Utah Wrestling News

UtahWrestling.org Convenes Photography Competition

(Salt Lake City, UT) - Nov. 9, 2008 - UtahWrestling.org is holding an open Photography Competition to promote the sport of wrestling and recognize enthusiasts who have captured the heart of the sport through their lens. The contest is open to both published and unpublished individuals worldwide in both black and white and color photography.

"Contests provide recognition and some small financial support for writers and artists," said UtahWrestling.org Editor Bill Kilpack. "Getting published can be like getting a job: you need credentials. Winning a contest is a very viable credential. At the same time, there are so many images out there that really encapsulate the greatness of wrestling that are providing enjoyment to a few individuals, when they could be shared by so many more."

Awards include first through third places in each category, honorable mention, publication award, and browser's choice via the Web site. Prizes include a $100 first prize, $50 second prize, $25 third prize, and publication on UtahWrestling.org.

Kilpack said, "I am a writer and artist, and an advocate of wrestling. So I know what it's like to be intimidated by other contest sponsors or faced with entry fees that were too high. We are open to everyone with the courage to offer their works for public exhibition. I've wanted to do something like this since starting UtahWrestling.org in 2004. Finally, I said to myself: just do it.""

The entry fee for the contest is $10 per submission (one or two photos). The fee helps fund cash awards to winners, as well as operational costs associated with the high-traffic Web site. The contest will be judged by the UtahWrestling.org editor as well as guest judges with backgrounds in photography, and the world's oldest sport.

To enter the contest, submissions should be submitted online at www.UtahWrestling.org, e-mailed to photocontest@utahwrestling.org, or via mail to Bill Kilpack, c/o UtahWrestling.org, P.O. Box 1418, West Jordan, UT 84084. All mailed submissions should be accompanied by a check or money order made out to Kilpack Enterprises for the applicable entry fee, and adhere to contest guidelines. Online submissions may provide entry fee by way of major credit card (for international submissions, the credit-card companies take care of exchanging international currencies automatically). Contest guidelines are available on the Web site, or printed copies may be requested at the same address listed previously.

UtahWrestling.org is the voice of Utah wrestling, dedicated to promoting the quality and achievements of Utah athletes and wrestling enthusiasts. For more information, visit us on the Worldwide Web at www.UtahWrestling.org or e-mail info@utahwrestling.org.
Jordan Junior Wrestling Dives Into New Season

(Sandy, Utah) Oct. 30, 2008 - Jordan Junior Wrestling dives into the 2008-2009 junior high/middle school wrestling season with its third year under coach Bill Kilpack (III), a national AAU wrestling champion and alternate for the Greco-Roman Pan-Am team; and his father, Bill Kilpack (Jr.), one of the original coaches of the much lauded Sundance Wrestling Club. Joining the Jordan Junior Wrestling coaching staff are five new coaches, excited to make a difference.

"I'm very excited for this season," Kilpack said. "We continue to make strides from year to year. Now, with some new coaches bringing some new elements of expertise into the mix, I fully expect this to be the best year yet."

Joining the coaching staff this year are Mike Christiansen of Riverton, Nick Eoll of Sandy, Dusty Fisher of Lindon, Andrew Lukanich of Cottonwood Heights and Todd Schwendiman of South Jordan.

Last season, the team repeated its sixth-place finish in the Middle School Division at the 4A/5A Junior High State Championships, with only 20 scoring wrestlers competing. "We had a very young team last year, mostly fifth, sixth and seventh graders. We had a couple surprise upsets that went against us, but we still placed 11 of the of the 20, and three were in the finals."

Practices are slated to begin on Nov. 10 at Jordan High School, and will be held three days a week from 7-8:30 p.m. With the Middle School and Junior High Divisions now available, athletes from fifth to ninth grades (so long as they are not wrestling on a high-school wrestling team) are eligible.

This year's coaching staff has a long and successful wrestling history.

Kilpack (III) of West Jordan was an original member of the Sundance Wrestling Club, arguably the finest freestyle/Greco-Roman wrestling team in Utah history. As a competitor, he garnered an AAU national championship, seven national silver medals, seven more national medals, and was a member of the Pan-Am team in Greco-Roman wrestling holding an alternate position. In addition, he was named All-American 15 times by AAU, the US Wrestling Federation or USA Wrestling in freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling; was a seven-time Zone/Western Regional champion; and a six-time state champion in freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. He is the head coach of Mountain Top Wrestling Club which, in 2007, was the Team State Champion in both freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling.

Kilpack (Jr.) of West Jordan was one of the two original coaches of the Sundance Wrestling Club, and a member of the University of Utah wrestling team. Sundance was arguably the finest freestyle/Greco-Roman wrestling team in Utah history, producing the first two world champions from Utah, and dozens of other international and national honors. He was also a member of the University of Utah wrestling team.

Christiansen was a varsity wrestler at Bingham High School. It was during this time that he came to appreciate the competitive nature of wrestling and other sports, culminating in being ranked number two in the state as a senior in wrestling, and playing on a baseball team that won six straight state titles, starting prior to and continuing on into high school.
As an adult, he has coached community sports such as wrestling, baseball and girls softball.

Eoll comes to Jordan Junior Wrestling after serving eight years in the U.S. Army. He wrestled six years in Washington state, where he was the Seamount League Champ in 1997. He was a varsity wrestler at Mt. Si High in North Bend, and wrestled freestyle through a USA Wrestling club in the area. He wrestled there until 1999, when he joined the service. Nick has since studied Karate, Jeet Kune Do and Jiu-Jitsu. He has also coached community sports such as baseball and soccer.

Fisher wrestled for 11 years, starting at a young age, focusing on folkstyle and freestyle wrestling. During that time, he wrestled the likes of a young Cael Sanderson, and was never once pinned by any opponent. His wrestling career culminated in his varsity position at Orem High School, where he beat two two-time state champions before an elbow injury ended his competitive career.

Lukanich started wrestling when he was six years old in the state of Illinois. He went on to wrestle for Lyons Township High School, where he earned state runner-up honors his senior year and was ranked twelfth in the country at 135 lbs. In freestyle and Greco-Roman, he earned multiple state championships and was a member of the Illinois national teams, where he competed in USA Wrestling Cadet and Junior Nationals in Fargo, as well as the FILA Cadet Nationals, where he finished fourth at 63 kilos. Following high school, he spent two years wrestling in college under Olympic bronze medalist Terry Brands before transferring to the University of Illinois, where he competed in the Big 10.

Schwendiman was a varsity wrestler at Woods Cross High School for four years, culminating in a second-in-state ranking his senior year. It was during this time that he came to love the sport and everything about it, including its value in teaching kids real life lessons and preparing them for adulthood. As an adult, he has coached community sports such as baseball and soccer, and served for many years in Boy Scouts as a Scout Master.

Jordan Junior Wrestling is a folkstyle wrestling program offered through Salt Lake County Recreation, operating out or Jordan High School in Sandy. For more information, go to www.jordanjuniorwrestling.com or email jordanjuniors@aol.com.
Mountain Crest's Lofthouse Top-Ranked Senior Wrestler In the Nation

Wrestling USA Magazine published a national ranking of high-school senior wrestlers. Top ranked of the four Utahns included in the list was Ethen Lofthouse, current king of Mountain Crest's dominating Lofthouse wrestling family, who was ranked no. 1 in the country at 171 lbs.

Some of Lofthouse's notable exploits include taking three high-school state titles, winning a second USA Wrestling national championship in Greco-Roman wrestling in Fargo, ND, last summer; winning a Utah High School Coaches Association national junior title in Virginia Beach; and winning a freestyle titles at the USA Wrestling Junior Western Regional Championships in Las Vegas. Through his junior year, he has accumulated an outstanding interscholastic career record of 128-6. In the 2008 season, he was selected by the Wrestling USA Magazine and IntermatWrestle.com Utah Editor as a Junior Wrestler of the Year; in 2007, a Sophomore Wrestler of the Year.

Bill Kilpack, Utah Editor for WrestlingUSA Magazine and IntermatWrestle.com, has chosen Lofthouse as the preseason pick for All-Divisions Wrestler of the Year. He said, "I've watched Ethen destroy opponents for years. His brother and uncles, every one of them, are just monsters, but Ethen seems to be headed for even greater heights than Luke (now wrestling at Iowa). Ethen's a three-time state champ, pinning his way through the state tournaments, pinning or teching everyone but one opponent last year.  He hits the toughest tournaments in the country and comes back a winner, without fail. This kid's as tough as Luke, but a better technician."

The list was compiled by Dan Fickel, National Editor for the magazine, based on six criteria: 1) accomplishments at state high-school championships (folkstyle); 2) National Junior freestyle and Greco-Roman success; 3) Cadet National freestyle and Greco-Roman success; 4) performance at prestigious high-school tournaments; 5) information from coaches and parents; and 6) the state from which the nominee hails.

Nine Utah wrestlers appeared in the rankings.
Ranked no. 2 at 103 lbs. was Chasen Tolbert, Delta High School, who finished his junior year with a state title and a record of 45-4. Other standouts included Dylan Stadel of Lehi High School, ranked no. 21 at 285 lbs.; and Creedon Merkley of Uintah High School, ranked no. 29 at 130 lbs. Receiving special mentions were Trevor Sweat, Wasatch High School, 199 lbs.; Tucker Ray, Roy High School, 125 lbs.; Hayden Peterson, Springville High School, 140 lbs.; Dean Sullivan, Wasatch High School, 215 lbs.; and Tyson Hunt, Wayne High School, 285 lbs.
Wrestling USA Magazine has been the voice of national high school wrestling since 1965. For more information, seewww.wrestlingusa.com.

Kilpack is editor of UtahWrestling.org, an AAU national champion and seven-time national silver medalist, a 15-time AAU/USA Wrestling All-American, and earned an alternate position on the U.S. Pan-Am Team in Greco-Roman. He coaches an independent freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling program through Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation, Mountain Top Wrestling Club and the junior-high program, Jordan Junior Wrestling.
Youth Wrestler of the Year Named for 2008

UtahWrestling.org has named Caleb Williams of Wellington the 2008 Youth Wrestler of the Year.

