Utah Wrestlers Claim Five National Titles at USAW Folkstyle Nationals
 

Our Utah wrestlers turned the USAW Folkstyle Nationals in Cedar Falls into their own personal highlight reel, bringing home FIVE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS! That's gotta be a state record, and if it’s not, it's darn close.

We also saw a whole lotta wrestlers rack up All-American honors with podium finishers from all corners of the Beehive State. This is a testament to the depth of talent developing in programs all over Utah. 

Kicking things off with the 16U division… 
 

106 lbs: Tanner Telford (Corner Canyon HS) a 6A runner up this season as a freshman went on a tear, including an upset over the top seed (and a Preseason Nationals champ, no less) in the semis. In the finals, Telford secured the title with a smothering cradle.

Post Match Interview Link
 

126 lbs: Fresh off his second straight state title and Doc B placement, Mason Carlson (Syracuse HS) continued to make waves, racking up bonus points in every match, defeating an Iowa state champ in the quarterfinals and a Fargo finalist in the championship bout.

Post Match Interview Link
 

144 lbs: Top-seeded Noah Bull (Layton HS) lived up to the hype, pinning his way to the finals. There, he faced an Iowa state medalist and emerged victorious, 8-4. That's a state title, a Doc B placing, and  a National Championship for Bull in 2024! Talk about a year and we aren’t not even half done.

Post Match Interview Link

16U ALL-AMERICANS:

• 113 lbs: Kaleb Blackner (Roy HS) - 3rd Place

• 165 lbs: Wyatt Hanssen (Wasatch HS) - 3rd Place

• 157 lbs: Gage Brady (Corner Canyon HS) - 4th Place

• 113 lbs: Ethan Sharp (Uintah HS) - 6th Place

Now, let's move on to the Junior Division!

190 lbs: Leimana Fager (Corner Canyon HS) keeps adding accolades to his resume. After his Reno TOC title and state championship, he can now claim a USAW Folkstyle National Title. He dominated the competition, including a win over a top-seeded Indiana state champ in the semis.

Post Match Interview Link
 

132 lbs: Geronimo Rivera (Layton HS) keeps his incredible 2024 streak alive with a National Championship. He wrestled through a tough weight class, defeating an Oklahoma state champ in the quarterfinals and then battling fellow Utahn Dillon Ivie to reach the finals. There, he edged out a tough Virginia state medalist in a wild match that came down to the wire.

Post Match Interview Link
 

JUNIOR ALL-AMERICANS:

• 100 lbs: Trexden Olsen (Beaver HS) - 2nd Place

• 120 lbs: Karson Shelley (Spanish Fork HS) - 3rd Place

• 138 lbs: Austin Paris (Grand County HS) - 3rd Place

• 157 lbs: Logan Hancey (Fremont HS) - 3rd Place

• 157 lbs: Hixon Canto (Pleasant Grove HS) - 4th Place

• 285 lbs: Takoa Byrd (Layton HS) - 4th Place

• 132 lbs: Dillon Ivie (Altamont HS) - 6th Place

• 106 lbs: Michael Kowalski (Layton HS) - 7th Place

• 144 lbs: Junior Wetzel (Spanish Fork HS) - 7th Place

• 175 lbs: Banks Love (Bingham HS) - 7th Place

• 138 lbs: Teague Brown (Syracuse HS) - 8th Place

• 175 lbs: Kaden Bennie (Layton HS) - 8th Place

• 190 lbs: Elijah Hawes (Layton HS) - 8th Place