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Westlake wrestler Keilikki Nau Rarick pins Murray's Cheyenne Ruiz during the 2024 Ross Brunson All-Star Dual at the UCCU Center in Orem on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2023.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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ALA wrestler Rachel Camacho pins Riverton's Bella Butterfield during the 2024 Ross Brunson All-Star Dual at the UCCU Center in Orem on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2023.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Maple Mountain' Aurelia Ramos celebrates winning the championship match in the 170-pound division at the 2023 5A state girls wrestling finals at the UCCU Center in Orem of Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023.

Marcia Harris, Special to the Herald

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Westlake's Celeste Detoles celebrates winning the finals of the 135-pound division at the 6A state girls wrestling finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Wrestlers stand for the national anthem before the 6A state girls wrestling finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Westlake athletes and coaches pose for a photo after the Thunder won the team title at the 6A state girls wrestling finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Prep wrestling expert Brian Preece’s looks at the 4A, 5A and 6A girls state tournaments. Items included in this primer are predictions for the championship finals, team predictions, weight classes to watch, along with Preece’s top ten wrestlers and teams regardless of classification.

Class 4A

Preece’s 4A Girls Individual Finalist Predictions:

100 pounds: Addilyn Baxter (Mountain Crest) vs. Kenna McCauley (Uintah)

105 pounds: Sadie Rhodes (Uintah) vs. Abbey West (Jordan)

110 pounds: Keegan Grange (Ridgeline) vs. Lindsay Hansen (Tooele)

115 pounds: Chanley Green (Uintah) vs. Quinci Smith (Crimson Cliffs)

120 pounds: Jennacee Harrison (Uintah) vs. Rachel Epling (Bear River)

125 pounds: Sydnie Dick (Uintah) vs. Jakallei Lujan (Uintah)

130 pounds: Gracie Blake (Green Canyon) vs. Isla Baeza (Mountain View)

135 pounds: Nia Hagler (Snow Canyon) vs. Noa Omessi (Park City)

140 pounds: Lucy Harris (Desert Hills) vs Valerie Espinoza (Jordan)

145 pounds: Lily Pomeroy (Pine View) vs. Georgina Decasa (Dixie)

155 pounds: Taylor Hilton (Jordan) vs. Bree West (Crimson Cliffs)

170 pounds: Gracie Howard (Mountain Crest) vs. Aliza Acosta (Stansbury)

190 pounds: Anna Trevizo (Logan) vs. Sydnee Nielson (Bear River)

235 pounds: Cheyenne Ruiz (Murray) vs. Arianah Cowgur (Jordan)

Preece’s 4A Girls Team Predictions: 1. Uintah 2. Mountain Crest 3. Bear River 4. Jordan 5. Ridgeline 6. Stansbury 7. Mountain View 8. Crimson Cliffs 9. Green Canyon 10. Snow Canyon.

4A Returning State Champions: January Langston 2021 (Payson, 105); Keegan Grange 2022, 2023 (Ridgeline, 110); Lindsey Hansen 2022, 2023 (Tooele, 110); Chanley Green 2022, 2023 (Uintah, 115); Taileigh Lujan (Uintah, 115); Mattee Turnbow 2022, 2023 (Mountain Crest, 115); Isla Baeza (Mountain View, 130); Rhees Hatch 2022 (Bear River, 155); Eve Allsup (Bear River, 170); Jorilyn Herzog (Green Canyon, 170); Gracie Howard (Mountain Crest, 170); Brooke Keller (Mountain Crest, 190); Angie Aguilar (Stansbury, 235); Cheyenne Ruiz 2021, 2022, 2023 (Murray, 235).

4A Undefeated Wrestlers: Sadie Rhoades (Uintah, 105); Isla Baeza (Mountain View, 130).

4A Weights to Watch: With the 4A classification expanding, it has brought both last year’s 4A champion (Mountain Crest) and 5A champion (Uintah) together. And it also has brought some returning individual state champions from both classifications together as well. And at 110 pounds, you have two 2-time state champions with Keegan Grange (Ridgeline) and Lindsey Hansen (Tooele) on a collision course for what could be an epic battle!

At 115 pounds, two Uintah wrestlers that won state titles in Taileigh Lujan and Chanley Green are in the field. The latter has actually won two state titles. The other returning state champion is Mountain Crest’s Mattee Turnbow. Green and Lujan are on the same side of the bracket while Turnbow could be tested by Crimson Cliffs’ Quinci Smith, a returning runner-up with a glossy 24-3 record.

