Is it better to have depth or superstars?

When teams don't have both, superstars usually carry the day.

What will happen this year?

The Class 5-A and 4-A state meets begin today at Utah Valley State College, while the 3-A and 2-A meets begin Thursday. The 1-A meet starts Friday.

Although there are only 14 weight divisions, many teams will send more wrestlers than that, some as many as 20, because junior varsity wrestlers are allowed to qualify for the state meet if they finish fourth or better (in most cases) at their region tournaments.

"The way it is set up, it becomes more of a numbers game than anything else," said Wasatch coach Steve Sanderson.

In 3-A, for instance, four-time defending champion Wasatch has been ranked No. 1 all season and will almost assuredly win three individual titles: Casey Smith at 130 pounds, Jake Salazar at 145 and Ethan Smith at 160.

But deeper Uintah walloped the Wasps at the Region 10 tournament (302-268.5) and qualified 20 wrestlers, while Wasatch got in just 15. The Utes had six region champions, like Wasatch, but have only two surefire state champs: Zack Reynolds at 112 and Jared Ruppe at 171.

"We felt all year our junior varsity team was a little better than most," said Uintah coach Gregg Stensgard. "It definitely gives us confidence that we're capable of doing it."

Although Region 8 champ Delta barely edged North Sanpete (332-328.5) for that league's title, the Rabbits qualified 18 wrestlers and could have a say, too, in what traditionally has been the state's toughest wrestling classification.

Delta has won 26 state titles, Uintah 23 and Wasatch 16.

As noted in Tuesday's Salt Lake Tribune, Uintah sophomore Candace Workman will be the first girl to wrestle in a Utah state tournament when she faces Tooele's Jake Prather on Thursday, having placed third in Region 10 last week.

Here's a look at the other meets:

CLASS 5-A: Pointing to last year, when they were the heavy pre-tournament favorite before losing to three-time defending 5-A champion Viewmont by 10.5 points in the end, the Weber Warriors won't concede that they are by far the top team in the classification this year.

But they are. They beat the Vikings by 65 points at the Region 1 meet last week, and qualified 16 wrestlers in winning half (seven) of the individual region titles. A collapse this year is unimaginable, as senior Shay Warren (125) chases his fourth state title and guys such as Jaden Briskey, Aaron Ross, Kade Hall and Lew Woolsey look capable of winning solo championships.

"Obviously, rankings don't mean anything, because we were No. 1 last year, too," said Weber coach Jody Warren, Shay's father. "If there is anything different about this team, it is their unity. It is the most coachable bunch of kids I have ever coached."

Weber hasn't won a state championship since 1956.

Davis' Sean Porter will also go for his fourth title, at 140, while other team contenders are Region 4 champ Pleasant Grove and Region 2 winner Alta.

CLASS 4-A: Springville has never taken state in wrestling, but this should be the Red Devils' year. Coach Justin Judkins' squad won the Region 7 title easily and qualified 18 wrestlers.

Defending champion Mountain Crest, ranked No. 2, won Region 5 again but qualified only 14, meaning Springville has both the depth and the stars on its side.

Red Devil Jason Chamberlain, a junior, is a lock to win his third straight title, at 140, and senior Kolby Bradley is the top 119-pound wrestler in the state.

Another junior, Cyprus' Matt Brown, is also gunning for his third straight state championship, and the Pirates could be a factor, along with Box Elder and Lehi.

CLASS 2-A: The surest bet to win a state title is Millard, which has shown this year it could challenge for supremacy in any classification. The Eagles have won seven of the last nine 2-A crowns and will win their 12th overall title when the 2-A tourney concludes Saturday evening.

Mason Stott (130), Kyle Tuttle (145), Wade Eldredge (171) and TJ Robins (189) will be out to repeat state titles they won last year, while Rayce Christensen, Brady Robins, Scott Whitaker and Chris Glascock also won region titles last week and could give the Eagles an amazing eight state champions in 14 divisions.

Juab, South Summit and North Sevier will battle for second.

CLASS 1-A: Like Wasatch, Uintah, Delta and Millard, Wayne is one of those smaller schools with outstanding wrestling tradition. The Badgers are chasing their 17th state title, and third straight, but top-ranked Altamont and No. 2 Duchesne stand in the way.

drew@sltrib.com