Wasatch in hunt as Delta leads

OREM — It isn't very often a wrestler gets a pin in the first round yet considers the match a disappointment. But that is exactly how Jake Salazar of Wasatch felt after his quarterfinal win over Austyn Vickers.

Salazar is a two-time defending state champion and holds the No. 3 ranking in the nation for the 152-pound weight class, and although his victory came rather easily, Vickers did something no opponent in the state had accomplished all season — he took Salazar down for two points.

"That's the first in-state guy to get me all year," Salazar said. "I gave up two of them (takedowns) in Minnesota in a tournament, but that was a first here. Give him credit, I got caught a little out of position, and he got me."

Salazar's match was reflective of the first day for favored Wasatch in the 3A team title chase. It worked, but there were still things that could have gone better. The Wasps sit in second place at 123 points. The leaders from Delta have 141 points and Uintah is third with 111. North Sanpete, Cedar and Logan are the next three.

"Delta is having a great tournament," said Uintah coach Greg Stensgard.

"They have a chance, as do we if we step it up, but Wasatch is still in control, if you ask me. They have seven guys that were in the finals last year and their big guns are so good that it is going to be hard to stop them. I think a team is going to need at least five, if not seven guys in the finals to have a shot against them."

Delta has a chance to get that if only half of the Rabbits grapplers win today as they qualified 11 to the semifinals. Wasatch has nine down to the final four and Uintah has seven.

The 2A title run for Millard is off to the expected start. While the Eagles did have a couple of wrestlers upset, they also had 11 team members through to the semifinals and have a lead of 17.5 points. Millard leads with 119.5 with South Summit second at 102. Juab and North Summit are battling for third with 88 and 86.5 points, respectively.

"We are wrestling pretty well," said South Summit's 135-pounder Ryan Card. "We put ourselves in a pretty good position, but we didn't come here for any moral victories. We want to win it all."

The Wildcats have a steep climb in front of them if they are to overtake Millard. The leaders qualified 11 to the semifinals while South Summit has eight. North Summit has seven through and Juab six.

"I am not sure what coach is going to say to us tonight," said Millard's two-time defending champion Mason Stott. "We are doing OK, but I know that he still expects more from us. We stress team, team, team and if we go out and take care of our individual business, then the team will win the title too." -->

The competition continues today at the McKay Events Center with the consolation rounds beginning at 9:30 a.m. as well as the 1A quarterfinals. The semifinals begin at 1 p.m.

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E-mail: mblack@desnews.com