Williams, a 12-year-old student in the 6th grade at Wellington Elementary School during the 2007-2008 season, has had an excellent year on the mat, compiling a season record of 152-12, four state championships, five national titles and three Western Regional runner-up finishes. Williams is now a 32-time national champion, and an 17-time state champion. He was also named the Outstanding Wrestler for the Novice (ages 11 and 12) division in Greco-Roman at the USA Wrestling-Utah State Championships. He is a member of Champions Wrestling Club, based in Springville.

Bill Kilpack, editor of UtahWrestling.org and Utah editor for Wrestling USA Magazine and IntermatWrestle.com, said, "Williams is an amazing athlete, and has really learned to use his length and leverage in a sport that tends to favor shorter, stockier athletes. He's very smart on the mat, knowing when to ease into a position and when to really hit it hard."

After winning his second straight junior-high state title, Williams finished fourth at the Tulsa Nationals and Reno World Championships, then had runner-up finishes in all three styles at the USA Wrestling Western Regional Championships (11-state championship tournament) held in Pocatello, Ida.

Ron Williams, Caleb's father, said, "This is the first year Caleb participated in regionals (it has always conflicted with baseball), but with it being so close, we were able to do both. It was awesome!"

He followed those runner-up finishes with five straight national titles, winning it in both freestyle and Greco-Roman at the USA Wrestling Kids Nationals in Orem, Uta., and all three styles at the AAU Grand Nationals in Castle Rock, Colo. He was one of only five Utah athletes to win three national titles at AAU Grand Nationals.

In 2007, Williams won the Cliff Keen Trinity Award (winning three of the World of Wrestling series of national tournaments) and was on the 1st Team World of Wrestling All-Stars. That same year, he was the first Utahn to receive the American Crown Award (winning three of the American Crown series of national tournaments) and has been named a Triple Crown Winner for the Rocky Mountain Nationals tournament series three times.

He has been a prominent athlete in Utah wrestling since very young. In 2007, he was ranked no. 3 in the Novice division (ages 11 and 12) and no. 5 for all Kids divisions (ages 4 to 14). In 2006, he was the no.1 ranked Midget (ages 9 and 10) wrestler in Utah, and no. 5 for all Kids divisions. In 2005, he was the no. 4 ranked Midget in Utah, and no. 11 for all Kids divisions. In 2004, he was the no. 1 ranked Bantam division (ages 7 and 8) wrestler.

Over his young career, Williams has won 17 state championships, 32 national titles, and 42 All-American finishes.

Another Utah wrestler who really shined this season was William Kilpack of Sandy. He finished out 2008 as the no. 1 ranked Schoolboy (ages 13 and 14) division wrestler, and no. 2 overall. He won the title at the Reno World Championships (the largest folkstyle tournament in the country) and was the first Utahn to be named Outstanding Wrestler for his age division at that tournament; all three national titles at the AAU Grand Nationals in Castle Rock; the Reno Nationals; and the Gladiator World Championships. He had a runner-up finish at the Games of Rome, finished third at the Rocky Mountain Nationals and the Beehive Brawl, and finished sixth at the Salt Lake Slam. He was the Intermountain Champion for the Schoolboy division in the lower weights, and won two state titles in Greco-Roman and one in freestyle at both the USA Wrestling-Utah State Championships and AAU Wrestling Utah State Championships. He was also named the Outstanding Wrestler in Greco-Roman at the Box Elder Tournament, the Kuna Classic and the Bill Scheff Invitational, and was named to the 2nd Team World of Wrestling All-Stars.

13-year-old Kilpack is an eighth grader at Indian Hills Middle School. He is a 13-time national champion, a two-time Intermountain Champion, an 11-time state champion, and a nine-time Utah Summer Games champion. For 2005 and 2007, Kilpack was the Utah Youth Wrestler of the Year. He has also represented Utah and the United States as a Student Ambassador, in 2006 in England and Scotland, and in 2008 in China.

This is the fifth year that UtahWrestling.org has named a Youth Wrestler of the Year. The recipient is selected based on points earned for placement in local and national wrestling tournaments.

In 2007, the Youth Wrestler of the Year was William Kilpack of Sandy. At that time, he was a 12-year-old sixth grader at Sunrise Elementary, winning two national titles in folkstyle and one in freestyle, three national runner-up finishes, four state titles, two championships at the USA Wrestling Western Regional Championships, a total of eight All-American finishes and was the Intermountain Champion for the Novice division.

In 2006, the Youth Wrestler of the Year was Brandon George of Woods Cross. At that time, he was a 12-year-old seventh grader at Millcreek Junior High, with an excellent season on the mat, finishing second at the U.S. Folkstyle Nationals this past January, and state titles in all three styles. He took fifth at the Reno World Championships, the gold in Greco-Roman at the USA Wrestling Western Regional Championships in Klamath Falls, Ore., and won a national title in Greco-Roman at the AAU Grand Nationals held in Omaha, Neb. At that same tournament, he took runner-up honors in both freestyle and folkstyle. He wrapped up the season as a selection for the Utah All-Star team, winning one of the five matches that Utahns rose victorious against the Ohio All-Star team this past July.

In 2005, the Youth Wrestler of the Year was William Kilpack of Sandy. At that time, he was a 10-year-old fourth grader at Sunrise Elementary, winning a national title in each of the three styles (freestyle, Greco-Roman and folkstyle), a state title in Greco-Roman wrestling, a fourth-place finish at the USA Wrestling Western Regional Championships in Greco-Roman, and a total of seven All-American finishes.

In 2004, the Youth Wrestler of the Year was Carson Kuhn of Sandy. At that time, he was a 12-year-old seventh grader. That year, he won a national title in freestyle, was the runner-up in Greco-Roman, and earned two championships at USA Wrestling Western Regionals (freestyle and Greco-Roman). This came after taking state in all three styles.

Wrestling USA Magazine has been the voice of national high school wrestling since 1965. For more information, see www.wrestlingusa.com.

Kilpack is editor of UtahWrestling.org, an AAU national champion and seven-time national silver medalist, a 15-time AAU/USA Wrestling All-American, and earned an alternate position on the U.S. Pan-Am Team in Greco-Roman. He coaches an independent freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling program through Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation, Mountain Top Wrestling Club and the junior-high program, Jordan Junior Wrestling.
Lindon, Riverton, Sandy, South Jordan Youths Named Outstanding Wrestlers; Mountain Top Wrestling Club Recognizes Members for Excellence on the Mat

(Sandy, Utah) Mountain Top Wrestling Club held its annual Awards Dinner at Smiths Field Park, recognizing youth athletes for their achievements during the 2008 freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling season. Attendees from the 75-member team received gold medals for their hard work and dedication over the season, photographs of themselves in matches, and trophies for the Most Improved, Rookie of the Year, Outstanding Wrestlers and Most Dedicated.

"This has been a great year, with a lot of new faces," said Coach Bill Kilpack (III). "We had first-year wrestlers who performed at state, regional and national levels. We had two Intermountain Champions. We had 11 national titles. A really great year!"

Six trophies for Outstanding Wrestler were awarded to Garrick Kilpack of Sandy, who wrestled Bantam (ages 7 and 8) 45/50 lbs.; Mason Christiansen of Riverton, who wrestled Bantam 60 lbs; Derek Fisher of Lindon, Midget (ages 9 and 10) 50 lbs.; Tyler Schwendiman of South Jordan, Novice (ages 11 and 12) 70 lbs.; William Kilpack of Sandy, Schoolboy (ages 13 and 14) 105/112/120 lbs.; and Adam Maxwell of Sandy, Cadet (ages 15 and 16) 105 lbs.

This season, Garrick Kilpack won a national championship, a national runner-up finish, a total of six All-American finishes, a state championship in Greco-Roman, and was the UtahWrestling.org number one-ranked Bantam wrestler in Utah.

Christiansen had runner-up finished at the Beehive Brawl and Salt Lake Slam, earned a bronze at state in Greco-Roman, had the fastest pin at the Mountain Top Classic, and was the eighth-ranked Bantam wrestler in Utah by UtahWrestling.org.

Fisher had a national runner-up finish, finished second at the Beehive Brawl and Salt Lake Slam, earned silver medals at state in both folkstyle and freestyle, and was the number 13-ranked Midget wrestler in Utah by UtahWrestling.org.

Schwendiman finished sixth at the Salt Lake Slam, with a bronze at the Beehive Brawl, finished with a bronze at state in Greco-Roman, and was ranked 16 in the Novice division in Utah.

William Kilpack earned five national titles, a national runner-up finish and a national bronze finish, was named the Outstanding Wrestler for his age division as the Reno World Championships (first Utahn to receive the honor) as well as three other tournament Outstanding Wrestler awards, earned three state titles, was named the Intermountain Champion for the Schoolboy division in the lower weights, and was the top-ranked Schoolboy in Utah, and second-ranked overall youth wrestler in Utah.

Maxwell earned four state silver medals (two in freestyle, two in Greco-Roman), a state bronze medal in folkstyle, and was the number 13-ranked Cadet wrestler in Utah.

Four trophies were presented for Rookie of the Year. "These were all first-year wrestlers or their first year with us, who not only made great improvements over the year, but took it to the next level," Kilpack said. Receiving Rookie of the Year were Cooper Fahrenbruch of West Jordan, Flyweight (ages 6 and under) 45 lbs.; Siondileigh Kilpack of Sandy, Midget 55/60 lbs.; Cole Eldredge of Sandy, Novice 90 lbs.; and Jake Johnson of Sandy, Schoolboy 160 lbs.

Fahrenbruch, a first-year wrestler, finished second in almost every tournament he competed in, held his own at a national tournament, and was the number 9-ranked Flyweight in Utah. Siondileigh won four women's national titles and one in the boys division, and had 11 All-American finishes (six of those in the boys division), won a state championship in Greco-Roman, three championships at the the Utah Summer Games, was the number three-ranked Midget wrestler in Utah and eighth overall - all as a first-year wrestler. Eldredge earned three state titles, a state runner-up finish, and was the number 18-ranked Novice in Utah. Johnson earned four All-American finishes, state titles in folkstyle and Greco-Roman, a state runner-up finish in freestyle and was the number 21-ranked Schoolboy in Utah - all as a first-year wrestler.

