Devils-can-do attitude

There were quite a few success stories in the 2006 prep wrestling season in Utah Valley, but it was tough for anyone to match Springville.

A few years down the road, people might be looking back on this season as the year the Red Devils finally broke out.

Springville grapplers of the past have had a tough go of things in local competition. More often than not, the Red Devils have been an afterthought in the shadows of their southern Utah County rivals, Spanish Fork and Payson.

The success of teams farther north like Provo, Lone Peak and Orem haven't made the road any easier.

But in 2006, Springville finally came into its own on the mat and became the dominant power in the valley after so many years in the backseat.

Springville beat its arch-rival Spanish Fork in a head-to-head duel for the first time in anyone's memory, won its region for the first time in more than 40 years and recorded its highest finish ever at a state tournament in third place.

"We came and did the things we had to do to win," said Springville coach Justin Judkins. "I'm proud of (our team). We took care of business."

The Red Devils dominated with four champions and four second-place finishers.

Kolby Bradley (112 pounds) and Jason Chamberlain (125) repeated as state champions for the Red Devils, and Judkins was awarded the outstanding coach award in Class 4A.

The two state champions were both underclassmen, and there's lots of other young talent on the rise, putting Judkins' team in a good position to be a powerful team for the next several years and add some more hardware to the trophy case.

It was also a bright year for Provo. The Bulldogs didn't have the overall talent to compete with Springville but had a strong second place finish at the region tournament and came in fifth at state.

Most notably, Provo's Nathaniel Holt (145) won a second straight championship and second straight outstanding wrestler award. His twin, Michael (130), took second place for the second consecutive year. The Holts made a name for themselves as a very tough draw for any opponent and will likely continue to wrestle at the collegiate level.

While Payson and Orem were working with some younger and developing teams in Region 7, Lehi made a good splash in its first year in 4A. After a slightly disappointing region finish, the Pioneers finished eighth at state.