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.
Coach: Phillip Keddy
Location: Vernal, UT
Division: A
Returning Points: 173
Returning Placers: 7
Coach: Jay Tovey
Location: Hyrum, UT
Division: B
Returning Points: 149.5
Returning Placers: 5
Coach: Jeff Smart
Location: Garland, UT
Division: B
Returning Points: 139.5
Returning Placers: 5
Coach: Brian Pace
Location: St. George, UT
Division: A
Returning Points: 82.5
Returning Placers: 3
Coach: Phillip Armstrong
Location: Hurricane, UT
Division: A
Returning Points: 79
Returning Placers: 4
Coach: Dallas Lowry
Location: Cedar City, UT
Division: B
Returning Points: 56
Returning Placers: 2
Coach: Tyson Linnell
Location: Stansbury Park, UT
Division: B
Returning Points: 44.5
Returning Placers: 1
Coach: Jarrett Morrill
Location: Providence, UT
Division: A
Returning Points: 43
Returning Placers: 1
Coach: Nick Lang
Location: St. George, UT
Division: A
Returning Points: 38
Returning Placers: 1
Coach: Luke Payne
Location: Cedar City, UT
Division: B
Returning Points: 36
Returning Placers: 2
Coach: T. Evans
Location: Tooele, UT
Division: B
Returning Points: 34
Returning Placers: 1
Coach: Paul Iverson
Location: St. George, UT
Division: A
Returning Points: 30
Returning Placers: 0
Coach: Bardett Bagley
Location: Smithfield, UT
Division: A
Returning Points: 26
Returning Placers: 1
Coach: Ryan Webb
Location: North Logan, UT
Division: B
Returning Points: 16
Returning Placers: 1
Coach: Kevin Hunter
Location: Eagle Mountain, UT
Division: B
Returning Points: 6
Returning Placers: 0
Coach: Andrew Semadeni
Location: Logan, UT
Division: A
Returning Points: 6
Returning Placers: 0
Coach: Juan Martinez
Location: Ogden, UT
Division: A
Returning Points: 4
Returning Placers: 0
Coach: Gary Boden
Location: Ogden, UT
Division: B
Returning Points: 3
Returning Placers: 0
Coach: Courtney English
Location: Washington, UT
Division: B
Returning Points: 3
Returning Placers: 0
Coach: Jarad Carson
Location: St. George, UT
Division: A
Returning Points: 3
Returning Placers: 0
Coach: Andrew Sedillo
Location: Draper, UT
Division: A
Returning Points: 3
Returning Placers: 0
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.
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
Joe Richardson, Juan Diego
Daxton Edwards, Snow Canyon
Can Crimson Cliffs or Cedar Valley make waves as a new school?
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