Seven trophies were also awarded for the Most Improved wrestlers. These were awarded to Will Haight of Sandy, Flyweight 45 lbs.; Ajax Revels of Riverton, Midget 90 lbs.; MacKelti Kilpack of Sandy, Novice 85 lbs.; Derek Spachman of Saratoga Springs, Novice 90 lbs.; Clark Hinton of Midvale, Novice 100 lbs.; Nick Hulbert of Salt Lake City, Schoolboy 110 lbs.; and Zayne Sayers of Sandy, Schoolboy 175 lbs.

"All seven showed remarkable progress by the end of the season compared to season opening," Kilpack said, "not to mention massive improvement over last year, for those who had wrestled with us before. Will went from losing every match at the beginning of the season to winning a state title; Ajax had his best season ever, beating very tough kids and winning a state championships; MacKelti was an All-American in both boys and girls divisions and won her bracket at state; Spachman went from placing top three every weekend to taking first every weekend; Clark had his best season yet, including a state championship; Nick had his best season yet, placing at some very tough tournaments with national competition; and Zayne beat several wrestlers that have beaten him every time for three years, but not this year."

One trophy, for Most Dedicated, went to Ben Thornock of Taylorsville, Novice 65 lbs. He was recognized for always having a positive attitude, be it in practice or on the mat. "Ben was a first-year wrestler who, it was obvious, just loves the sport. He can be dripping sweat, then look up with a big smile on his face," Kilpack said. "And he's eager to learn everything he can. He's a real pleasure to coach."

Also that night, two wrestlers were recognized as Intermountain Champions. This is an award given to athletes placing in a series of four freestyle and Greco-Roman tournaments in Utah and Idaho. Two awards were given for each age division. Winning for the upper weights in the Flyweight division was Christopher Smith of Murray, who wrestled 65 lbs. and took first in three of the tournaments. Winning for the lower weights in the Schoolboy division was William Kilpack, who took first in two of the tournaments and was named Outstanding Wrestler in each, and runner-up honors in a third.

The trophy recipients were selected by the Mountain Top Wrestling Club coaching staff.

Mountain Top Wrestling Club is a nonprofit 501(c)3 corporation dedicated to providing a venue for individuals to learn, develop and refine their athletic skills and abilities; and teaching the rules and regulations of freestyle, folkstyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. It is open to male and female athletes ages four and older who live anywhere in the State of Utah. Practices are held three days a week at Jordan High School. For more information, call 641-9832, e-mail coach@mountaintopwrestling.com or visit them on the Worldwide Web at www.mountaintopwrestling.com.
2008 Intermountain Champions Announced

In its second year, the Intermountain Champion Series doubled in size, adding two more tournaments in Idaho and Utah, and recognizing outstanding athletes two per age division.

"It's been an exciting year, with a lot more people showing interest in the Intermountain Champion Series," said series co-founder Bill Kilpack of Sandy, Utah-based Mountain Top Wrestling Club. "I love having the wrestlers come up and tell me how bad they want one of those eagle trophies and asking me when the points will be updated again."

The two new tournaments added in 2008 were the Box Elder tournament in Brigham City, Utah., and the Kuna Classic in Idaho. The Intermountain Champion awards were also awarded two per age division: upper weights and lower weights.

"We're continuing with our plan to start small and build each year," said co-founder Lani Wall of Meridian, Idaho-based Idaho Express Wrestling Club. "Last year, we recognized one Intermountain Champion in each age division. This year, we're recognizing two, breaking up each age division into upper and lower weights. In one division, we had a couple ties, so we recognized both."

The 2008 Intermountain Champions are
·         Flyweight/Pre-Bantam Division (ages 6 and Under)
o        Lower Weights
§         Cooper Cox of Bluffdale, Uta., wrestling with Pioneers of Wrestling
o        Upper Weights
§         Christopher Smith of Murray, Uta., wrestling with Mountain Top Wrestling Club
·         Bantam Division (ages 7 and 8)
o        Lower Weights
§         Jed Lee of Draper, Uta., wrestling with Pride Wrestling
o        Upper Weights
§         Justyn Ribald of West Jordan, Uta., wrestling with Vandit
·         Midget Division (ages 9 and 10)
o        Lower Weights
§         Cole Moody of West Jordan, Uta., wrestling with Pride Wrestling
o        Upper Weights
§         Helaman Suesue of Salt Lake City, Uta., wrestling with Pride Wrestling
·         Novice Division (ages 11 and 12)
o        Lower Weights
§         Matt Lee of Draper, Uta., wrestling with Pride Wrestling
§         Chris Wengreen of Hyrum, Uta., wrestling with Pony Express
o        Upper Weights
§         Payton Henry of Pleasant Grove, Uta., wrestling with TUG
§         Tristan Jarboe of Boise, Ida., wrestling with Idaho Gold
·         Schoolboy Division (ages 13 and 14)
o        Lower Weights
§         William Kilpack of Sandy, Uta., wrestling with Mountain Top Wrestling Club
o        Upper Weights
§         Jacob Ribald of West Jordan, Uta., wrestling with Vandit
·         Cadet Division (ages 15 and 16)
o        Lower Weights
§         Jacob Falk of West Jordan, Uta., wrestling with Vandit
o        Upper Weights
§         Clint Jacob of Pleasant Grove, Uta., wrestling with Elite
·         Junior Division (ages 17 and 18)
o        Lower Weights
§         Trae Bennett of Plain City, Uta., wrestling with Elite
o        Uppwer Weights
§         Alex Nicholes of Pleasant Grove, Uta., wrestling with TUG
Of note is that four of the recipients are repeats from the first year of the series. Jed and Matt Lee were both Intermountain Champions for their age divisions in 2007, as was William Kilpack and Jacob Falk.

To be eligible for the Intermountain Champion Series awards, athletes must participate in at least two of the four tournaments. Points are awarded for placing first through sixth, as well as being named an Outstanding Wrestler or receiving an award for Fastest Pin.

The Intermountain Champion Series was created to recognized the finest wrestlers in the Intermountain West. The goal is to give freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestlers similar opportunities through USA Wrestling-sanctioned tournaments as are offered in a lot of big private folkstyle tournaments held around the country.

All tournaments in the Intermountain Champion Series are sanctioned through USA Wrestling, and offer both freestyle and Greco-Roman competition. For more information, go to www.IntermountainChampion.com or call (801) 641-9832.
Lofthouse Wins Greco-Roman National Title in Fargo

Mountain Crest's Ethen Lofthouse won a national championships at the USA Wrestling Cadet-Junior National Freestyle and Greco-Roman Championships held at North Dakota State University in Fargo, July 19-26, 2008. This championship was among nine All-American finishes for Utah athletes between the two styles.

"This was a great showing for Utah," said Craig LaMont, president of USA Wrestling-Utah. "It's a massive tournament, where every weight is just packed with talent. We had three make the finals, Ethen Lofthouse, Candace Workman and Jacob Falk. Utah can really be proud about the state's showing."
Lofthouse won the title at Junior (ages 17 and 18) 171 pounds in Greco-Roman, going 7-0 on the tournament, and winning his championship match over a Minnesota wrestler the first two rounds, with scores of 2-0 and 5-1. He finished third in the tournament in freestyle.

Uintah's Candace Workman made it to the finals in the women's freestyle tournament, at Junior 102 pounds. She pinned every opponent until the finals, where she lost to a California wrestler, the first two two, 4-0 and 5-3. This was the second consecutive year Workman made it to the finals in this tournament.

West Jordan's Jacob Falk also made it to the finals in Greco-Roman, at Cadet (ages 15 and 16) 105 pounds. He fell short in the finals to a Missouri athlete the first two rounds, with scores of 3-0 and 4-0. He went 7-2 for the tournament.

Other Greco-Roman All-American finishers included

Third Place: Alta's Carson Kuhn (8-1), Cadet 105 lbs.
Fourth Place: Box Elder's Koleton Hardy (6-2), Cadet 130 lbs.
Eighth Place: Mountain Crest's Raider Lofthouse (5-3), Cadet 130 lbs.
Other Freestyle All-American finishers included

Third Place: Ethen Lofthouse (9-1), Junior 171 lbs.
Fourth Place: Raider Lofthouse (8-2), Cadet 130 lbs.
Fifth Place: Kuhn (8-2), Cadet 105 lbs.
Kilpack Siblings AAU Wrestling All-Americans

(Sandy, Utah) July 14, 2008 - Four of the Sandy Kilpack siblings traveled to Castle Rock, Colo., to compete in the AAU Grand Nationals in freestyle, Greco-Roman and folkstyle wrestling. The three eldest won national titles, while all four earned All-American honors in the three-day tournament running July 10-12, 2008, in the Douglas County Event Center.

Earning triple national titles were 13-year-old William at Schoolboy (ages 13 and 14) 120 lbs., and 9-year-old Siondileigh in the Women's Division I. William won every match in all tournaments by way of fall, going unscored on in both Greco-Roman and folkstyle, and allowing only two points to be scored on him in freestyle. Siondileigh also earned All-American honors in all three styles in the boys division.

"William had a really amazing tournament," said coach and father, Bill Kilpack (III). "He's had a major growth spurt, going up 15 pounds in the last six months, so I was worried that he might be a little clumsy with the new height and weight, but he was just dominant. The kids he beat were solid wrestlers, but only the one he wrestled in the finals all three days managed to make it out of the first round with him."

Siondileigh, a first-year wrestler, had an excellent tournament, as well. In addition to her titles in the Women's Division, she finished fourth in both freestyle and Greco-Roman at Midget (ages 9 and 10) 60 lbs., and seventh in folkstyle.

"Siondileigh has had an amazing first year," Kilpack said. "I can't think of anyone else I've ever coached who has won five national titles, let alone 46 matches, the first year on the mat. She beat some very good kids there, one match in particular having people on their feet in the bleachers. It was very exciting. This is definitely her sport."

11-year-old MacKelti won national titles in Women's Division II in both Greco-Roman and folkstyle, and finished second in freestyle. In the boys tournament, she finished fourth in all three styles at Novice (ages 11 and 12) 85 lbs.

"MacKelti's excitement came in the Women's Division, where she had international competition with a girl from Saskatchewan, Canada. She pinned her in Greco-Roman, after winning the first round by criteria, when it finished 7-7. It was really exciting."

The youngest of the four, 7-year-old Garrick, finished fifth in Greco-Roman, sixth in freestyle and folkstyle. "Garrick's had a long season. He won a national title earlier this year, and two runner-up finishes, but I think he was ready for the season to end. His tournament had its ups and downs, but there were definitely some bright points."

