skip navigation

4A Preview

By USAUT, 10/19/19, 8:15PM MDT

Share

OVERVIEW:

4A is wide open.  Between Seniors who graduated, and the loss of teams to 5A only 37 State placers are back this year!   That leaves 50 medals up for grabs by new placers.  Not to mention the team race being up for grabs.  Mountain Crest and Uintah will look to be 4A State Champions and in doing so hopefully bring about a string of titles for either team.  Mountain Crest won in 2018 and 2014, 2008, 2007, 2006 and 2002. Jay Tovey, who wrestled at Ore4gon State University and prepped at traditional Oregon power Roseburg knows what it takes to win.  Can he lead the Mustangs to the 7th title this century and start a legacy in Utah wrestling?  Uintah High School has 23 titles but none in this century. Phil Keddy will lead the Utes who return the most points in 4A and try to bring a title back to Vernal. 24 should be the first step to creating a renaissance for Uintah Wrestling.  Bear River could factor into the equation as well, especially if they get help from the field. 

4A Teams

Uintah Utes

Coach: Phillip Keddy

Location: Vernal, UT

Division: A

Returning Points: 173

Returning Placers: 7

MOUNTAIN CREST MUSTANGS

Coach: Jay Tovey

Location: Hyrum, UT

Division: B

Returning Points: 149.5

Returning Placers: 5

Bear River Bears

Coach: Jeff Smart

Location: Garland, UT

Division: B

Returning Points: 139.5

Returning Placers: 5

Desert Hills Thunder

Coach: Brian Pace

Location: St. George, UT

Division: A

Returning Points: 82.5

Returning Placers: 3

Hurricane Tigers

Coach: Phillip Armstrong

Location: Hurricane, UT

Division: A

Returning Points: 79

Returning Placers: 4

Canyon View Falcons

Coach: Dallas Lowry

Location: Cedar City, UT

Division: B

Returning Points: 56

Returning Placers: 2

Stansbury Stallions

Coach: Tyson Linnell

Location: Stansbury Park, UT

Division: B

Returning Points: 44.5

Returning Placers: 1

Ridgeline River Hawks

Coach: Jarrett Morrill

Location: Providence, UT

Division: A

Returning Points: 43

Returning Placers: 1

Snow Canyon Warriors

Coach: Nick Lang

Location: St. George, UT

Division: A

Returning Points: 38

Returning Placers: 1

Cedar City Redmen

Coach: Luke Payne

Location: Cedar City, UT

Division: B

Returning Points: 36

Returning Placers: 2

Tooele Buffalos

Coach: T. Evans

Location: Tooele, UT

Division: B

Returning Points: 34

Returning Placers: 1

Pine View Panthers

Coach: Paul Iverson

Location: St. George, UT

Division: A

Returning Points: 30

Returning Placers: 0

Sky View Bobcats

Coach: Bardett Bagley

Location: Smithfield, UT

Division: A

Returning Points: 26

Returning Placers: 1

Green Canyon Wolves

Coach: Ryan Webb

Location: North Logan, UT

Division: B

Returning Points: 16

Returning Placers: 1

Cedar Valley Aviators

Coach: Kevin Hunter

Location: Eagle Mountain, UT

Division: B

Returning Points: 6

Returning Placers: 0

Logan Grizzlies

Coach:  Andrew Semadeni

Location: Logan, UT

Division: A

Returning Points: 6

Returning Placers: 0

Ogden Tigers

Coach: Juan Martinez

Location: Ogden, UT

Division: A

Returning Points: 4

Returning Placers: 0

Ben Lomond Scots

Coach: Gary Boden

Location: Ogden, UT

Division: B

Returning Points: 3

Returning Placers: 0

Crimson Cliffs Mustangs

Coach: Courtney English

Location: Washington, UT

Division: B

Returning Points: 3

Returning Placers: 0

Dixie Flyers

Coach: Jarad Carson

Location: St. George, UT

Division: A

Returning Points: 3

Returning Placers: 0

Juan Diego Soaring Eagles

Coach: Andrew Sedillo

Location: Draper, UT

Division: A

Returning Points: 3

Returning Placers: 0

4A Individuals

106

  1. Trenton Ward (Jr.) Bear River
  2. Isaac Blair (Sr) Hurricane
  3. Jake Otero (Sr) Stansbury
  4. Luke Schroeder (So) Mountain Crest
  5. Edgar Renteria (So) Snow Canyon
  6. Parker Hansen (So) Tooele

113

  1. Raiden Harrison (So.) Uintah
  2. Brody Rich (Sr) Uintah
  3. Cooper Sanders (Fr.) Mt. Crest
  4. River Smith (So) Bear River)
  5. Brayden Phillips (Jr) Stansbury
  6. Dilon Wright (So) Bear River

120

  1. Austyn Ennis (So) Cedar City)
  2. Anthony Lopez (Jr) Mountain Crest
  3. Cole Huber (Jr) Uintah
  4. Garrett Barney (Jr) Canyon View
  5. Jack Smart (So) Pine View
  6. Mikah Murphy (So) Hurricane

126

  1. Brady Merkley (So.) Uintah
  2. Riley Helt (Sr) Pine View
  3. Terrell Lee (So.) Mt. Crest
  4. Tristyn Dennett (So) Hurricane
  5. Jordan Hammond (Jr) Stansbury
  6. GIno Demuzio (Sr) Skyview

