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Unless you're an ax-wielding Viking donning blue and white battle armor for Pleasant Grove — which would be quite the spectacle — the Class 5A wrestling tournament is downright boring.
Pleasant Grove, aside from a monumental upset, will likely capture its sixth consecutive state title in addition to the hardware it already secured in the inaugural state dual meet championship two weeks ago.
So when the state's top grapplers descend upon the UCCU Center on the campus of Utah Valley University this week, with the two largest classifications on Wednesday and Thursday and Class 3A, 2A and 1A on Friday and Saturday, the marquee storyline will be: Which team will emerge in Class 4A?
The two best programs have resided in Region 8 all year. Maple Mountain captured the region title, but lost to Wasatch in the state dual wrestling championship, 44-24. The Golden Eagles have the strength and depth to split the titles this season by winning the individual bracketed, traditional state tournament, but the Wasps are the pacesetter.
"They just out-wrestled us," said Maple Mountain coach Justin Judkins about the dual loss. "... They really showed up to wrestle that night, and I didn't think our boys did."
Judkins pinpointed three keys to winning the third championship in school history after repeating in 2012-13: Win any head-to-head matches against Wasatch; perform well in the consolation bracket; secure bonus points from pins.
Wasatch is at the disadvantage of fending off a motivated Maple Mountain team but at the same time, the Wasps are motivated to become the first school in the 4A classification to win both the dual and traditional state championships in the same season.
"It's trying to improve every time we go out there, and I think the kids have been focusing on that. As long as they keep doing that, you hope for the right results at the end," said Wasatch coach Wade Discher. "... It would mean a ton [to win both titles]. I don't think one diminishes another one, but to be the first in history to do this — we've got a community that loves our program. It would be a thing they could be proud of."
There are five returning individual champions in the 5A class: American Fork's Cameron Hunsaker, Davis' Wyatt Koelling, Herriman's Wade French and Pleasant Grove's Ben Anderson, a Duke commit seeking his fourth title, and Koy Wilkinson.
Box Elder's Brock Hardy, Maple Mountain's Tanner Cox and Taylor Lamont, who is also looking to capture his fourth title, and Wasatch's Braiden Parker are the returning champions in Class 4A.
The 3A classification, which Juab is the favorite to win, features Bear River's Holden Richards and Juab's Ashton Seely as returning champions, while Class 2A, with seven-time defending champion Delta as the frontrunner again, showcases Beaver's Kyle Evans, Delta's Jason Hatch and Brett Walker, Emery's McCoy Christiansen, Gunnison's McKade Cox, North Summit's Jaxon Coles and Randon Pentz and South Summit's Matt Lee.
The returning champions are rounded out in the 1A classification by Duchesne's David VanTassell and Wesley Kota Powell, Monticello's Zac Musselman, Panguitch's Kolton Owens and Piute's Austin Trapp. Duchesne is favored to win the team title.
Twitter: @trevorphibbs —
State wrestling tournament
P At Utah Valley University
5A and 4A • Wednesday and Thursday
3A, 2A and 1A • Friday and Saturday