Locals Fare Well at First Utah Valley Open
Jan. 12, 2008
OREM, Utah - The Utah Valley wrestling team hosted the first annual Utah Valley Open on Saturday in the Shurian Family Activity Center. All of the Wolverines that competed wrestled unattached as did several of the other wrestlers on Division I rosters, including Boise State, Wyoming and Cal Poly. Boise State wrestlers won three weight classes while Utah Valley, Wyoming and Western Wyoming wrestlers won two championships each. At 125 pounds, Utah Valley wrestler and Viewmont High School star Benjamin Kjar won once by fall and once by tech fall in easily winning his weight class. Kjar was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the open. Boise State red-shirt Andrew Hochstrasser, who prepped at Tooele High School, also cruised in his weight class, 133 pounds, winning three times by tech fall. Boise State's other winners were Eli Hutchinson (141 pounds) and Johnny Nunez (165 pounds). At 149 pounds, Wyoming's Tyler Davis scored five points late to earn a come-from-behind win at 149 pounds. Joe LeBlanc (174 pounds) was the other Wyoming wrestler to win. Efrain Escudero of Grand Canyon scored a 6-5 decision to win the championship at 157 pounds. Utah Valley's Brad Darrington edged teammate Casen Eldredge in a 2-1 decision to win at 184 pounds. Western Wyoming dominated the two heaviest weights, with Skip Crooks winning by fall (3:46) at 197 pounds and Brandon Rupp winning 4-2 in overtime to clinch the title at 285 pounds. Utah Valley's Jacob Sheridan earned the Most Falls award in the tournament. After dropping his opening match, Sheridan rolled the rest of the day, winning three consecutive matches by fall to win the consolation bracket. |
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