Westlake and Corner Canyon will host the Divisional A and B tournaments respectively on Friday and Saturday.

The defending 6A state champs Westlake will enter 25 wrestlers in the divisional tournament while Lone Peak and Skyridge will have much smaller squads.

The Thunder have returning state champions Jamie Barton (110 pounds), Celeste De’Toles (125), Lizzie Shunn (140) and Emmy Finlinson (145). Ashley Cannon (115), Hailey Piig (140/145) and freshman Keilikki Rarick (235) give the Thunder additional firepower.

Syracuse should also bring a large team but the Titans haven’t shown the quality of Westlake.

The Thunder should run away with the divisional title hoping that they can qualify most of their squad and then drown out the competition with both quality and quantity at the state meet. Skyridge will compete at the Divisional A tourney and Lianny Barrena (110) is definitely a Falcon grappler to watch.

American Fork and Pleasant Grove will head north to Corner Canyon. Neither team will threaten in the team race though Pleasant Grove’s Brooklyn Hays (155) will hope to repeat as a state champion. Host Corner Canyon should battle it out with Copper Hills, last year’s 6A runner-up, and Riverton for the team title.

Brighton High School will host both divisional tournaments in 5A.

Maple Mountain, who won the 1A-3A/5A tournament last season will compete in the Divisional A tournament, which appears to be the stronger of the two divisionals. Mountain View, Northridge and Uintah should put up a formidable challenge to the Golden Eagles.

Maple Mountain does boast returning finalists Donna Wright (120), Nya Seiluli (190) and Aurelia Ramos (235) to go along with returning state champ Morgan Honsvick (245). Ellie Jensen (110) is another top Golden Eagle grappler.

Mountain View counters with returning state finalist Zarieh Power (135) and Esther Han (140), a nationally ranked move-in.

Timpview will compete in this tournament with its two stalwart competitors Kaianne Sabagala (130) and returning state champion Taimane Fiatoa (170). Provo’s Katelyn Wolf (130) could challenge Sabagala and is a returning state placer. Salem Hills’ Braylin Jones (135) is also a wrestler to watch.

In the Divisional B tournament Springville looks to be the team to beat with 12 girls entering the tournament.

Freshman Emeri Mortimer (105) looks to follow in the footsteps of her older sister Sage and claim a state title. Another Red Devil freshman to watch is Ava Barker (115) while returning state finalist Izzy Clements (125) wants the gold medal this year.

Springville does have returning state champion Hotaia Valeti (155) and other key experience comes from returning state placers Laura Weakley (120) and Valery Ethington (125), while Karalie Harris (140) is also noteworthy.

Payson’s January Langston should be a contender at 100 pounds and Cedar Valley has two contenders in AnnaLee Wright (115) and Alexia Woods (120).

American Leadership Academy (ALA) will compete in the Divisional B tournament for the combined classifications 1A-3A.

The Eagles will be led by returning state champions Rachel Camacho (110) and Olivia Carrillo (140). ALA might be the team to beat in their divisional and then they hope to challenge Juab, which has been the top team in smaller schools classification this season.

Boys Wrestling

Pleasant Grove should be at full strength with a full line-up when the Vikings take to the mats at the Divisional A tournament hosted by Corner Canyon.

Jacob Carson (120), Koda DeAtley (138) and Kort Wilkinson (285) are returning state finalists that will lead the Viking charge but Pleasant Grove has plenty of top wrestlers that include Israel Gonzalez (120), Bradley Farrer (132), Damian Neuwirth (132/138), Max Benson (144), Trevyn Gates (175) and Hunter Gillman (175). The Vikings will enter 28 wrestlers with realistic hopes that all could qualify for the state tournament.

Skyridge will head north with Pleasant Grove with returning state champion Josh Millward (150) leading the way. Erol Yellowhair (106) and Billy Ferguson (157) are other top Falcon contenders.

Westlake will host the Divisional A tournament and will hope the home mat advantage will help them overcome the likes of Layton, Mountain Ridge and Syracuse in what looks like the strongest of the two divisionals.

Westlake has returning state champion Breydon Robison (132) leading the way but other top Thunder grapplers are freshman Korbin Chuchran (106) and Josh Fish (125), along with returning state placers Cameron Baum (138), Tucker Butler (144), Jace Brower (150), Jacob Green (157) and Mason Bodell (285). The Thunder are a deep team, much like Pleasant Grove, and their hopes for a 6A title rest on qualifying most of their 28-team squad in good positions for the big tournament.

American Fork and Lone Peak don’t have the depth of Westlake but do have some stars that will impact the team race.

