Most people that visit this website are educated wrestling fans. So I will not insult your intelligence when you do see a few of our best wrestlers not wrestling on Tuesday night. 

Whether it be choice or an injury right before the event, when a wrestler that we all expect to be there isn't, this opens up an opportunity for someone else.

So at 190, who is this Andre Leota that is going to take on Payson's Landen Shurtleff?

Leota, who wrestles for Olympus, has a huge task in front of him for sure. Shurtleff is a 2-time state champion who pulled off two stunning upsets in a row when he knocked off Uintah's Austin Richens and Lehi's Will McCleary in successive matches. Both had defeated this Payson stud multiple times during the season. 

Leota placed in this same weight class taking sixth. And he actually wrestled Shurtleff in the quarterfinals.  And Shurtleff pinned him in the third round.  And while Shurtleff is Shurtleff, Leota has really improved his game this season. Last year he finished 44-12 but so far this year he is 33-2 and he just won the prestigious Richardson Memorial. Leota will also be the only wrestler representing the Granite District, and one of the rare few wrestlers from the Salt Lake Valley.  And I congratulate Leota for being named to wildcard team and being willing to step up and take on one of Utah's all-time best.

Another wrestler stepping up to the plate comes from solid program. But he will be their lone representative.  And that is Mountain View's Glade Harman, who will be taking on Farmington's Hudson Palmer.  Harman, a junior, is a 2-time 5A state finalist and has a great resume for sure. Palmer placed third last year in 6A but is tearing it up this season. So far, nobody has defeated this Phoenix grappler.  I think this could be a pretty good match. While Palmer has been absolutely dominating his competition, Harman is one steady performer. He went the distance last year with Uintah superstar Michael Alexander during his silver-medal performance and has beaten a lot of tough wrestlers in his career. 

Though the All-Star Dual was way different when I wrestled way back when in the mid 1980's, I too was an alternate. But unlike Leota and Harman, I had no idea that I was going to wrestle. I simply went to watch. And while I sat with my popcorn and Coke, former Bingham HS head coach Russ Paulsen spotted me in the stands. I took fourth in what was 4A back then and the wrestler that beat me, Steve Geisler from West Jordan, was supposed to wrestle  Delta state champion David Harris. But for some reason, Geisler was a no show and I rib him about it every time I see him. But instead of losing my very last high school match, I got a shot at redemption (this event was held in the post-season vs. in the middle of the season like now). And I won my match 5-4. My father Dennis Preece, also my head coach, missed my match and his good friend, legendary Tooele coach and official Paul Dart sat in my corner. The win was such a confidence booster that I tried college wrestling at BYU.

I wish Leota and Harman well. It is an honor to wrestle in this event. I know other alternate wrestlers have wrestled and done well in past years. In 2024 opportunity has indeed knocked for two wrestlers, and perhaps one, or both of these fine wrestlers, will open the door to an All-Star Dual victory.