At 235 pounds, Murray’s Cheyenne Ruiz has won three state titles. She wrestled at 190 pounds the past three years winning titles at Taylorsville in 6A. Stansbury’s Angie Aguilar is actually the returning 4A state champion but Arianah Cowgur of Jordan could emerge from the bottom side of the bracket. Cowgur has a 25-4 record and placed second to Ruiz at the divisional.

Class 5A

Preece’s 5A Girls Individual Finalist Predictions:

100 pounds Rhiannon Towers (Olympus) vs. Addie Brindley (Salem Hills)

105 pounds: Eva Zimmerman (Hillcrest) vs. Caroline Pastrana (Cyprus)

110 pounds: Ariana Stott (Cedar Valley) vs. Stephani Taufa (Taylorsville)

115 pounds: Marabell Brown (Wasatch) vs. Eliza Zimmerman (Hillcrest)

120 pounds: Pallas Anderson (Wasatch) vs. Kelseigh Banks (Salem Hills)

125 pounds: Elle Jensen (Maple Mountain) vs. Paisley Nelson (Salem Hills)

130 pounds: Mikalah Whitehouse (Northridge) vs. Braylin Jones (Salem Hills)

135 pounds: Daeja Sundquist (Olympus) vs. Annalee Wright (Cedar Valley)

140 pounds: Rhya Balmforth (Cedar Valley) vs. Alexis Kirkland (Bonneville)

145 pounds: Brinlee Mcarthur (Cedar Valley) vs. Avery Winterton (Salem Hills)

155 pounds: Hannah Bowler (Bonneville) vs. Haylee Harris (Springville)

170 pounds: Kate Bird (Wasatch) vs. Hotai Valeti (Springville)

190 pounds: Jocelyn Hepler (Salem Hills) vs. Aurelia Ramos (Maple Mountain)

235 pounds: Elena Kamai (West) vs. Rylynn Denney (Cedar Valley)

Preece’s 5A Girls Team Predictions: 1. Salem Hills 2. Cedar Valley 3. Wasatch 4. Northridge 5. Springville 6. Hillcrest 7. Box Elder 8. Olympus 9. Taylorsville 10. Hunter.

5A Returning State Champions: Eva Zimmerman (Hillcrest, 105); Eliza Zimmerman (Hillcrest, 115); Elle Jensen 2022 (Maple Mountain, 125); Daeja Sundquist (Olympus, 135); Hotai Valeti 2021, 2022, 2023 (Springville, 170); Aurelia Ramos 2022, 2023 (Maple Mountain, 190); Jocelyn Hepler (Salem Hills, 190)

5A Undefeated Wrestlers: Aurelia Ramos (Maple Mountain, 190).

5A Weights to Watch: The 100-pound weight class looks like a lot of fun. It has Rhiannon Towers of Olympus, a runner-up and the Divisional A champion. On her side of the bracket is another Zimmerman sister of Hillcrest, a freshman, that is very capable like her state champion siblings. Then on the bottom side of the bracket you have sophomore sensation Addie Brindley, the Divisional B champ with a sparkling 40-2 overall mark. Zimmerman’s Husky teammate Antonia Ingabire could emerge to challenge Brindley on her side of the bracket.

At 135 pounds, the weight class was strengthened when Syracuse state champion Daeja Sundquist transferred to Olympus. She was the Divisional A champion. But a huge quarterfinal in her side of the bracket looms between Hannah Lesher (Salem Hills) and Regan Heywood (Wasatch). Then on the bottom side of the bracket Divisional A champion Sage Ross of Spanish Fork looks strong. But lurking as a potential semifinal opponent for Ross is Annalee Wright of Cedar Valley. This is a weight class that will really have a huge impact on the team race.

At 170 pounds, Springville’s Hotai Valeti goes for her fourth state title. She was the Divisional B champion. One wrestler that has beaten Valeti in her career was Wasatch’s Kate Bird. She placed third in the Divisional A tourney and is on the opposite side of the bracket. But Bird will have to navigate through Maeli Howard of Bountiful and the Divisional A champion Madilyn Schuck of Alta.