The Cavemen have Dallan Hunsaker, a three-time finalist and state champion two years ago, likely to battle at 132 pounds. Freshman Tege Kelley (120) is also a serious contender and Wade Mecham (113) looks to show well.

Lone Peak was bolstered by Skyridge sibling transfers Cayaen (175) and Mahkyi (190) Smith, both ranked number one in their weight classes. But the Knights also have returning state placer Cooper Mumford at 285 pounds and Corbin Baumgartner (165) has had a good season.

Most of the Utah Valley schools compete in 5A. Payson is the defending state champion but Uintah, who moved up from 4A to 5A this season, is the favorite this year. But Payson, and even Wasatch, still have gold trophy aspirations.

Payson and Wasatch will battle in the Divisional B tournament hosted by Alta Friday and Saturday.

Payson had a great combination of star power and depth as witnessed by its JV team going 4-1 against varsity competition at the 5A Duals two weekends ago.

The Lions are led by returning state champion Aaron Garcia (113) but other top Lion grapplers include returning state placers Eduardo Cabrera (120), Ethan Boulton (126), Will Dixon (130), Colton Theobald (144), Trevor Frank (150), Kelton Smith (157), Layne Osborn (165), and Landen Shurtleff (175). Angel Fuentes (215) has also won or been a finalist in several big tournaments this year and Quayde Beck (165) is turning heads.

Heath Clyde (126), Ryder Robison (132) and Austin Kelly (138) give Wasatch some formidable firepower in the lower middle weights. But the Wasps are bolstered by returning state finalist Bryson Lloyd (144), along with Parker Hayes (120), Christian Slack (157), Charlie Fassold (165) and Kolby Cluff (175). Other Wasps to eyeball include Miles Kohler (120) and Hank Hanssen (138).

Lehi and Mountain View have aspirations to finish in the top five at the state tournament and need a strong divisional to set that up.

Lehi’s strength comes from its upper weight wrestlers as Will McCleary (190) and Isaac Terrell (285) are strong threats to win both divisional and state titles. Danny Hoyal at 215 pounds is also a strong Pioneer grappler.

Mountain View boasts two returning state finalists. Gable Stoddard (113) took second in state last year while Cody Burr (132) was a state finalist two years ago. Tyson Blevins (144) and Cameron Williams (165) also have had strong seasons for the Bruins.

Timpanogos will compete in the Divisional B tournament and will be led by freshman sensation Connor Knudsen (106). Christian Beesley (119) and Michael Fox (150) are wrestlers to watch for Provo and Timpview respectively.

Several county teams will travel out to Vernal for the Divisional A tournament as Uintah plays host.

The Utes should win the divisional quite easily but several Utah County teams will be battling for top spots.

Salem Hills showed strong at the 5A Duals at Mountain View and Breyton Banks (106), Luke DeGraffenreid (150), Dawson Wood (175), and Monson Morley (215) are contenders in their weights.

Opponents should also be wary of Spanish Fork as the Dons have several outstanding wrestlers in Karson Shelley (106), Evan Propokiw (132), Junior Wetzel (132/138), Bridger Warren (138) and Ammon Anderson (157).

Maple Mountain has 2020 state champion Andrew Jensen (195) leading the way but other top Golden Eagles wrestlers include Hixon Canto (150), Joshua Biesenger (175) and Joshua Jackson (285).

Springville has two serious contenders in Andrew Weakley (144) and Tevita Valeti (175). Other valley wrestlers to watch are Cedar Valley’s Braiden Balmforth (113) and Orem’s Hudson Dousett (190).

ALA will compete in the 3A Divisional B tournament that will take place at the Sevier Event Center in Richfield. The Eagles will be led by 3-time state finalist and 2019 state champion Lukus Carrillo (144). Andrew Fox (113) is a serious title contender and brothers Kendal (132) and Traeton (138) Rasmussen hope to soar as well for the Eagles.

The top eight wrestlers from each of the divisionals will qualify for the state championships.

In dual meet action from last week Morgan topped Wasatch 33-32, Mountain View mauled Timpanogos 46-22, Timpview doubled up Provo 48-24, Tooele slipped past Cedar Valley 35-30, Skyridge slammed Farmington 51-27, Salem Hills edged Maple Mountain 38-37, Payson pinned Corner Canyon 48-17, Copper Hills advanced past American Fork 40-35, Emery eased by Maple Mountain 45-33, and Riverton beat Mountain View 33-28. And in the Battle of the Forks (and brothers Kip and Eric Spencer as head coaches of each school), Spanish Fork defeated American Fork 36-33.