With the triple title this year, William has now earned four AAU national championships, and 13 national championships between the three styles. With the double title, MacKelti has won five women's national championships, and earned All-American honors five times wrestling against boys. Siondileigh has also won five women's national championships, as well as one national title and five All-American finishes wrestling against boys. Garrick has won one national championship with five national runner-up finishes, as well as a total of 17 All-American finishes between the three styles.

Mountain Top Wrestling Club is a nonprofit 501(c)3 corporation dedicated to providing a venue for individuals to learn, develop and refine their athletic skills and abilities; and teaching the rules and regulations of freestyle, folkstyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. It is open to male and female athletes ages four and older who live anywhere in the State of Utah. Practices are held three days a week at Jordan High School. For more information, call 641-9832, e-mail coach@mountaintopwrestling.com or visit them on the Worldwide Web at www.mountaintopwrestling.com.
Utah Wrestlers Seize Five Triple Championships, 32 National Titles, 79 All-American Finishes at AAU Grand Nationals

Utah wrestlers earned four triple national titles, 32 national championships, 79 All-American honors and the third-place team trophy overall at the AAU Grand Nationals in freestyle, Greco-Roman and folkstyle wrestling held at the Douglas County Event Center in Castle Rock, Colo., July 10-12, 2008. Ranging in age from 7 to 23, these athletes clearly showed the high level of wrestling in Utah.

The five Utah athletes to win triple national championships were 12-year-old Caleb Williams of Wellington, 13-year-old William Kilpack of Sandy, 13-year-old Grant LaMont of Mapleton, 21-year-old Flint Ray of and 9-year-old Siondileigh Kilpack of Sandy in the Women's Division. Each won a national title in all three styles.

Williams wrestled Novice (ages 11 and 12) 65 lbs. He went undefeated in all three tournaments, allowing only one point to be scored against him. A week earlier, Williams won USA Wrestling national titles in both freestyle and Greco-Roman at the USA Wrestling Kids Nationals held in Orem, Uta. He will be starting the seventh grade this fall.

Kilpack wrestled Schoolboy (ages 13 and 14) 120 lbs. He pinned every opponent in all three styles, and only allowed two points to be scored against him in freestyle. In April of this year, Kilpack won the title at the Reno World Championships and was the first Utah wrestler to receive Outstanding Wrestler honors at that tournament. He will be starting the eighth grade this fall.

LaMont wrestled Schoolboy 95 lbs. He pinned every opponent in both freestyle and Greco-Roman, and pinned all but one in folkstyle, without allowing a single point to be scored against him in any of the three tournaments. The previous week, LaMont finished third in both freestyle and Greco-Roman at the USA Wrestling Kids Nationals. He will be starting the eighth grade this fall.

Ray wrestled Senior (ages 18 and older) 140 lbs. He is a redshirt freshman at Utah Valley University (he was a standout wrestler at Roy High School), and this was his first tournament following a knee injury last college season. Nobody scored on him in any of the three styles, and he wrestled a former member of the Japanese National Team in the finals in all three tournaments (he has been in the United States for about six weeks).

Winning triple honors in the Women's Division was Kilpack's sister, 9-year-old Siondileigh, in Division I. She received All-American honors in the boys division in all three styles, as well. She will be starting the fourth grade this fall.

Winning two national titles were six Utah athletes: Ryan Hansen of Helper, Midget (ages 9 and 10) 60 lbs.; Taylor LaMont of Mapleton, Midget 65 lbs.; Josh Searle of Spanish Fork, Schoolboy 105 lbs.; Jesse Carlisle of Springville, Schoolboy 115 lbs.; David Sorenson of Spanish Fork, Elite (ages 17 and 18) 152 lbs.; and MacKelti Kilpack of Sandy, Women's Division II.

Hansen won national titles in both freestyle and Greco-Roman, and finished with third-place honors in folkstyle. LaMont earned titles in both freestyle and Greco-Roman, and earned runner-up honors in folkstyle. Searle won titles in freestyle and Greco-Roman, and finished third in folkstyle. Carlisle won gold in Greco-Roman and folkstyle, and finished second in freestyle. Sorenson finished first in freestyle and folkstyle, and second in Greco-Roman. Kilpack finished first in Greco-Roman and folkstyle, and finished second in freestyle (she earned All-American honors in the boys division, as well).
Winning single national titles were five Utah wrestlers: Cameron Killian of Springville, Novice 75 lbs.; Logan Kinross of Springville, Schoolboy 110 lbs.; Mitch Kay of Spanish Fork, Cadet (ages 15 and 16) 103 lbs.; Kaleb Ashworth of Spanish Fork, Cadet 140 lbs., and Monte Schmalhaus of Tooele, Elite 171 lbs.

Killian took a gold medal in Greco-Roman, then finished third in freestyle and sixth in folkstyle after suffering a shoulder injury. Kinross won the title in folkstyle, and finished fourth in freestyle and third in Greco-Roman. Kay won the title in Greco-Roman, then finished fourth in freestyle and third in folkstyle. Ashworth won the title in freestyle, and finished with runner-up honors in both Greco-Roman and folkstyle. Schmalhaus won the title in Greco-Roman and earned runner-up honors in freestyle and folkstyle.

Other AAU All-Americans from Utah in all three styles are as follows:

Bantam Division (ages 7 and 8)
50 lbs., 5th in Greco-Roman, 6th in freestyle and folkstyle, Garrick Kilpack of Sandy
Midget Division
60 lbs., 4th place in both Greco-Roman and freestyle, 7th place in folkstyle, Siondileigh Kilpack
Novice Division
75 lbs., 2nd place in Greco-Roman, 3rd in folkstyle, 6th in freestyle, Trevor Kinross of Springville
85 lbs., 3rd place in folkstyle, 4th place in both freestyle and Greco-Roman, Johnny O'Hearon of Price
85 lbs., 4th place in all three styles, MacKelti Kilpack
95 lbs., 2nd place in both freestyle and folkstyle, 3rd place in Greco-Roman, Kimball Bastian of Springville
Schoolboy Division (ages 13 and 14)
105 lbs., 3rd place in freestyle, 4th in Greco-Roman, 8th in folkstyle, Colton Killian of Springville
Cadet Division (ages 15 and 16)
125 lbs., 2nd place in Greco-Roman, 5th in folkstyle, 8th in freestyle, Deric Searle of Fillmore
125 lbs, 4th place in all three styles, Corrick Knight of Providence
Elite Division (ages 17 and 18)
125 lbs., 2nd place in freestyle, 3rd place in both Greco-Roman and folkstyle, Kamron Day of Fillmore
Also earning All-American honors was Cole Sorenson of Hyrum, 4th place in Greco-Roman, Cadet 125 lbs., before having to withdraw with an injury.

Bill Kilpack, Director of AAU Wrestling Utah, said, "Utah was very well represented by the athletes who participated in AAU Grand Nationals. People tell me that Utah is getting a real reputation for being a tough wrestling state, making opponents dread even walking out on the mat with us. That's pretty exciting."
Utah Wrestlers Win National Titles, Defend Home Turf at USA Wrestling Kids National Championships

Utah wrestlers earned 71 All-American honors, which included five national titles at the USA Wrestling Kids National Championships in freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling held at the McKay Event Center in Orem, July 2-5, 2008. This is the first year that the event has been hosted in Utah, and the Utah athletes, ranging in age from 9 to 14, defended their home turf with vigor.

One Utah athlete, Caleb Williams of Wellington, won national titles in both styles. He took top honors at Novice (ages 11 and 12) 65 lbs. In Greco-Roman, he won the title by decision, beating an Illinois athlete in the finals 2-1 in the first round, then 6-0 in the second. In freestyle, his championship came much harder, beating a wrestler from Washington by decision, 2-0 in the first round, 1-0 in the second.

Williams is no stranger to this level of excellence. In the Rocky Mountain Nationals series of national tournaments, he was the first Utahn to win a Triple Crown, winning titles in three of the tournaments in 2006; he also exceeded that mark that year, also, going on to win a fourth title, earning him a Golden Gear Award.

Winning national titles in freestyle were two athletes, both in the Midget (ages 9 and 10) division: Jaxon Cole of Coalville and Wyatt Koelling of Logan.

Cole won the title at 50 lbs. His title came in the finals against a Nevada wrestler, losing the first round 3-9, then coming back to win the next two rounds 7-4 and 10-5. This was a sweet victory for Cole, for he lost to the same wrestler in the finals in Greco-Roman.

Koelling won the title at 87 lbs. His championship came in the finals against a Michigan athlete, winning the first round 5-3, then sweeping his opponent in the second round, 7-0.

Winning a national title in Greco-Roman was Taylor LaMont of Mapleton, at Midget 65 lbs. This was a grueling match where LaMont won both the first and second rounds by criteria, when he and an Illinois athlete finished with tied scores: 2-2 and 5-5. LaMont finished second to the same wrestler in the freestyle finals.

Utah wrestlers earning All-American status in both freestyle and Greco-Roman are as follows:

Midget Division
65 lbs., 8th place in both, Ryan Hansen of Helper
75 lbs., 3rd place in both, Sean Johnson of West Jordan
75 lbs., 6th place in both, Mason Mangelson of Springville
80 lbs., 4th place in freestyle, 5th place in Greco-Roman, Ashton Seely of Nephi

Novice Division
60 lbs., 3rd place in both, Matt Lee of Draper
60 lbs., 4th place in freestyle, 5th place in Greco-Roman, Coby Vandertoolen of South Jordan
65 lbs., 4th place in Greco-Roman, 6th place in freestyle, Tanner Cox of Bluffdale
80 lbs., 2nd place in Greco-Roman, 4th place in freestyle, Chandler Strand of West Jordan
85 lbs., 8th place in both, Johnny O'Hearon of Price
100 lbs., 4th place in Greco-Roman, 5th place in freestyle, Kimball Bastian of Springville

Schoolboy Division (ages 13 and 14)
70 lbs., 3rd place in freestyle, 5th in Greco-Roman, Tyler Jensen of West Valley City
84 lbs., 3rd place in Greco-Roman, 7th in freestyle, Brandon George of Layton
91 lbs., 3rd place in both, Dalton Harmon of Nephi
91 lbs., 4th place in both, Kaden Lindley of Hyrum
98 lbs., 3rd place in both, Grant LaMont of Mapleton
105 lbs., 4th place in freestyle, 6th in Greco-Roman, Josh Searle of Spanish Fork
112 lbs., 3rd place in Greco-Roman, 4th in freestyle, Jesse Carlisle of Springville
128 lbs, 3rd place in Greco-Roman, 4th in freestyle, Jake Ribald of West Jordan
128 lbs., 3rd place in freestyle, 6th in Greco-Roman, Teddy Hackford of Heber City
160 lbs., 6th place in freestyle, 7th in Greco-Roman, Jake Johnson of Sandy
175 lbs., 2nd place in both, Andrew Du Bose of North Ogden
190 lbs., 2nd place in Greco-Roman, 3rd place in freestyle, Joe Flores of Brigham City

Craig LaMont, president of USA Wrestling-Utah, said, "Utah was very well represented by the athletes who participates in Kids Nationals. In some weights, the boys have pushed each other all season long, forcing each other to take it to the next level, and it paid off here."
Johnson USA Wrestling Freestyle and Greco-Roman All-American

(Sandy, Utah) July 7, 2008 - Jake Johnson of Sandy, a first-year wrestler in Mountain Top Wrestling Club, achieved All-American status at the USA Wrestling Kids National Championships in both freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. The tournament was held at the McKay Events Center in Orem, Ut., July 2-5, 2008.

