Wolverines open season strong with 5 wrestlers winning titles

POWELL, Wyo. — The Utah Valley University wrestling team started the season with a bang Saturday as five individuals won titles and 10 placed at the Northwest College Open in Powell, Wyo.

UVU 141-pounder Avery Garner, 165-pounder Ethan Smith and 174-pounder Monte Schmalhaus all won titles wrestling attached to the Wolverines, while 125-pounder Jade Rauser and 157-pounder Chase Cuthbertson won their titles wrestling unattached on the day. All five of the grapplers that won titles went 4-0 at the open.

"I'm very pleased with our performance here," UVU head coach Greg Williams said. "That is the best that we've ever done at a preseason tournament, which says we have a lot of talent on our team. I also noticed that we also have a lot of work to do to get to the next level but there is no question in my mind that we're going to get there."

Behind the top finishes 141-pounder Kyle West placed second with a 3-1 record and 125-pounder Colby Christensen, 141-pounder Glenn Terrano, and 197-pounder Brian Chamberlain all went 4-1 to finish third. UVU 197-pounder Adam Fager finished placing second while competing unattached with a 3-1 record.

In the 141-weight bracket the Wolverines finished 1, 2 and 3 as Garner won, West placed second and Terrano third. Garner and West also met one another in the title bout and a few days removed from West defeating Garner at the intrasquad, and this time it was Garner who reigned supreme with a 7-4 decision victory over his teammate.

In all seven Wolverines (three of them competing unattached) made it to their respective finals on the day.

In other action, UVU wrestlers Napoleon Aniciete (157) and Eric McAllister (hwt) went 3-2 at the open, while Jarod Maynes (125), Sam Mecham (141) and David Prieto (184) all finished 2-2. Dominic Borelli (184) and Phillip Sorensen (184) also wrestled their way to 1-2 records, while heavyweight Zac Jensen finished 0-2.

Besides the three unattached grapplers that placed, UVU also had nine other unattached wrestlers in action.

At the NWC Open UVU faced competition from Western Wrestling Conference rivals Wyoming and Air Force as well as a number of other regional NAIA and Junior College opponents.

The Wolverines will take to the mat again next weekend when they compete at the Wrestle for a Cure Duals in Harrisburg, Pa., on Nov. 12. There UVU will take on No. 8 Illinois, No. 13 Ohio State, Buffalo and Shippensburg.

"I'm excited to go back and wrestle two Big Ten teams (Illinois and Ohio State) that have a great wrestling tradition as well as two other good programs in Buffalo and Shippensburg, Williams added. "I want to see how our more experienced kids will fare as well as how our newcomers will do against tough competition wrestling at a high level."

Complete Results

James Warnick is an assistant sports information director at Utah Valley University.

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