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Payson wrestler Colton Theobald celebrates winning the 144-pound finals at the 2024 4A boys wrestling finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Payson wrestlers pose for a photo with the second-place trophy after the 2024 4A boys wrestling finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Payson wrestler Colton Theobald (left) competes in the 144-pound finals at the 2024 4A boys wrestling finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Payson wrestler Quayde Beck celebrates winning the 144-pound finals at the 2024 4A boys wrestling finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Payson wrestler Quayde Beck (top) celebrates winning the 144-pound finals at the 2024 4A boys wrestling finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Payson wrestler Landon Shurtleff celebrates winning the 144-pound finals at the 2024 4A boys wrestling finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Payson wrestler Landon Shurtleff (top) competes against Mountain View's Isaac McGee in the 190-pound finals at the 2024 4A boys wrestling finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Mountain View wrestler Glade Harmon celebrates winning the 132-pound finals at the 2024 4A boys wrestling finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Mountain View wrestler Glade Harmon (right) competes in the 132-pound finals at the 2024 4A boys wrestling finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Payson wrestler Daxton Jolley (left) competes in the 106-pound finals at the 2024 4A boys wrestling finals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

❮ ❯

Uintah, which has flipped-flopped between the 4A and 5A classifications in recent years, won their fourth boys wrestling state title in a row, this time in the 4A classification.

And for the third straight year, Payson finished right behind the Utes.

Uintah scored 287.5 points while Payson tallied 239.5.

“Hats off to Uintah,” Payson head coach Jeb Clark said. “They wrestled a great tournament. We knew we were outgunned going in (to the state tournament), but we put up a fight. It’s the state tournament, you win some, you lose some and some matches drive you crazy as a coach.”

Uintah had the tournament locked up long before the championships, but Payson still put five grapplers into the finals and three won gold medals.

Payson’s first state champion was Colton Theobald (144 pounds). The Payson senior won his third state title but there was a lot of uncertainty whether he would be able to compete at all, let alone to the high standards he was accustomed to.

Theobald was more than up to the challenge as he defeated Sky View’s Parley Thacker 8-3. Theobald also had three pins in the tourney.

In December, Theobald’s knee split open and he missed a good bulk of the 2023-24 season.

“As soon as it happened, I was scared that I wouldn’t even be able to touch the mat,” Theobald said. “After those eight, nine weeks, I decided to put in the work and get back on my feet.”

Theobald also feels blessed to have wrestled in the Lion program.

“It’s the best program out there,” Theobald said. “We’ve got studs and we’re still building.”

Theobald’s teammate Quayde Beck, also a senior, put together a great tournament. After a bye in the first round, he won his next match by pin, followed by a technical fall, and then a third period pin over Uintah’s Mason Holt in the championship finals. Beck finished his senior campaign with a 46-4 overall record.

Then at 190 pounds Landen Shurtleff finished off his career in style with a pin over Mountain View’s Isaac McGee. Shurtleff had three pins and a technical fall in his state title run and, like Theobald, won his third straight state title to end his high school wrestling career.

“I am thinking, like I said last year, I am the best wrestler in the state and I know that,” Shurtleff said.

Shurtleff also had praises for his coaches and the Lion program.

“I wouldn’t be the wrestler I am or anything without Payson wrestling, my coaches and my teammates,” Shurtleff said. “The support I have is insane.”

Placing second in state for the Lions were Daxton Jolley (106) and Zandon Draper (113).

Jolley was involved in a highly entertaining match with Uintah’s Ethan Sharp. Jolley led the match 5-4 deep into the third round, but Sharp earned the takedown with 31 seconds left and was able to ride out Jolley to pick up the victory.

Timpanogos (127 points) and Mountain View (126) staged a great battle for third place, and like their dual meet, Timpanogos bested the Bruins by a single point.

The Timberwolves had to sweat it out as they didn’t get any wrestlers in the finals and Mountain View had two while trailing the Timberwolves by just seven points.

But the Bruins went one-for-two in the finals as Glade Harman pinned Sky View’s Collin Miller in the second round. McGee (190), however, was stopped short of the top of the podium by Payson’s Shurtleff, leaving the Bruins just one point shy of their Orem city rival.

Harman, a junior, reached the championship finals for the third straight time but this time climbed to the top of the podium.

Orem (45) and Provo (22) finished 16th and 19th respectively out of the 24 4A teams that qualified wrestlers to the tournament.

Correction: Hurricane wrestler Paul Wright (113) was not disqualified from the tournament as was stated in Saturday’s sports section. The Daily Herald apologizes for the error.

Wright competed and went 2-2 for the Tigers.

For complete individual and team results, go to http://UHSAA.org.

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