"It's really unbelievable that Jake has placed, now, four times in national tournaments," said Coach Bill Kilpack (III). "But he works hard, is extremely strong, and has some really great intensity. It's certainly paying off for him."

Johnson finished sixth in freestyle and seventh in Greco-Roman at the USA Wrestling Kids National Championships. This followed a fourth-place finish at the 11-state championships held in June in Pocatello, Ida., the USA Wrestling Western Regional Championships. Earlier this season, Johnson placed fourth at the Reno Nationals and third at the Gladiator World Championships, both in folkstyle.

"It's always good to have a partner on the team who pushes you," Kilpack said. "Jake has spent the year wrestling a more experienced wrestler who is also an All-American. Jake's had to take his lumps, but he never gives up, learns from it and comes back even harder. It's been very productive for both of them, resulting in these All-American finishes for Jake and the best season his workout partner's ever had, as well. It's been a very constructive relationships for them both."
In addition to his successes at the national level, Johnson won a USA Wrestling-Utah state championship in folkstyle, an AAU Wrestling Utah state championship in Greco-Roman, and was the runner-up in freestyle for USA Wrestling-Utah.
Also competing at the USA Wrestling Kids National Championships from Mountain Top Wrestling Club were sisters MacKelti and Siondileigh Kilpack of Sandy. MacKelti competed at Novice (ages 11 and 12) 85 lbs., and Siondileigh at Midget (ages 9 and 10) 60 lbs. Siondileigh was eliminated one match before the medal rounds in Greco-Roman.

"This was a great weekend for the kids," said Coach Bill Kilpack (III). "They had a few weeks off and came back hungry. This was just what they needed to kick off the rust for the big tournaments that will round out the season between now and mid-July."

Two young athletes garnered championships in all three styles, and they are sisters from Sandy: 9-year-old Siondileigh, Midget (ages 9 and 10) 60 lbs., and 11-year-old MacKelti, Novice (ages 11 and 12) 85 lbs. Both went undefeated in all three styles. Siondileigh, a first-year wrestler, pulled out a very tough overtime win for the championship in folkstyle, while MacKelti won every match by way of pin, only allowing points to be scored against in her two matches.

The other championship earned was by first-year wrestler 7-year-old Cade Fox of South Jordan, Bantam 55 lbs. He won a gold medal in Greco-Roman, winning his championship match by technical fall (gaining a 6-point lead in two of three rounds).
Winning runner-up honors in two styles were Cade Fox in folkstyle and freestyle, and first-year wrestler Ben Thornock of Taylorsville, Novice 65 lbs., in both Greco-Roman and freestyle. Also taking runner-up honors in Greco-Roman was 8-year-old Jaron Fox of South Jordan, Bantam 55 lbs.

Finishing third in two styles was 7-year-old Garrick Kilpack of Sandy, Bantam 50 lbs. He earned bronze medals in Greco-Roman and folkstyle. Also earning bronze medals were Thornock in folkstyle and Jaron Fox in freestyle.

"The atmosphere at the Utah Summer Games is really great," said Coach Kilpack. "They really try to make it an Olympic-like experience, and the kids really enjoy it. The competition was good, and the wrestlers did very well."

Mountain Top Wrestling Club is a nonprofit 501(c)3 corporation dedicated to providing a venue for individuals to learn, develop and refine their athletic skills and abilities; and teaching the rules and regulations of freestyle, folkstyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. It is open to male and female athletes ages four and older who live anywhere in the State of Utah. Practices are held three days a week from 5:30-7 p.m. at Jordan High School. For more information, call 641-9832, e-mail coach@mountaintopwrestling.com or visit them on the Worldwide Web at www.mountaintopwrestling.com.
# # #

Photo Attached: UT Summer Games Team 2008.jpg
Front (L to R): Cade Fox, Garrick Kilpack, Siondileigh Kilpack, MacKelti Kilpack, Ben Thornock, Jaron Fox
Jason Chamberlain Wins 2008 Dave Schultz High School Excellence National AwardFor Immediate Release

For More Information Contact Bill Kilpack (801) 641-9832
Jason Chamberlain Wins 2008 Dave Schultz High School Excellence National Award
STILLWATER, Okla. - Jason Chamberlain, a high school senior from Springville High School in Springville, Utah, has been selected as the national winner of the 2008 Dave Schultz High School Excellence National Award presented by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum.
The High School Excellence Award is named in honor of Olympic and World Champion Dave Schultz. Each award recipient is evaluated on excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, character, citizenship, and community service.

Chamberlain was selected from the 49 state winners and five regional winners that were announced earlier this week.

"I was shocked when they told me I had been selected for this award," Chamberlain said. "There are so many good wrestlers, to be selected is such an honor."

His career record of 191-2 includes 98 pins and four state championships. He was a captain on his high school wrestling team and was honored by USA Wrestling-Utah as a Wrestler of the Year in 2007. He was a USA Wrestling Junior National Freestyle champion and Greco-Roman runner-up in 2007. In both 2006 and 2007, he was the National High School Coaches Association wrestling national champion. He has been the recipient of the Academic All-Region Award from the Utah High School Activities Association the past four years.

He has served as a Teachers Aid in Sports Medicine classes and as a volunteer youth leader at his local church. He has spent numerous volunteer hours coaching and officiating youth wrestling activities, and was a camp counselor for the Rulon Gardner summer camp. He carries a 3.75 GPA and will be attending Boise State University next fall as a student-wrestler. He is projected to wrestle at 141 pounds in college.

"The selection committee felt that Jason combined an impressive balance of excellence in his academic and wrestling credentials while being an active participant in school activities and giving back to his community in the form of community service," said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum.

Chamberlain will attend Honors Weekend on May 30-31 to personally accept the award. He is only the second Utahn to be selected for this national honor. Following is a list of previous award winners:

Dave Schultz High School Excellence National Winners
·         1996 David Kjeldgaard, Lewis Central High School, Council Bluffs, Iowa
·         1997 Jeff Knupp, Walsh Jesuit High School, Akron, Ohio
·         1998 Garrett Lowney, Freedom High School, Appelton, Wisconsin and Justin Ruiz, Taylorsville High School, Slat Lake City, Utah
·         1999 Zach Roberson, Blue Valley North West High School, Overland Park, Kansas
·         2000 Ben Connell, Lugoff-Elgin High School, Lugoff, South Carolina
·         2001 Steven Mocco, Blair Academy, Blairstown, New Jersey
·         2002 Teyon Ware, Edmond North High School, Edmond, Oklahoma
·         2003 C. P. Schlatter, St. Paul Graham High School, Urbana, Ohio
·         2004 Coleman Scott, Waynesburg High School, Waynesburg, Pennsylvania
·         2005 Troy Nickerson, Chenango Forks High School, Chenango Forks, New York
·         2006 David Craig, Brandon High School, Brandon, Florida
·         2007 Zachary Sanders, Wabasha-Kellog High School, Wabasha, Minnesota
Mountain Top Wrestling Club Members Earn 50 Awards at USA Wrestling-Utah State Tournament

(Sandy, Utah) April 24, 2008 ∆ Mountain Top Wrestling Club members recently competed in the USA Wrestling-Utah State Championships in freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling, coming away with 50 awards and eight state championships.

"This is a rebuilding year for the club, with a lot of young wrestlers," said Coach Bill Kilpack (III). "It was very exciting to see so many of them do so well. We have first-year wrestlers who placed well and, next year, I think will have state titles. With 19 of the 50 matches for places being in the finals, I'm very proud of the guys and what they've accomplished."

Between the two tournaments, Mountain Top wrestlers earned eight individual titles, with one athlete earning double titles, taking state in both freestyle and Greco-Roman. That double title winner was 13-year-old William Kilpack of Sandy, Schoolboy (ages 13 and 14) 105 lbs. Every one of his wins on both days was by pin or technical superiority (gaining a six-point lead in two of three rounds). Kilpack is now a 10-time state champion.

Winning state titles in Greco-Roman were Cole Eldredge of Sandy, Novice (ages 11 and 12) 90 lbs.; Bryson Kimball of West Jordan, Novice 105 lbs.; and Brian Harris of Sandy, Open (ages 18 and Older) 211.5 lbs. This was the first year that the USA Wrestling-Utah State Championships allowed Open-division wrestlers to compete.

Winning state titles in freestyle were Christopher Smith of Murray, Flyweight (ages 6 and Under) 65 lbs.; Tanner Orton of Sandy, Bantam (ages 7 and 8) 40 lbs.; and Zayne Sayers of Sandy, Schoolboy 175 lbs.

Winning silver medals in both tournaments was Adam Maxwell of Sandy, Cadet (ages 15 and 16) 112 lbs.

Earning silver medals in the Greco-Roman tournament were three wrestlers: Tyler Sargent, Midget 87 lbs.; brothers Addison and Joey Day of Sandy, Addison at Novice 75 lbs., and Joey at Schoolboy 77 lbs.

