I’m excited to see if Uintah, where my father Dennis Preece once coached, can get back on top in 2021. Mountain Crest and Uintah are remarkably consistent programs.  Let’s talk about the history of Uintah wrestling first. 

I have records clear back to 1950. Uintah won its first state title in 1958 and backed it up in 1959. At that time Utah had two classifications. Lou Mele, the great-grandfather of Clayson Mele, going 120 pounds for the Utes on Saturday, was the coach. Since 1964, Uintah has NEVER finished out of the top five. 

My father Dennis Preece took over as head coach in 1965-66. The Utes took second in state in his first two years and then my father won nine state titles in ten years. His first five were “B” division titles but in 1972-73, Utah expanded to four classifications and Uintah was placed in 3A, with the returning “A” team champions Pleasant Grove coached by the legendary Darold Henry. Uintah actually won the first 3A state championship, then Pleasant Grove broke Uintah’s string of six titles in a row, but Uintah then won the next six 3A state titles with my father winning three and Darold’s brother Chuck winning three. The 1980 Uintah state title was interesting because the Utes didn’t crown any individual state champions, the first and only time I think that happened in Utah wrestling history where the team winner had no individual champs.

Uintah was bounced out of the gold trophy in 1981 and 1982 finishing fifth in ‘82, the lowest finish for the Utes since 1963.  Incidentally in 1981, Tooele won the state title with head coach Paul Dart, whose grandsons have competed for Mountain Crest in recent years. But Uintah returned to the top winning state titles in 1983 with Leon Smuin as head coach and in ‘85, ‘87 and ‘88 with Ed Johnson. Uintah tacked on four more state titles in the 1990’s with Bill Maresh (‘91, ‘92) and in ‘98 and ‘99 with Greg Stensgard leading things. 

That’s when the state titles stopped for the Utes. Not that the Utes hit the skids or anything. Since 2000, Uintah’s lowest finish was two fifth place finishes in 2010 and 2011. Uintah has placed second in state six times from 2000 to 2020 and third place nine times. But the people in Vernal want more and think this year they can break through in the new millennium. Uintah, who at one time led the state in number of state championships in wrestling, has seen Wasatch overtake them with Pleasant Grove right on their tail as well. Delta has the most in case you were wondering.

Mountain Crest became a school in 1985 so their first state tournament was in 1986 where the Mustangs placed sixth. Not bad for a brand new school but this guy Davie Swensen was quite the coach. Mountain Crest didn’t win a state title until 2002 but showed great consistency from 1986 through 2001.  

In ‘91 Mountain Crest won its first trophy, placing second to Uintah by the way. The Mustangs also took second in 2001. Mountain Crest’s worst season in this stretch was a 10th place finish in ‘99. From 1990 to 2001, Mountain Crest placed third in state three times.

Then the flood gates opened, and in the next 19 seasons, Mountain Crest would take home the gold trophy eight times. Six of those titles would be won by Swensen, one by Guy Burdett (2014) and one by current coach Jay Tovey (2020). And by the way, Swensen is still very involved.

Mountain Crest had one season where you can say they “struggled” since 2000, when the school was put in 5A. The second year in 5A, the school was split and they were really 3A size and the Mustangs finished tenth. But once Mountain Crest was put back in 4A in 2017, the Mustangs have won three state titles.

So there you have it, two programs with winning traditions but one that hasn’t tasted a state title in 22 seasons, while the other has won eight over that same span.

I have a good friend who was an assistant coach when Uintah last won its last state title. He loyally comes to state every year and I think he summed up why Uintah hasn’t got back on top. He told me, “the kids that are supposed to win generally win, but it doesn’t seem like Uintah wins a lot of matches where they aren’t supposed to win. But Mountain Crest does, and I think that’s the secret to their success.” 

As I look at the 2021 4A state tournament, it seems like Uintah should maybe win this one on paper. But it seems like every year Mountain Crest has those JV kids that took sixth in region or division come through and get on the podium. That’s why I never sell the Mustangs short. Uintah has benefitted from two move-ins with Mele (120 pounds) and Gage Howard (220). Perhaps, this stroke of fortune can turn the tables. Also, I will be interested how the new bracket format will impact things where the semifinals losers wrestle for third place. It has put a premium on winning your first two matches and I think might hurt Mountain Crest, who again has that wonderful way of winning consolation matches. So let’s take a look at each weight and see who might have the advantage.

