Over 700 high school wrestlers from 31 schools competed in the Tournament of Champions at Vernal’s Western Park over the weekend and local wrestlers proved their dominance as Uintah High School won the team title with 233.5 points. The team from Juab took second place with 229 points and Pleasant Grove took third place with 214 points. Other local teams competed well with Duchesne at tenth place with 112 points and Union High School at thirteenth with 75 points. Uintah’s Cole Huber took 2nd place in the 120 weight category. Uintah’s Brady Merkley took 1st place and Duchesne’s Cael Skewes took 3rd in the 126 weight category. Uintah’s Dillon Dick took 2nd in the 132 weight category. Uintah’s Josh Holmes took 3rd in the 138 weight category. Uintah’s August Harrison took 2nd in the 145 weight category and Duchesne’s Ryker Blackburn took 1st in the 195 weight category. “The tournament ran very smoothly,” shares tournament coordinator Coach Gregg Stensgard. “We had over 3000 spectators fill the Western Park and made it a big deal for the kids like we do every year. This year we even had torches with fire for the kids to run through and smoke as they were announced. The place was packed and everyone really seemed to enjoy it.” Stensgard says next year will be even bigger and better as it will be the tournament’s 50th anniversary. To view the
complete results from this year’s Tournament of Champions including other locals who placed in the top 8, visit www.trackwrestling.com.
