5A Boys

Meet Preview

Last year three teams (Spanish Fork, Box Elder and Wasatch) completely dominated the state meet, producing 23 of the 28 state finalists and 13 of the 14 individual champions. There was a nearly 100-point gap between third place Wasatch and fourth place Salem Hills.

While these three teams will still be top contenders, the 5A field was definitely strengthened when Payson came up from 4A and Pleasant Grove came down from 6A. But other programs are stepping up their game as well. For example, Alta, Maple Mountain, Roy and West Jordan had two individual champions at their divisional tournaments while Salem Hills had three at the Divisional B tourney. And Viewmont has some strong competitors as well.

Also, it should be said that as 5A changes its scoring system to just scoring one wrestler per weight class will have a huge impact on things. Wasatch, with its star power, could be the biggest beneficiary while Box Elder’s numbers will be neutralized a bit. The Wasps have returning state champions in Ben Kohler (138), Daxton Bonner (144), and Wyatt Hanssen (215), while William Schallenberger (132) and Jonah Ware (165) were divisional champs. And of course, the 2-time defending champs Spanish Fork, led by returning champions Easton Shelley (113), Ryker Olson (157) and Hyrum King (190), along with divisional champ Connor Simons (138) won’t give up the title without a fight.

Weight to Watch

Roy’s Kaleb Blackner (126) won the Divisional A tourney beating Spanish Fork’s Kyler Spencer in the championship finals. Blackner has been a 3-time runner-up competing in both the 5A and 6A division. Spencer was a runner-up last season in 5A. But two other wrestlers have to be considered dangerous. Payson’s Daxton Jolley, who Spencer beat in the divisional semifinals in sudden victory and who also placed third in 4A last season, looks to challenge Blackner on the top side of the bracket. And Skyline’s Seth Hall was the Divisional B champ and is a 2-time placer himself. He stands in the way of Spencer making it to the championship match for the second straight season.

Finalist Predictions

106 pounds: Dane King (Alta) vs. Ryder Thomas (Salem Hills)

113 pounds: Easton Shelley (Spanish Fork) vs. Jesse Judkins (Maple Mountain)

120 pounds: Conley Evans (Box Elder) vs. Bennett Weight (Salem Hills)

126 pounds: Kaleb Blackner (Roy) vs. Kyler Spencer (Spanish Fork)

132 pounds: Walter Beacham (Alta) vs. William Schallenberger (Wasatch)

138 pounds: Connor Simons (Spanish Fork) vs. Ben Kohler (Wasatch)

144 pounds: Kolvin Thompson (Box Elder) vs. Daxton Bonner (Wasatch)

150 pounds: Kael Theobald (Payson) vs. Max Richins (Wasatch)

157 pounds: Ryker Olson (Spanish Fork) vs. Porter Kemp (Pleasant Grove)

165 pounds: Isaac Katoa (West) vs. Jonah Ware (Wasatch)

175 pounds: Alexander Navarro (West Jordan) vs. Bruce Walker (Hunter)

190 pounds: Lisiate Valeti (Springville) vs. Hyrum King (Spanish Fork)

215 pounds: Mack Youngberg (Viewmont) vs. Wyatt Hanssen (Wasatch)

285 pounds: Carter Rudolph (Roy) vs. Moroni Mahe (Hillcrest)

Team Predictions

1. Wasatch 2. Spanish Fork 3. Box Elder 4. Salem Hills 5. Viewmont 6. Maple Mountain 7. Roy 8. Springville 9. Alta 10. West Jordan.

5A Girls

Meet Preview

Wasatch goes for its third straight state title and one could see both the Wasp girls and their boys take state. This would be the first time this has happened in state history. Wasatch will be led by returning state champion Marabelle Brown (130) and 3-time state placer Makenzie McCoy (120), while Tyler Rodriguez (105) and Maisey Blaser (115) are also returning state placers for the Wasps.

But Wasatch faces challengers, one of them being Salem Hills. The Skyhawks were bolstered by Springville transfer Rachel Jensen (140), a sophomore who claimed a state title last year for the Red Devils. Avery Winterton (145) and Ruby Lindstrom (155) won state titles in 2025 and Kelseigh Banks (130) was a state champion two seasons ago. Add in returning finalists Addie Brindley (110), Hannah Coyne (115), and Makayla Carrick (125) and the Skyhawks have the stars to get it done.Salem Hills did beat Wasatch at a dual meet and the Skyhawks won the Rockwell Rumble while Wasatch won the 5A Duals that same weekend. But two other teams in the mix are Northridge, whose depth actually bested Salem Hills at their divisional tourney and Hillcrest with its star power as the Huskies, though lacking the number of qualifiers of the other top contenders, have five wrestlers that could claim individual titles.

Weight to Watch

At 130 pounds, Maple Mountain’s Sage Eggleston goes for her third state title. Lurking on her side of the bracket is Kelseigh Banks of Salem Hills whose athleticism poses a serious threat. On the top side of the bracket is Wasatch’s Marebelle Brown who could get challenged by Roy’s Abbie Colvin. Eggleston has just one loss, that to an out-of-state wrestler, and did pin Brown at the Ross Brunson All-Star Dual in early January.

Finalist Predictions

100 pounds: Audrey Deeter (West Field) vs. Caroline Pastrana (Hillcrest)

105 pounds: Tyler Rodriguez (Wasatch) vs. Katie Zimmerman (Hillcrest)

110 pounds: Addie Brindley (Salem Hills) vs. Cassandra Pastrana (Hillcrest)

115 pounds: Maisey Blaser (Wasatch) vs. Eva Zimmerman (Hillcrest)

120 pounds: Makenzi McCoy (Wasatch) vs. Mei-Mei Engebretsen (Brighton)

125 pounds: Kaelyn Alleman (Wasatch) vs. Makayla Carrick (Salem Hills)

130 pounds: Marabelle Brown (Wasatch) vs. Sage Eggleston (Maple Mountain)

135 pounds: Sheyla Hawley (Salem Hills) vs. Keira Kohler (Wasatch)

140 pounds: Brooke Deeter (West Field) vs. Rachel Jensen (Salem Hills)

145 pounds: Dakota Frogge (Wasatch) vs. Avery Winterton (Salem Hills)

155 pounds: Daisy Fackrell (Clearfield) vs. Ruby Lindstrom (Salem Hills)

170 pounds: Vanessa Carranza (Hunter) vs. Eleni Nomu (Hillcrest)

190 pounds: Mary Katoa (West) vs. Heather Weakley (Springville)

235 pounds: Maycee Hales (Box Elder) vs. Kayla Mulitalo (Cyprus)

Team Predictions: 1. Salem Hills 2. Wasatch 3. Hillcrest 4. Northridge 5. Box Elder 6. West Field 7. Springville 8. Cyprus 9. Hunter 10. Alta.