the squat, muscular Fullmer to shoot for his legs — one of his weaknesses.
Fullmer conceded neutral to start the third and was called for stalling, bringing the score to 3-2. But once again, Fullmer prevailed.
"It's not really an enjoyment thing, it's more like I feel calm with everything," he said after. "It's a peaceful feeling."
Beaver High pushed Millard throughout the championships. The Beavers got a big boost from their smallest varsity wrestler early in Saturday's finals. Kyle Evans, a 106-pound freshman with braces and a buzz cut, beat Camron Dickinson of Richfield for his first state championship.
"I just try and work my hardest and show them what I've got," Evans said. "I hope my team can win a state title in the future."
Brendon Sorenson of North Sevier dismantled his opponent for an 18-1 win and his second state championship. The Wolves finished the day in third place with 212 points.
Manti junior Kameron Fowles broke a late 8-8 tie to secure his second state championship, helping a young Templar team to a fourth-place finish.
Twitter: @aaronfalk