Earning silver medals in the freestyle tournament were six wrestlers: first-year wrestler Kyle Bollwinkel South Jordan, Flyweight 65 lbs.; Derek Fisher of Lindon, Midget (ages 9 and 10) 50 lbs.; Cole Eldredge, Novice 90 lbs.; Clark Hinton of Midvale, Novice 95 lbs.; Bryson Kimball, Novice 105 lbs.; first-year wrestler Jake Johnson of Sandy, Schoolboy 160 lbs.

Winning bronze medals in both tournaments was MacKelti Kilpack of Sandy, Novice 85 lbs.

Earning bronze medals in Greco-Roman were four athletes: Mason Christiansen of Riverton, Bantam 55 lbs.; Tayler Johnson of Draper, Novice 80 lbs.; Tyler Schwendiman of South Jordan, Novice 70 lbs.; and Nick Hulbert of Salt Lake City, Schoolboy 112 lbs.

Earning bronze medals in freestyle were four athletes: Ajax Revels of Riverton, Midget 87 lbs.; brothers Addison and Joey Day, Addison at Novice 75 lbs., and Joey at Schoolboy 77 lbs.; and first-year wrestler Josh Bollwinkel of South Jordan, Schoolboy 144 lbs.

Taking fourth-place bronze medals in freestyle were Mason Christiansen, Bantam 55 lbs., and Tyler Sargent, Novice 80 lbs.

Winning fifth-place bronze medals in both tournaments were siblings Garrick and Siondileigh Kilpack of Sandy, Garrick at Bantam 45 lbs., and Siondileigh at Midget 55 lbs.

Taking fifth in Greco-Roman was Justin Schwendiman of West Jordan, Schoolboy 70 lbs.
Taking fifth in freestyle were Benjamin Thornock of Taylorsville, Novice 65 lbs., and Tyler Schwendiman, Novice 70 lbs.

Earning sixth-place medals in Greco-Roman were four wrestlers: Carter McMillan of Sandy, Novice 65 lbs.; brothers Alex and Kevin Maxwell, Alex at Novice 70 lbs., and Kevin at Schoolboy 91 lbs.; and Anthony Sargent, Novice 80 lbs.

Earning sixth-place medals in freestyle were five wrestlers: three first-year wrestlers, Kristian Eoll of Sandy, Flyweight 40 lbs., Jordan Engberg of Riverton, Midget 60 lbs., and Ethan Bollwinkel of South Jordan, Novice 95 lbs.; and Justin Schwendiman, Schoolboy 70 lbs., and Nick Hulbert, Schoolboy 112 lbs.

As a result of eight wrestlers per weight being able to qualify for the USA Wrestling Western Regional Championships, this was the first year that the state tournament placed through eighth.

Taking seventh in freestyle were Skylar Orton of Sandy, Midget 60 lbs.; and Alex Maxwell, Novice 60 lbs.

Taking eighth in freestyle was Carter McMillan, Novice 65 lbs.

"This was an exciting tournament," said Coach Mike Johnson. "The character showed on the mat was outstanding. We pulled out some tough matches, beating some opponents who have beaten us all season. We're very proud of the kids for what they've done."

Mountain Top Wrestling Club is a nonprofit 501(c)3 corporation dedicated to providing a venue for individuals to learn, develop and refine their athletic skills and abilities; and educating regarding the rules and regulations of freestyle, folkstyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. It is open to male and female athletes ages four and older who live anywhere in the State of Utah. Practices are held three days a week from 6-7:30 p.m. at Jordan High School. For more information, call 641-9832, e-mail coach@mountaintopwrestling.com or visit them on the Worldwide Web at www.mountaintopwrestling.com.
Utah Wrestlers Earn High Honors at Reno World Championships, Sandy Athlete Outstanding Wrestler

More than 150 Utah Wrestlers traveled out to Reno, Nev., to compete in the Reno World Championships in folkstyle wrestling. This is the largest folkstyle wrestling tournament in the country, with almost 3,000 competitors, and Utahns seized 31 awards, including the first Outstanding Wrestler award earned by a Utah wrestler. That recipient was 13-year-old William Kilpack of Sandy.

"Utah was very well represented overall," said USA Wrestling-Utah President Craig LaMont. "Each year we go to this tournament, I am impressed over and over again by the high level of wrestling in the state of Utah."

More than 30 states had competitors in the tournament, and nine Utah athletes made it to the finals, although only one came out victorious. Finalists included Jaxon Cole of Coalville-based North Summit at 8 and Under 49 lbs.; Cole Moody of Murray-based Pride Wrestling, 8 and Under 58 lbs.; Matt Lee of Pride Wrestling, 10 and Under 55 lbs.; Jesse Carlisle of Springville-based Champions, 12 and Under 110 lbs.; Brandon George of Champions, 15 and Under 75 lbs.; Koleton Hardy of Brigham City-based Stingers, 15 and Under 125 lbs.; Colton Cannon of Payson, 15 and Under 145 lbs.; and Matt Finger of Kaysville-based Elite, 18 and Under 119 lbs.

The one Utah wrestler who emerged from the finals with a victory was William Kilpack of Sandy-based Mountain Top Wrestling Club, who won his championship match by a 9-6 decision, and was named the Outstanding Wrestler for the 12 and Under division with four pins in a combined time of three minutes and 45 seconds. Up until the finals, not a single opponent had even scored a point on him.

"This was really a long time coming for William," said his father and coach, Bill Kilpack. "He's been beaten out of the tournament one round short of placing so many times. Now it all just seems worth it."

Young Kilpack, who was seeded third in the tournament, said, "I was most nervous before my quarterfinal match. If I won that, I was guaranteed a place. And, although my championship match went the whole time, I think that match to get into the medals was my toughest." He pinned that opponent, an athlete from Nebraska, in 2 minutes. He also pinned a wrestler from Nevada (26 seconds), California (30 seconds, who eventually went on to take third) and New Jersey (49 seconds, the second-place seed who finished sixth). He faced an Illinois wrestler in the finals.

Redena Dalton of the World of Wrestling, the organization that runs the Reno World Championships, said, "I have looked back to 1998 (first year for Reno Worlds) and have not found that anyone in any age group has won OW from Utah! William, congratulations for winning! It's not an easy task, but all his hard work has paid off!"

The rest of the Utah wrestlers placing at this highly competitive tournament are as follows
·         5th Easton Keck, Payson, 6 and Under 60 lbs.
·         2nd Jaxon Cole, North Summit, 8 and Under 49 lbs.
·         2nd Cole Moody, Pride Wrestling, 8 and Under 49 lbs.
·         3rd Brandyn Van Tassell, Spanish Fork-based Diamondbacks, 8 and Under 64 lbs.
·         6th Jace Anderson, North Summit, 8 and Under 70 lbs.
·         5th Helaman Suesue, Pride Wrestling, 8 and Under 75 lbs.
·         2nd Matt Lee, Pride Wrestling, 10 and Under 55 lbs.
·         4th Taylor LaMont, Champions,10 and Under 61 lbs.
·         6th Jordan McRae, West Jordan-based Vandit, 10 and Under 67 lbs.
·         3rd Rylee Foy, Altamont-based Basin Wrestling Club, 10 and Under 100 lbs.
·         4th Jacob Biesinger, Elite, 10 and Under 130 lbs.
·         4th Chazz Haveron, Payson, 10 and Under HVY
·         4th Caleb Williams, Champions, 12 and Under 64 lbs.
·         6th Kyler Machan, Lehi-based Pioneers of Wrestling, 12 and Under 70 lbs.
·         4th Grant LaMont, Champions, 12 and Under 96 lbs.
·         5th Rasten Yeates, Stingers, 12 and Under 100 lbs.
·         4th Jake Fassold, Heber City-based Wasatch, 12 and Under 105 lbs.
·         3rd Jesse Carlisle, Champions, 12 and Under 110 lbs.
·         5th Nick Sorenson, Stingers, 12 and Under 110 lbs.
·         2nd Brandon George, Champions, 15 and Under 75 lbs.
·         6th Brock Rose, Bountiful-based Northside, 15 and Under 101 lbs.
·         6th Michael Viphongsay, Kearns-based Pride Wrestling, 15 and Under 108 lbs.
·         2nd Koleton Hardy, Stingers, 15 and Under 125 lbs.
·         5th Jonsen Crandall, Kamas-based South Summit, 15 and Under 125 lbs.
·         6th Brock Brown, Payson, 15 and Under 125 lbs.
·         2nd Colton Cannon, Payson, 15 and Under 145 lbs.
·         5th Mitchell Rasmussen, Northside, 15 and Under 145 lbs.
·         4th Jake Fredrickson, Elite, 18 and Under 112 lbs.
·         2nd Matthew Finger, Elite, 18 and Under 119 lbs.
·         5th Chase Burns, Wasatch, 18 and Under 135 lbs.
"Considering the scale of this tournament, we took a relatively small group of wrestlers," said LaMont. "We had about one in five place. I think that's something to be proud of."
Utah Wrestler Wins FILA Cadet National Championship

AKRON, Oh. - Spencer Brown, a sophomore at Cottonwood High School in Salt Lake City, defeated Josh Kreimeir of Colorado to claim the FILA Cadet 58 Kilo (127.75 pound) Greco-Roman Wrestling National Championship in Akron, Oh..

Brown won seven matches to claim the gold medal, five of which were by way of fall.
In the championship finals, Brown jumped out to a 6-0 win of the first period on the strength of a three-point throw, a one-point reversal at the first clinch, and a two-point gut wrench in the second clinch.

Although the second period ended in a tie score of 5-5, Kreimeir won the period by scoring last, which evened the match.

Brown won the third and final round by the score of 4-2. He scored a one-point takedown, a two-point gut wrench, and defended Kreimeir's final lift attempt in the clinch for an additional one point.

This was Brown's first of two years of eligibility for the FILA Cadet Nationals. Brown's best previous performance was a pair of wins at Rocky Mountain Regionals, and a 5th place finish at Nationals as a Schoolboy.

Brown said, "Greco is my best wrestling style. I have been working really hard in the weight room, and at practice trying to recover from knee surgery last November. This is by far my all-time best win. I am lucky to be from Salt Lake where we have great Greco coaches, and I have great Greco partners to train with. I was out to make a statement, to show that Utah kids can compete with anyone in the Country."

Brown plans to return to Akron next year to defend his title.

