Grapplers Play Reno

Wasatch scores respectable finish as it takes

varsity squad to the Reno Tournament of Champions

BY KENNY BRISTOW                       

Wave Sports Writer

Last weekend, the Wasatch High School wrestling team traveled across state lines into Nevada to compete in the Reno Tournament of Champions.  The RTOC, established in 1996, has, according to their website, been dubbed the “Toughest Tournament in the USA.”  It annually attracts some of the toughest high school and collegiate wrestlers in the country to compete for both individual and team titles.  The prep guys compete in this tournament for a chance at High School All American status, so it is big.

13 wrestlers – six seniors, a junior, four sophmores and two freshman, took to the mat for Wasatch and 11 recorded at least one victory.  Seven of them advanced as far as the third round, with a few making it even farther.  The Wasps finished the two-day meet with a team score of 59.0, which was good enough to put them in a tie for 32^nd place.  That’s pretty impressive considering over 110 schools from as far away as Pennsylvania fielded teams in this tournament.

Here are the young men from Wasatch, and the weight classes they wrestled in last weekend in Reno:  Braiden Parker/106, Gage Bradley/113, Sterling Ballif/120, Robby Miner/126, Garrett Sweat/132, Matt Provost/138, Logan Huntington/145, Spencer Heywood/152, Bryce Provost/160, Jake McNaughton/170, Parker Hortin/182, Cabit Nye/195, and Joe Forbush/220.  Senior Robby Miner made it as far as the 5^th round and fellow classmate Garrett Sweat made it to the fourth.  Their respective weight classes are the most crowded in the field having over 70 wrestlers compete in each of them.  Sophmore Spencer Heywood advanced to the fourth round, while Seniors Sterling Ballif, and Bryce Provost made it to the third.  Junior Logan Huntington wrestled his way into the sixth round in the Wrestleback bracket.

The Wasps compete in two more duels, at Delta then the Viewmont here, before the Christmas break.  Then they begin region competition with the Morgan Duel at Morgan High School January 9^th, 2013.