Class 6A

Preece’s 6A Girls Individual Finalist Predictions:

100 pounds: Kinlee Brandley (Fremont) vs. Kristina Kent (Davis)

105 pounds: Mina Trinh (Riverton) vs. Payton Gines (Syracuse)

110 pounds: Bella Butterfield (Riverton) vs. Emily Ball (Syracuse)

115 pounds: Hallie Hansen (Pleasant Grove) vs. Brynlee Sorenson (Layton)

120 pounds: Marlie Rigby (Layton) vs. Aleena Navarette (Weber)

125 pounds: Brooke Deeter (Fremont) vs. Brooklyn Pace (Copper Hills)

130 pounds: Kaitlyn Worthley (Fremont) vs. Nadia Thomas (Skyridge)

135 pounds: Celeste Detoles (Westlake) vs. Jessica Mangelson (Davis)

140 pounds: Meleana Fager (Corner Canyon) vs. Amelia Roennebeck (Syracuse)

145 pounds: Olivia Merino (Mountain Ridge) vs. Maddison Sherman (Skyridge)

155 pounds: Isabella Morgan (Corner Canyon) vs. Katie Law (Herriman)

170 pounds: Clarion Fager (Corner Canyon) vs. Ashlyn Packer (Syracuse)

190 pounds: O’dessa Laititi (Westlake) vs. Hope Barton (Syracuse)

235 pounds: Keilikki Rarick (Westlake) vs. Sam McCormick (Herriman)

Preece’s 6A Team Predictions: 1. Syracuse 2. Corner Canyon 3. Westlake 4. Copper Hills 5. Mountain Ridge 6. Herriman 7. Fremont 8. Riverton 9. Layton 10. Skyridge.

6A Returning State Champions: Kristina Kent 2022, 2023 (Davis, 100); Emily Ball (Syracuse, 110); Aleena Navarette (Weber, 120); Marlie Rigby 2022 (Layton, 120); Brooklyn Pace 2021, 2022, 2023 (Copper Hills, 125); Celeste Detoles 2021, 2022, 2023 (Westlake, 135); Keilikki Nau Rarick 2022, 2023 (Westlake, 235).

6A Undefeated Wrestlers: Kristina Kent (Davis, 120), Aleena Navarette (Weber, 120), Brooklyn Pace (Copper Hills, 125), Katie Law (Herriman, 155), Keilikki Nau Rarick (Westlake, 235)

6A Weights to Watch: The 120-pound weight class features two returning state champions but from different years. Weber’s Aleena Navarette, the Divisional B champion took state last season and at 37-0 is definitely the wrestler to beat. Layton’s Marlie Rigby, who took state two seasons ago, is on the top side of the bracket and placed second to the Weber grappler. Kennedy Jeppson might have a losing record at 10-15 but the freshman came through big for the Thunder winning the Divisional A tourney. She and Rigby could meet in the semifinals.

The 130-pound weight division might be the deepest overall. Kaitlyn Worthley won the Divisional A tourney but Copper Hills’ Kara Noyce is a veteran that knows how to get it done. On the bottom side of the bracket Skyridge’s Nadia Thomas won the Divisional tourney and might be the wrestler to beat. But Westlake’s Ameris Jensen is capable and shouldn’t be overlooked.

The 140-pound weight class is wide open and filled with top-quality contenders. Corner Canyons Meleana Fager won the Divisional A tourney but has past state runner-up Kimberly Fowers on the same side of the bracket. Flowers might get a challenge from Westlake’s Marlie Michaelis, who placed third in the Divisional A tourney. The bottom side of the bracket features another returning state runner-up in Syracuse’s Amelia Roennebeck and she is likely to face the winner of Mountain Ridge’s Eva Newland and Herriman’s Hailey Harvey, who are both very capable.

Other notes

Preece’s 3A Girls Team Predictions: 1. Canyon View 2. Grantsville 3. Union 4. Juab 5. North Sanpete.

Preece’s Top Ten Girls Teams: 1. Uintah (4A) 2. Canyon View (3A) 3. Salem Hills (5A) 4. Syracuse (6A) 5. Cedar Valley (5A) 6. Mountain Crest (4A) 7. Wasatch (5A) 8. Corner Canyon (6A) 9. Westlake (6A) 10. Copper Hills (6A).

Preece’s Top Ten Girls Wrestlers in the State: 1. Keilikki Rarick (235-Westlake) 2. Cheyenne Ruiz (235-Murray) 3. Julia Kay (115-Canyon View) 4. Isla Baeza (130-Mountain View) 5. Celeste Detoles (135-Westlake) 6. Aurelia Ramos (190-Maple Mountain) 7. Katie Law (155-Herriman) 8. Aleena Navarette (120-Weber) 9. Chanley Green (115-Uintah) 10. Hotai Valeti (170-Springville).

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