Other individual champions included Tyler Fraley of New Jersey at 92.5 pounds, Kevin Norstrem of Florida at 101.25 pounds, Tony Pena of Colorado at 110 pounds, Joshua Castellano of Illinois at 138.5 pounds, Tyler Beckwith of New York at 167.5 pounds, Max Huntley of Virginia at 187.25 pounds and Nikola Bogojevic of Wisconsin at 275 pounds.
Kade Moss, a sophomore at Bingham High, was the only other Cadet from Utah at the meet. Moss finished third, also at 58 kg by beating Seth Thomas of Oregon in a decision: 3-8, 5-0, 5-2.

Brown's win earns him a place on the FILA Cadet National Team, which will represent the USA at the Pan-American Championships in El Salvador July 11-13.
AAU Wrestling Championships Scheduled May 2, 3 in Murray

Murray, UT - Utah will host AAU state wrestling championships May 2 and 3, 2008, at Murray High School. State championships in Greco-Roman wrestling on Friday and freestyle wrestling on Saturday.

"This is one more opportunity to win a state title," said tournament director Bill Kilpack. "It's open to all ages - flyweight through open - and one more chance for in-state mat time before the big tournaments this summer."

This is the second year that AAU wrestling has been back in Utah. Entry fee is $15 per style, and all participants must have a current AAU athlete's membership. AAU cards will be available on site or can be acquired in advance through the mail (forms are available online at the AAU Wrestling Utah Web site) for $14 or $16. The tournament is the qualifier for Utah wrestlers wanting to compete in the AAU Grand Nationals in Castle Rock, Colo., in July.

"It's very, very exciting to bring some AAU wrestling back to Utah," said Kilpack. "I really encourage Utah wrestlers to take advantage of this opportunity."

Following AAU Grand Nationals last year, Pony Express Coach Davie Swenson said, "I'm grateful that we had an AAU state tournament this year [in 2007]. If we hadn't gone to that, we wouldn't have come here [to Butte, Mont.]. Corrick [Knight] had 24 matches up here - that's a season's worth of matches. What a great deal!"

For more information about the tournament or AAU memberships call 801-641-9832 or go to http://members.aol.com/aauwrestlingutah/ or e-mail AAUWrestlingUtah@aol.com.
Sandy Youth Wins Reno World Championships, Outstanding Wrestler

(Sandy, Utah) April 9, 2008 ∆ Seven Mountain Top Wrestling Club members traveled to Reno to compete in the Reno World Championships, the single largest folkstyle wrestling tournament in the United States, winning matches and, in one case, winning the tournament and being named Outstanding Wrestler for his age division.

"This was really a long time coming for William," said Coach Bill Kilpack (III). "He's been beaten out of the tournament one round short of placing so many times. Now it all just seems worth it. Not only does he win the title, but he was named the Outstanding Wrestler for the 12 and Under division. He was the only Utah wrestler this year who won in the finals."

William Kilpack of Sandy, 12 and Under 105 lbs., won the championship in his division, pinning four opponents and not allowing a single point to be scored against him until the finals, when he rose victorious with a 9-6 decision. Not only did this earn him his tenth national championship, but it also earned him the Outstanding Wrestler award for his age division, with all four pins coming in a combined time of three minutes and 45 seconds.

Young Kilpack, who was seeded third in the tournament, said, "I was most nervous before my quarterfinal match. If I won that, I was guaranteed a place. And, although my championship match went the whole time, I think that match to get into the medals was my toughest." He pinned that opponent, an athlete from Nebraska, in 2 minutes. He also pinned a wrestler from Nevada (26 seconds), California (30 seconds, who eventually went on to take third) and New Jersey (49 seconds, the second-place seed who finished sixth). He faced an Illinois wrestler in the finals.

"This was a real indicator of how much William has progressed, putting him up against national competition at the biggest folkstyle tournaments in the country," said Coach Kilpack. "He walked in, went after it, and showed what he's capable of. It was a great showing, and a great tournament."

Young Kilpack said, "My goal was to place. It's pretty cool to not only place, but to win it, and get the Outstanding Wrestler. I still can't believe it. I just can't stop smiling."

He is a seventh grader Indian Hills Middle School in Sandy.

Also competing in the tournament were three of William's siblings: brother Garrick, 6 and Under 46 lbs., who went 2-2, and was eliminated one round short of placing; sister and first-year wrestler Siondileigh, 8 and Under 53 lbs., who went 1-2; and sister MacKelti, 10 and Under 80 lbs., who went 1-2 on the tournament.

Other teammates competing were brothers Cooper and Trevor Fahrenbruch of West Jordan (Cooper, 6 and Under 40 lbs.; Trevor, 6 and Under 52 lbs.) and Tolliver Rogers, 10 and Under 64 lbs.

Mountain Top Wrestling Club is a nonprofit 501(c)3 corporation dedicated to providing a venue for individuals to learn, develop and refine their athletic skills and abilities; and educating regarding the rules and regulations of freestyle, folkstyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. It is open to male and female athletes ages four and older who live anywhere in the State of Utah. Practices are held in two sessions, three days a week from 5:30-8 p.m. at Jordan High School. For more information, call 641-9832, e-mail coach@mountaintopwrestling.com or visit them on the Worldwide Web at www.mountaintopwrestling.com.
Three Mountain Top Wrestling Club Members Rocky Mountain Nationals All-Americans

(Sandy, Utah) March 26, 2008 ∆ Three members of Mountain Top Wrestling Club, all Kilpack siblings from Sandy, earned All-American honors in the Rocky Mountain Nationals held in Denver, Colo., in folkstyle wrestling. William, MacKelti and Siondileigh each placed in their divisions. Siondileigh, the youngest of the three, not only placed in the regular men's division, but also won a national title in the women's division.

"This was a really exciting tournament," said Coach Bill Kilpack (III). "Personally, it was very exciting to see my kids performing at such a high level, but also seeing strong performances from my other wrestlers there was very gratifying. This is a real testament to their hard work and dedication. I'm very proud of them."

Siondileigh, a 9-year-old in the third grade at Sunrise Elementary in Sandy, won a national title after pinning every opponent in the Women's Division IV. In the men's division, she finished fifth in 10 and Under 53 lbs. This was Siondileigh's second national title and sixth All-American finish, which is all the more remarkable, considering that it is her first year of wrestling competition.
"I often forget that she's first year," said Kilpack, "and have to be reminded when I'm frustrated because she doesn't understand what I'm trying to tell her when coaching. Then I'm amazed all over again. I won one match my first year of wrestling. She's already won more than 20. She has found her place, I think."

Her older brother, 13-year-old William a seventh grader at Indian Hills Middle School, made it to the finals in the 12 and Under 106-pound bracket, pinning every opponent and not allowing a single point to be scored against him, before that finals match. He fell short against a very tough opponent then, as is often the case when an athlete has come off such a serious disappointment, lost the match in the challenge for true second shortly after.

"William had a great tournament," Kilpack said. "If he had won in the finals, he probably would have been named outstanding wrestler for the age division. His championship match was exciting, a real brawl. And he got to wrestle it on the center, raised mat. It's something that he's wanted for a long time. It's a shame he didn't win, but he's got time for that, too."

This was William's fourth All-American finish this season, which has also included two national titles. Over his career, he has won nine national titles and 28 All-American finishes.

MacKelti, an 11-year-old fifth grader at Sunrise Elementary, finished fifth in the Women's Division VII, after a loss to the champion in triple overtime and close matches that just fell short against two other opponents. This was her fourth All-American finish this season, and eighth over her short two-year wrestling career. She has also won three women's national titles.
"MacKelti was close to winning this one," Kilpack said. "It was amazing to see how close the competition was between fifth and first. She took the champion to triple overtime. That says a lot."
Also competing in the tournament was a fourth Kilpack sibling, 7-year-old Garrick, who was eliminated one round short of All-American status at 6 and Under 46 lbs.; 10-year-old Tyler Schwendiman of South Jordan, who was also one round short of All-American status at 10 and Under 69 lbs.; and Justin Schwendiman of West Jordan, who competed at 12 and Under 66 lbs.

"This was an excellent experience for the kids," said Coach Todd Schwendiman. "They really showed how much they have progressed. There are some things we need to work on, of course, but they're small things. And there's still a lot of wrestling ahead of us. It was good experience to build on for the future."

Mountain Top Wrestling Club is a nonprofit 501(c)3 corporation dedicated to providing a venue for individuals to learn, develop and refine their athletic skills and abilities; and teaching the rules and regulations of freestyle, folkstyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. It is open to male and female athletes ages four and older who live anywhere in the State of Utah. Practices are held three days a week at Jordan High School.
Mountain Top Wrestling Club Members Take 17 Awards at Kuna Classic

(Sandy, Utah) March 11, 2008 ∆ Ten members of Mountain Top Wrestling Club traveled to Kuna, Ida., to compete in the Kuna Classic freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling tournament, March 7-8, 2008. Between the two styles, the 10 young athletes earned 17 awards, including one Outstanding Wrestler in this leg of the Intermountain Champion Series.

"This was a tournament with a lot of quality athletes," said Coach Bill Kilpack (III). "We had some very strong performances against some wrestlers who have taken top awards in some of the toughest tournaments in the country, and came out ahead. It was a great experience."

Leading the team with one gold-medal finish and an Outstanding Wrestler award in Greco-Roman and a bronze-medal finish in freestyle was 13-year-old William Kilpack of Sandy, Schoolboy (ages 13 and 14) 105 lbs. In Greco-Roman, he beat every opponent by fall or technical fall (gaining a six-point lead in two of three rounds).

Also leading the team with gold-medal finishes were 7-year-old Garrick Kilpack of Sandy, Bantam (ages 7 and 8) 45 lbs., who won his gold medal in freestyle by pinning every opponent and not allowing a single point to be scored against him; 8-year-old Derek Fisher of Lindon, Midget (ages 9 and 10) 50 lbs., who pinned every opponent in the freestyle tournament, and finished with a bronze in Greco-Roman; 10-year-old Derek Spachman of Saratoga Springs, Novice (ages 11 and 12) 90 lbs., with a gold-medal finish in freestyle and a fourth-place finish in Greco-Roman.

Winning a silver medal in Greco-Roman was 10-year-old Tyler Schwendiman of South Jordan, Novice 70 lbs. He finished third in the freestyle tournament.

