Fall guys — Utah Valley wrestlers look to perform at state meets

It's unlikely that a Utah County team will be walking away with a championship trophy after this weekend's 4A and 5A state wrestling tournaments, but there is still plenty of anticipation going around.

Only a pair of local teams are expected to be competing for top places in the final standings, but this year is one of individual standouts. Team scores aside, quite a few local wrestlers are going to be in the mix to win their weight classifications, and the coaches and fans should be kept busy watching right through the end of the final rounds on Friday night.

The first school to keep an eye on is Springville in Class 4A. The Red Devils already made history at the Region 7 championships last week, and are hoping to do it again at the state level.

Springville's region wrestling championship was the first the school has won since the early 1960s. The Red Devils have usually found themselves standing in the shadows of their neighboring rivals — traditional wrestling powers Spanish Fork and Payson. But this year, the Red Devils are front and center and hoping to earn the highest state placing in school history.

"I think it's going to be a battle for second place," said Springville coach Justin Judkins. "I think we can get there. If we place in the top three, it will be the highest we've ever placed."

Springville standouts Kolby Bradley and Jason Chamberlain are both returning state champions looking to repeat. Bradley is wrestling in the 112-pound division and Chamberlain at 125 pounds.

Other Red Devils looking to make a run are Logan Wilson (119) and Jared Bird (171).

Provo is hoping for a top-five finish at state this year and has a chance with 13 total wrestlers qualified. Nathaniel Holt (145) took first place last year and his twin brother Michael (130) is also favored after his second-place finish in 2005.

Travis Ayoso (152) finished in the top five last year and should place once again.

"My goal is to be in the top five or six as team," said Provo coach Brian Preece. "We can do that if we keep wrestling well."

Orem has a pair of hopefuls in Matt McCoy (140) and Ryan Freeman (275).

On the 5A side, Pleasant Grove enters the tournament on the heels of its fourth-straight region championship and a second-place finish at state last year.