Depth propels Wasatch girls wrestling to 5A state championship
-
- Wasatch wrestlers celebrate after winning the 5A team title at the 2024 state girls wrestling finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024.
-
- Maple Mountain’s Ellie Jensen celebrates after winning her championship match during the 2024 state girls wrestling finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024.
-
- Salem Hills wrestler Kelseigh Banks stands atop the podium after winning the state championship during the 2024 state girls wrestling finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024.
-
- Maple Mountain wrestler Aurelia Ramos celebrates after winning her match during the 2024 state girls wrestling finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024.
-
- Maple Mountain wrestler Aurelia Ramos celebrates after winning her match during the 2024 state girls wrestling finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024.
-
- Maple Mountain wrestler Aurelia Ramos (left) competes against Alta’s Ava Semchuck during the 2024 state girls wrestling finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024.
-
- Cedar Valley wrestler Madison Mayes celebrates after winning her match during the 2024 state girls wrestling finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024.
-
- Cedar Valley wrestler Madison Mayes (right) competes against Alta’s Madilyn Schuck during the 2024 state girls wrestling finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024.
-
- Wasatch wrestler Corinne Letchford (left) competes in her match during the 2024 state girls wrestling finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024.
-
- Cedar Valley wrestler Rhya Balmforth (right) competes in her match during the 2024 state girls wrestling finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024.
-
- Cedar Valley wrestler Annalee Wright competes in her match Skyridge wrestler Madison Sherman tries to stay focused during an injury timeout in her match during the 2024 state girls wrestling finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024.
-
- Cedar Valley wrestler Annalee Wright throws Olympus’s Daeja Sundquist to the ground during the 2024 state girls wrestling finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024.
-
- Salem Hills wrestler Avery Winterton (front) competes during the 2024 state girls wrestling finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024.
-
- Mountain View wrestler Isla Baeza (left) battles Provo’s Ella Reynolds during the 2024 state girls wrestling finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024.
-
- Mountain View wrestler Isla Baeza (right) battles Provo’s Ella Reynolds during the 2024 state girls wrestling finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024.
-
- Maple Mountain wrestler Elle Jensen (left) competes against Salem Hills’ Paisley Nelson during the 2024 state girls wrestling finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024.
-
- Orem wrestler Sophia Johnson (right) rolls across the mat during the 2024 state girls wrestling finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024.
-
- Salem Hills wrestler Kelseigh Banks celebrates winning a state title during the 2024 state girls wrestling finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024.
-
- Cedar Valley wrestler Arisna Stott (right) competes during the 2024 state girls wrestling finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024.
-
- Cedar Valley wrestler Arisna Stott (right) celebrates after winning a state title during the 2024 state girls wrestling finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024.
Though they didn’t crown an individual champion, it was a total team effort that led the Wasatch Wasps to the 5A title.
This was truly an amazing journey because it has been such a short one. Wasatch didn’t have any girls out for wrestling two years ago before head coach Hailey Corona’s arrival and now their depth and numbers in just two seasons have led them to the promised land.
“I think it’s very important for me to develop all of my athletes,” Wasatch head coach Hailey Corona said. “Last year we had 30 girls come out for wrestling for me and this year we had close to 40 and we spent a lot of time developing these wrestlers. I tell my wrestlers to believe in themselves and leave their hearts out there.”
Wasatch scored a total 249.5 points by placing 11 wrestlers with 19 of their 21 wrestlers winning matches. This easily outpaced second place Salem Hills (208) and third place Cedar Valley (200).
Placing second for the Wasps were Marabell Brown (115 pounds), Pallas Anderson (120) and Corinne Letchford (145). Maisey Blaser (105), Amberly Howe (130), Regan Heywood (135), and Tyler Richter (155) placed third, while Brinette Winegar (140) was fourth. Fifth place performances were garnered by Elliana Topete (105), Kate Bird (170) and Adyson Knight (235).
While Wasatch may not have won any big tournaments until the divisional and state meets, the Wasp did have big dual meet victories over Bear River, Uintah and 6A team champions Copper Hills.
“We really had a good full season. We had it in us the whole year. But all of us have been working hard all year,” added Corona.
The Wasps return most of their wrestlers and will be bolstered by incoming freshmen being developed in the junior high program.