106 pounds: Mountain Crest has two wrestlers on the same side of the bracket in Easton Evans and Carter Nelson, who I think will both get to the semifinals. One sure finalist. On the bottom side of the bracket UIntah’s Jaxon McCurdy won his divisional. Tooele’s Parker Hansen can be a real thorn in Uintah’s side here. Advantage: Mountain Crest. Finalist Prediction: Easton Evans (Mountain Crest) vs. Parker Hansen (Tooele)

113 pounds: Surprisingly, neither school has a contender in this weight. Uintah’s Mason Holt took 5th in division and Mountain Crest’s Porter Johnson took sixth. Both are on the same side of the bracket, both are freshmen. Neither are real threats to make the semifinals. Advantage: Even. Finalist Prediction: Trenton Ward (Bear River) vs. Jaren Marx (Pine View)

120 pounds: Uintah has two very strong wrestlers here in Clayson Mele and Raiden Harrison. They went 1-2 at the Divisional B tournament. Mountain Crest has Luke Schroeder, and we all know that name. However, Schroeder got upset at the Divisional A tourney and now finds himself on the same side of the bracket as Mele, the favorite to win this weight class. Harrison will likely draw Nathaniel Fordham of Desert Hills, the grappler that beat Schroeder at divisionals and a sophomore. Advantage: Uintah. Finalist Prediction: Raiden Harrison (Uintah) vs. Clayson Mele (Uintah)

126 pounds: Both teams have divisional champs in Elijah Larsen (Mountain Crest) and Cole Huber (Uintah). Harrison’s cousin Creeson  Harrison of Uintah could meet Larsen in the quarterfinals. Larsen’s understudy has a pretty famous name too as in Lofthouse, Lincoln Lofthouse. You can see it already, this Lofthouse kid is going to podium, maybe even make it out to the semifinals. Also, Huber on the bottom side has to deal with Green Canyon’s James Shumway, who is very good. Advantage: Mountain Crest. Finalist Prediction: Elijah Larsen (Mountain Crest) vs. Cole Huber (Uintah)

132 pounds: This weight class could be big. Cooper Sanders (Mountain Crest) and Brady Merkley (Uintah) are divisional champs and look good to make the finals. I see Merkley as the favorite to win the weight class. But in the very bottom corner you have the JV wrestlers for each team that could meet in the quarterfinals. Wyatt Coulam (Mountain Crest) placed second in divisionals to his teammate while Uintah’s Jaxon Johnson placed third. If Johnson can somehow make the semifinals that would be big for the Utes. Advantage: Even. Finalist Prediction: Cooper Sanders (Mountain Crest) vs. Brady Merkley (Uintah)

138 pounds: The bottom quarter of the top bracket could be very important to the team chase. In the very first round of the tournament, you will see a Mountain Crest (Avery Jensen) vs. Uintah (Jacob Rhoades) match-up. I do see Rhoades winning but the Utes can’t afford a stumble here. If Rhoades wins then he meets up with Terrell Lee of Mountain Crest. Lee is very good and that Divisional A tourney had some big time studs with Mason Morris (Green Canyon) and Tristyn Dennett (Hurricane). Dennett will likely meet Uintah’s Josh Holmes, the Divisional B champ in the semifinals, so the Tiger wrestler can really be a thorn in Uintah’s side. This weight has a lot of permutations to it. What if Lee can get past Rhoades and Morris and make the finals and Dennett upsets Holmes? What if Rhoades can upset Lee? All in all, the Utes have the better bracket position. Advantage: Uintah. Finalist Prediction: Mason Morris (Green Canyon) vs. Josh Holmes (Uintah)

145 pounds: There’s no ifs, ands, or buts about it, Mountain Crest has a HUGE advantage in this weight class. Gabe Sanders is the favorite to win the weight class and freshman Jace McBride looks to even make the semifinals to meet his teammate. Uintah’s two wrestlers meet Mountain Crest right off the bat. It would help the Utes cause if both could win some matches in consolation. Advantage: Mountain Crest. Finalist Prediction: Gabe Sanders (Mountain Crest) vs. Jace Lang (Snow Canyon)

152 pounds: Who isn’t excited about seeing two undefeated studs square off in the championship? That would be Hurricane’s Josh Armstrong and Uintah’s Dillon Dick. Both teams have two wrestlers in this weight class and a possible big match looms in the quarterfinals between Mountain Crest’s Jordan Wakefield and Uintah’s Cale Hatch. If Mountain Crest’s Chase Swensen can win a match or two that could mitigate the advantage Uintah should have.  Advantage: Uintah. Finalist Prediction: Josh Armstrong (Hurricane) vs. Dillon Dick (Uintah)

