Pleasant Grove, Viewmont take early leads at state tournament
By Michael Black
Deseret Morning News
      OREM — It may be early, but there was definite separation between some of the contenders and the also-rans. Four or five teams have established themselves as the contenders, but no team has jumped out to a comfortable lead after the first day of the 4A and 5A state wrestling championships Wednesday at the McKay Events Center on the campus of Utah Valley State College.
      For the past several years, the competition was basically decided after the first day in the 4A brackets. Spanish Fork has dominated this competition and run away with the title. But not this year.
      "We don't have some of the big studs out front like we've had in past years," said coach Layne Shepherd. "We needed to win more matches in the quarters today, but we were bracketed against some really tough wrestlers."
      With the Dons in fourth-place after scoring 67.5 points, the surprise mover was Pleasant Grove. The Region 7 champions had a great first day and finished with 92 points. Pre-tournament favorite Box Elder is a close second with 90 points and Payson is right there with 85 points.
      With such a tight contest at the top, one of the deciding factors will be how those grapplers perform that already have a loss.
      "It's really big," said Shepherd of the consolation brackets. "That's where we scored most of our points and are going to have to continue to preach those points. We need to just keep fighting and kind of back-door our way if we want to hang in there."
      Pleasant Grove had a great opening two rounds because of wrestlers like Glen Gagon, who beat Brady Shepherd of Spanish Fork in the quarterfinals.
      "I just tried to wrestle harder than I have ever wrestled before," said Gagon. "I just want to give it everything I have the rest of the way."
      Viewmont appears to have a jump on the competition in the 5A flight. The Vikings finished the day with 89 points. Davis was in second with 72 points followed closely by Weber at 71.5 and Northridge at 65.
      Viewmont is not going to be able to distance itself like last season — when it had the championship all but wrapped up before the individual finals. So every match is important.
      One big win the Vikings had was when Richard Winger beat K.C. Nate of Brighton in the 125-pound quarterfinal.
      "I have been neck-and-neck with him (Nate) all year, so it feels so good to win this one," said Winger. "I think our team has been pushing themselves just a little bit harder in practice and in matches."
      With no team dominating and advancing a defining number of wrestlers to the semifinals, once again it may be wrestlers coming through the consolation side that determine a state champion.
      "I've been preaching all this week how important it is," said Viewmont coach Bart Thompson. "Our mantra has been that it is so important that when you face some adversity, such as a loss, that you continue to fight, not give up, and get us some points."
      The tournament continues today at the McKay Events Center with the 2A and 3A competitions beginning at 9:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. The 4A and 5A wrestling will begin at 5:30 p.m. with the semifinals starting at 7:30.