Salem Hills had one champion and when Kelseigh Banks won the 120-pound title by pin over Wasatch’s Anderson, it clinched the silver trophy for Skyhawks.
“I wanted it done,” said Banks of her first-round pin. “I didn’t want to mess around.”
Banks plays both soccer and softball for the Salem Hills but finds wrestling to be her favorite sport.
“It’s (wrestling) is just individually rewarding,” Banks said. “In the other sports my teammates help me but here it’s up to me.”
Cedar Valley had the best night with regards to crowning champions as the Aviators put three wrestlers on top of the podium.
Arisna Stott had the most dramatic win of the trio as she held off Taylorsville’s Stephanie Taufa 6-5. Stott had built up a 6-3 lead with two takedowns, an escape and penalty point for stalling. Then with just one second left Taufa threw her to her back. But with just that second left, the Warrior grappler couldn’t earn the two points for near-fall to get the victory.
Stott knew just how close the outcome of her bout was.
“I was like ‘No!’ I heard (the timer say) one second and it was over,” Stott said. “It feels good (to be a state champion).”
Annalee Wright took care of business in her match, defeating Olympus’ Daeja Sundquist 7-1.
Then at 170 pounds Madison Mayes completed an incredible run to the title when she pinned Alta’s Madilyn Schuck in the first round. Mayes pulled off a huge upset yesterday in the semifinals when she pinned Springville’s Hotaia Valeti, who was going for her fourth state title.
“I just kept driving and I just kept working and I never gave up,” Mayes said.
“She didn’t shock us,” said Cedar Valley head coach Erik Gonzalez of Mayes’ big win over Valeti. “We believed it all along.”
Mayes said “it’s amazing” to wrestle in Gonzalez’s program as the Cedar Valley head coach has led the Aviators to a second and a third place finish in his two years at the school.
Maple Mountain put two wrestlers on top of the podium with Elle Jensen (125) as she decisioned Salem Hills’ Paisley Nelson 7-4 to avenge her loss to the Skyhawk wrestler at the divisional meet. It was Jensen’s second state title.
Then her Golden Eagle teammate Aurelia Ramos won her second state title when she pinned Alta’s Ava Semchuck in the second period.
Ramos was a 4-time finalist and now has won titles at 170 and 190 pounds in her career.
“I finally won a title at 190. I took second my sophomore year,” Ramos said. The Golden Eagle grappler showed patience as the first period was scoreless. But then Ramos got a takedown and the pin.
“She was controlling my wrist and I couldn’t get my ties (in the first period) but then I finally got on top,” added Ramos.
Cedar Valley’s Rhya Balmforth, Salem Hills’ Avery Winterton (145) and Springville’s Hailey Harris (155) all placed second.
The heart of a champion: When you are going for your fourth state title and are upset in the quarterfinals, it takes a lot of fortitude to get back up and keep going. But Springville’s Hotai Valeti (170) did just that. She won her last four matches by first period pin to finish in third place.
Corona makes history: Two coaches in boys wrestling won two titles at different schools and they are Fred Rowland (West and Orem) and Jim Porter (Delta and Millard). But it just took three years as a head coach for Corona to do that feat. Corona led Maple Mountain to the 2022 5A state title, and now has led Wasatch to its first state title in girls wrestling. Corona, and her father Billy Cox, are the only father-daughter head coaches to win state titles in Utah wrestling history.
4A Notes: Mountain View was the top local team in the 4A tourney as the Bruins placed fifth with 140.5 points. Mountain Crest (266) easily outdistanced Bear River (234) for the title.
The Bruins had one state champion with Isla Baeza (130) who won her second state title and finished up an undefeated season at 34-0 by defeating Provo’s Ella Reynolds by a 13-2 major decision.
Baeza was very emotional after her match.
“It’s my last year wrestling (high school),” said the Bruin senior. “I don’t know where I would be without wrestling.”
Baeza does plan on continuing to compete at the next level but is unsure of where that will be.
Orem’s Sophia Johnson placed second at 125 pounds as county schools had three wrestlers reach the finals in the 4A tournament.
Newsletter
High School
Spanish Fork’s Morgan Beckstrom caps high school rodeo career with world championship
Doing it all: TalonsCove general manager Kareen Larson juggles hosting and playing Utah Women’s State Amateur