160 pounds: The wrestlers to beat are Desert Hills’ Keegan Boyce and Bear River’s Cael Wilcox. Mountain Crest does have Brock Guthrie, an all-star selection with a good resume. The Mustangs also have Bridger Thalman. Both are on the top side of the bracket. It would be good if Guthrie could beat Uintah’s Dustin Rhoades in the quarterfinals. Advantage: Mountain Crest. Finalist Prediction: Keegan Boyce (Desert Hills) vs. Cael Wilcox (Bear River)

170 pounds: Cael Smith (Mountain Crest) and Austin Richens (Uintah) both won their divisional tournaments. But each has a real tough wrestler on their side of the bracket to deal with. Smith has Landon Cabral of Bear River as a likely semifinal opponent. Cabral is a California move-in with slick technique. I see Ridgeline’s Kaden Kirk being the big threat to Richens. Mountain Crest does have an additional wrestler in Zack Scholes, who actually meets Kirk in the first round. Mountain Crest fans will hope this senior can get a win or two. Advantage: Even.  Finalist Prediction: Landon Cabral (Bear River) vs. Kaden Kirk (Ridgeline)

182 pounds: Mountain Crest outnumbers Uintah 2 to 1 in this weight class but Uintah’s William Price did win his division. A big semifinal is looming between Price and Walker Hutchison, who placed second in his divisional losing to Eldon Milton of Crimson Cliffs, an Arizona move-in who looks like the wrestler to beat. Can freshman Sam Schroeder win some big matches for the Mustangs? I like that last name so I’m betting on it. Advantage: Mountain Crest. Finalist Prediction: Eldon Milton (Crimson Cliffs) vs. Walker Hutchison (Mountain Crest)

195 pounds: Both teams doubled up in this weight class and a big quarterfinal looms between a pair of sophomores. Uintah will throw out Jett Swain, second in Divisional B while Mountain Crest counters with Hunter Hammer, third in Divisional A. Mountain Crest’s second wrestler is Sam Peel who does have a solid 17-6 record and a sixth place finish in division while Uintah has Joe Jackson, 17-9 is his mark and he placed fifth in divisionals. Maybe a slight edge to the Utes: Advantage Uintah.  Finalist Prediction: Carsen Hansen (Snow Canyon) vs. Ronan Melani (Ridgeline)

220 pounds: Uintah could really have a big point advantage from this weight class if Colorado move-in Gage Howard wrestles up to his potential and perhaps makes a run to the finals. But two very good Cedar City wrestlers could derail that. Ben Ellis placed third in his divisional and will likely meet Howard in the quarterfinals. If the Ute gets past him, undefeated Payton Murray, Ellis’ teammate, will be waiting. Mountain Crest will hope that Andrew Belles can win some matches. Advantage: Uintah. Finalist Prediction: Payton Murray (Cedar City) vs. Dawson Bundy (Desert Hills)

285 pounds: Uintah has a 2 to 1 advantage in this weight class. On the bottom side of the bracket Derek Tenney is capable but bumps into Green Canyon’s Garrett Herzog right off the bat, a tough draw most certainly. Tenney’s understudy Jacob Schneider placed sixth in division. Mountain Crest’s lone wrestler is Jorgen Miller, who placed seventh in division. Since Schneider and Miller are underdogs in their first matches, they could meet in the first consolation round. This weight class has a slight edge for Uintah but won’t be one that will yield big points most likely for either team. Advantage Uintah. Finalist Prediction: Jason Ponauisia (Crimson Cliffs) vs. Garrett Herzog (Green Canyon)

My final analysis is this. Would I be shocked if Mountain Crest took state? Not one iota, but for some reason I think it will be Uintah’s year. Perhaps, those move-ins Mele and Howard have tipped the balance in favor of the Utes. But these two programs have been models of excellence and consistency. One has stockpiled gold trophies this millennium while the other is trying to get back to the glory days of the 1970’s and 1980’s. An intangible in Mountain Crest's favor is this tradition of recent success of getting to the top of the mountain. But perhaps a change of venue to the Sevier Valley Center in Richfield, where Vernal wrestlers might be a bit more familiar, might be the ticket for the Utes. I know my friend Quinn Dickson has put in a lot of time developing that youth talent in Vernal, sometimes butting heads with the high school leadership. But his efforts I think will pay off with a big parade going down Main Street in Vernal. But yes, I’m totally prepared to be wrong and have egg on my face. No matter what happens, there will be some great wrestling in 4A this year!

Team Predictions: 1. Uintah 2. Mountain Crest 3. Bear River 4. Ridgeline 5. Green Canyon 6. Desert Hills 7. Snow Canyon 8. Crimson Cliffs 9. Pine View 10. Stansbury