132

  1. Cole Lake (Sr) Canyon View
  2. Mason Morris (Jr) Green Canyon
  3. Danny Koundet (Sr) Stansbury
  4. Cael Smith (Jr) Mountain Crest
  5. Keagan Boyce (Fr) Desert Hills
  6. Kamryn Rees (Sr) Bear River

138

  1. Gabe Sanders (So.) Mt. Crest
  2. Josh Armstrong (Jr.) Hurricane
  3. Colter Ricks (SR) Ridgeline
  4. August Harrison (Sr.) Uintah
  5. Jace Lang (Jr) Snow Canyon
  6. Zack Folkman (Jr) Bear River

145

  1. Ryker Boyce (Sr.) Desert Hills
  2. Dillon Dick (So.) Uintah
  3. Zack Smith (Sr) Mountain Crest
  4. Cael Wilcox (Jr) Bear River
  5. Kaden White (Jr) Snow Canyon
  6. Case Gaskill (Sr) Pineview

152

  1. Clayton Warr (Sr.) Hurricane
  2. Quade Jones (Sr) Desert Hills
  3. Dustin Rhodes (So) Uintah
  4. Easton Winward (Sr) Bear River
  5. Koby Smith (Sr) Uintah
  6. Spencer Wirthin (Sr) Pine View

160

  1. Maverik Skinner (Sr) Bear River
  2. Dylan Swift (Sr) Uintah
  3. Daxton Edwards (Sr) Snow Canyon
  4. Ethan Hirshi (Sr) Bear River
  5. Ryder Henry (Sr) Desert Hills
  6. Wyatt Larsen (Sr) Mountain Crest

170

  1. Porter Tackett (Sr) Bear River
  2. Brock Guthrie (So) Mountain Crest
  3. Joe Richardson (Sr) Juan Diego
  4. Cayden Roundy (Sr) Desert Hills
  5. Walker Hutchinson (Jr) Mountain Crest
  6. Kaden Kirk (Sr) Ridgeline 

182

  1. Brayden Guthrie (Sr.) Mt. Crest
  2. Gavin Carter (Sr.) Canyon View
  3. Carson Hansen (Jr) Snow Canyon
  4. Braxton Christensen (Jr) Bear River
  5. Cameron Laris (Sr) Uintah
  6. Roman Melani (Sr) Ridgeline

195

  1. Hunter Schroeder (Sr.) Mt. Crest
  2. Payton Murray (Jr) Cedar City
  3. Alex Allen (Sr) Canyon View
  4. Payton Williams (Sr) Desert Hills
  5. Darius Hildebrandt (Jr) Pine View
  6. Conner Perrenout (Jr) Stansbury

220

  1. Hunter Larsen (Sr.) Sky View
  2. Sam McMurray (Sr) Mountain Crest
  3. Gage Hall (Sr) Desert Hills
  4. Aaron Carty (Sr) Bonneville
  5. Carsen Cooper (Sr) Stsnsbury
  6. Joe Pulica (Sr) Canyon View

285

  1. Logan Fraser (Sr.) Bear River
  2. Quincy Wildman (Sr) Logan
  3. Chase Kinnicker (Jr) Uintah
  4. Jason Dederney (jr) Uintah
  5. Garrett Herzog (Sr) Green Canyon
  6. Jared Brimer (Jr) Pine View




Analysis:

On paper, Uintah is possibly the favorite, but that is not the first time a season started with that being the case.  Phil Keddy and Gregg Stensgaard before him have fielded very, very good teams over the last few years and each year they are in the hunt.  They return 173 points to the room and will get help from a solid group off Freshmen.  Can they close the season strong and bring home a title?  As I mentioned previously, the biggest challenge will come from Hyrum, Utah in the form of the Mountain Crest Mustangs.  They return 149.5 points a daunting 23.5 points less than Uintah.  That’s a lot of points, but the Mustangs also bring back Brayden and Brock Guthrie who were injured last season and if both are healthy, seeing the brothers in the finals at consecutive weights would be more than realistic considering their pedigree.  Realistically, the key to the State Championship trophy could reside in the Guthries and their ability to stay healthy. If you’ve forgotten who they are, Brock was a 2018 Super State Champion, majoring Jordan Davies of Syracuse who placed 4th in 6A last year as a freshman, in the finals. Brayden was a 4A state finalist his Sophomore year at 152, last year Brayden had wins over 6A finalist Samuel Sprehn, and multiple other placers before being injured.  His only losses coming to some of last year’s best in Cochran, Chamberlain, Gasser, and Durbano. Watch out for these two and the rest of the Mustangs to make it interesting in February. 

What to Watch For:

There are a few interesting questions in a wide-open field:

 

Can Copper Sanders win as a Freshman like his Brother?

 

Can Gabe Sanders win #2 as a sophomore and move towards 4?

 

How much impact will wrestlers who did not finish the season have?

Brock and Brayden Guthrie you now know, a couple of others you might not:

Riley Helt, Pineview

  • 4th LIT
  • 2nd Desert Storm
  • 2nd Pine View Invitational

Joe Richardson, Juan Diego

  • INJURED IN THE DIVISIONAL ¼ FINALS
  • 6-1 Juab Winter Classic
  • 2nd Best of the West
  • 6-3 Gallegos Memorial Duels
    • Losses to Zeeman, Carman and Knudsen

Daxton Edwards, Snow Canyon

  • 9-0 Juab Winter Classic
  • 8-1 Iron Town Duals
  • Sand Devil Classic Champion

 

Can Crimson Cliffs or Cedar Valley make waves as a new school?