Finishing third in Greco-Roman were the Kilpack sisters of Sandy, 11-year-old MacKelti, Novice 80 lbs., and 14-year-old Ella-Maereen, Cadet (ages 15 and 16) 112 lbs. Ella-Maereen also finished fifth in freestyle.

Finishing fourth in both tournaments was Justin Schwendiman of West Jordan, Schoolboy 77 lbs. also earning fourth in Greco-Roman was 9-year-old Siondileigh Kilpack of Sandy, Midget 55 lbs.
Finishing fifth in freestyle was 7-year-old Allison Spachman of Saratoga Springs, Bantam 55 lbs.

Coach Bill Kilpack (Jr.) said, "This was a good trip. Good competition, nice hotel, and we got to take over a restaurant following the tournament on Saturday. Trips like this are a good reward for parents for supporting their kids in a sport that can demand a lot of time and commitment from everyone involved."

The Kuna Classic was the second leg of the 2008 Intermountain Champion Series. Remaining in the series are the Mountain Top Classic, in Murray, Ut.; and the Idaho Express Invitational, in Meridian, Ida. For more information, go to www.intermountainchampion.com.

Mountain Top Wrestling Club is a nonprofit 501(c)3 corporation dedicated to providing a venue for individuals to learn, develop and refine their athletic skills and abilities; and educating regarding the rules and regulations of freestyle, folkstyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. It is open to male and female athletes ages four and older who live anywhere in the State of Utah. Practices are held three days a week at Jordan High School. For more information, call 641-9832, e-mail coach@mountaintopwrestling.com or visit them on the Worldwide Web at www.mountaintopwrestling.com.

UtahWrestling.org Turns Four

UtahWrestling.org, recognized or sanctioned by the Utah Wrestling Coaches Association, USA Wrestling-Utah, the Junior High Wrestling General Committee and AAU Wrestling Utah, has now been online for more than four years. In that time, it has grown to become the source for Utah wrestling information. Since its inception in October 2003, the site has grown in the number of visitors going to the site, as well as participation from coaches, athletes and parents, submitting tournament and/or dual meet results, letters to the editor, and event dates. In January 2008, the site had its greatest number of visitors yet - 18,716 visits. This is a drastic increase from the 12,445 visits from the same month in 2007, not to mention the massive growth from it's first January, back in 2004, when it had 2,901 visits.

"This year has been a great experience," said Bill Kilpack, editor of UtahWrestling.org. "By far, the 2007-2008 high-school wrestling season has had the most support from coaches, parents, wrestlers and team managers sending me information. Each year, the number of people participating goes up a little, but this past six months or so has shown a really significant increase. I still remember the coach who called to scream and swear at me about what a horrible job I was doing the first year but, now, I have coaches and parents calling and e-mailing me to thank me and tell me about how much they use the site. What a great change. And it's all because of the increased participation from coaches, parents and athletes. It's not physically possible for me to be everywhere. So, for this to work, I had to have help statewide. It's been happening, thus far. I think that things will only continue to improve."

In addition to providing information for upcoming tournaments, the site provides results and rankings by the Utah Wrestling Coaches Association, as well as its own rankings, for high school, junior high and youth athletes. Information is posted for wrestling opportunities nationwide, ranging from the high-school tournament schedules to junior-high tournaments, to freestyle and Greco-Roman tournaments, and national tournaments offered through the various venues and sanctioning bodies around the country. Local and national media come to the site to gather information and contact Kilpack for information about events, programs and athletes.

"UtahWrestling.org is and always will be an open book," Kilpack said. "If there's an opportunity for Utah athletes out there, I'll try to make sure that the information is available. Utah wrestling has a lot to offer. We have quality athletes who are every bit as qualified and worthy of college scholarships as any other state in the nation."

In addition to the 66 percent growth in visits from the same month last year, highlights have included support from the online wrestling community nationwide. This includes linking to UtahWrestling.org, as well as being officially recognized by wrestling governing bodies as a central communication hub for their organization. The site was created at the request of the Utah Wrestling Coaches Association in October 2003, unofficially adopted by USA Wrestling-Utah in 2004 (followed by official adoption in 2006), supported as the communication hub of the Junior High Wrestling General Committee in 2005, and recognized by AAU Wrestling Utah in 2007. In addition to the site's success, Kilpack has been asked to serve as the Utah Editor for Wrestling USA Magazine, American Adrenaline Magazine and Intermat.

"It's very gratifying to have the participation and support of the parents and the athletes themselves," Kilpack said. "It's amazing to have averaged about 604 visits a day. Not bad for a sport being cut by some colleges. It's information like this that can help the people making those decisions realize that support for wrestling is stronger than they might have previously understood. The new program at Utah Valley State College is a perfect example. That resulted from grassroots support and an open-minded administration."

Wrestling USA Magazine has been the voice of national high school wrestling since 1965. For more information, see www.wrestlingusa.com. American Adrenaline Magazine started in 2004, and is dedicated to becoming the national voice of youth wrestling. For more information, see www.americanadrenaline.com. Intermat is the official media Web site of the National Wrestling Coaches Association. For more information, see www.InterMatWrestle.com.

Kilpack is editor of UtahWrestling.org, a past AAU national champion, a seven-time national silver medalist, an AAU All-American, and earned an alternate position on the U.S. Pan-Am Team in Greco-Roman. He is Utah Editor for Wrestling USA Magazine, American Adrenaline Magazine and Intermat. He is a member of the Board of Directors for USA Wrestling-Utah, coaches an independent freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling program through Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation, Mountain Top Wrestling Club, and is co-founder of the Intermountain Champion Series, established to recognize the greatest athletes in the Intermountain West. He is also director of AAU Wrestling Utah.
Mountain Top Wrestling Club Members Take 25 Medals at Norm Sanderson Classic

(Sandy, Utah) March 2, 2008 ∆ Thirty-six members of Mountain Top Wrestling Club competed in the Norm Sanderson Classic freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling tournament, Feb. 29-March 1, 2008. Between the two styles, the 36 young athletes earned 25 awards.

"This was a good followup tournament in a lot of ways," said Coach Bill Kilpack (III). "We had some new wrestlers come out hard the first weekend, but now had to deal with meeting opponents after a week's adjustments. It was a growth experience for a lot of them."

Leading the team with two gold medals were 6-year-old Mason Christiansen of Riverton, Bantam (ages 7 and 8) 55 lbs. and 11-year-old Derek Spachman of Saratoga Springs, Novice (ages 11 and 12) 90 lbs. Each defeated every opponent by fall or technical superiority (gaining a six-point lead in two of three rounds), except for one match between the the two days of competition.

Also winning gold medals were 10-year-old Bryson Kimball of West Jordan, Novice 112 lbs., in the Greco-Roman tournament; and 15-year-old Adam Maxwell of Sandy, Cadet (ages 15 and 16) 112 lbs. in the freestyle tournament.

Taking silver medals in both tournaments was 13-year-old William Kilpack of Sandy, Schoolboy (ages 13 and 14) 105 lbs.

Also placing second in freestyle were 4-year-Christopher Smith of Murray, Flyweight (6 and Under) 65 lbs.; 13-year-old Jake Johnson of Sandy, Schoolboy 190 lbs.; and Daniel Purrington of Sandy, Open (ages 18 and Up) 145 lbs.

Earning bronze medals in freestyle were the Bollwinkel brothers of South Jordan, 4-year-old Kyle of South Jordan, Flyweight 65 lbs., and 13-year-old Joshua, Schoolboy 144 lbs., both of which are first-year wrestlers; 13-year-old Cody Jensen of West Valley City, Schoolboy 70 lbs.; 13-year-old Kevin Maxwell of Sandy, Schoolboy 91 lbs.; and 13-year-old Zayne Sayers of Sandy, Schoolboy 190 lbs
Also earning silver medals in the Greco-Roman tournament were the Kilpack sisters of Sandy, 9-year-old Siondileigh, Midget (ages 9 and 10) 55 lbs., and 11-year-old MacKelti, Novice 85 lbs.; the Day brothers of Sandy, 10-year-old Addison, Novice 75 lbs., and 12-year-old Joey, Schoolboy 77 lbs.; first-year wrestler, 9-year-old Corah Kimball of West Jordan, Midget 70 lbs.; and 12-year-old Justin Schwendiman of West Jordan, Schoolboy 70 lbs.

Finishing third in Greco-Roman were 10-year-old Tyler Schwendiman of South Jordan, Novice 70 lbs.; and Cody Jensen, Schoolboy 70 lbs.

Also competing in the tournaments were Kristian Eoll of Sandy, Flyweight 40 lbs.; Will Haight of Sandy, Flyweight 45 lbs.; Garrick Kilpack of Sandy, Bantam 50 lbs.; Jaron and Cade Fox of South Jordan, Bantam 60 lbs. and 55 lbs.; Allison Spachman of Saratoga Springs, Bantam 55 lbs.; Jordan Engberg of Riverton, Midget 60 lbs.; Cole Kimball of West Jordan, Midget 65 lbs.; Ajax Revels of Riverton, Midget 87 lbs.; Benjamin Thornock of Taylorsville, Novice 65 lbs.; Alex Maxwell of Sandy, Novice 70 lbs.; Kadin Hatch of West Jordan, Novice 80 lbs.; Colby Nex of Sandy, Cadet 105 lbs.; Ella-Maereen Kilpack of Sandy, Cadet 112 lbs.; Nathan Martinez of Taylorsville, Cadet 140 lbs.; and Devin Sayers of Sandy, Cadet 160 lbs.

Coach Bill Kilpack (Jr.) said, "This was a good tournament, showing a bunch of the kids how they need to continue to learn and progress from one week to the next. Just because they beat somebody one week doesn't mean that it's decided for the season. They always need to look for ways to improve and learn, week after week."

Mountain Top Wrestling Club is a nonprofit 501(c)3 corporation dedicated to providing a venue for individuals to learn, develop and refine their athletic skills and abilities; and educating regarding the rules and regulations of freestyle, folkstyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. It is open to male and female athletes ages four and older who live anywhere in the State of Utah. Practices are held three days a week at Jordan High School. For more information, call 641-9832, e-mail coach@mountaintopwrestling.com or visit them on the Worldwide Web at www.mountaintopwrestling.com.
Mountain Top Wrestling Club Members Hit the Box Elder Tournament - Hard

(Sandy, Utah) Feb. 24, 2008 ∆ Twenty-seven members of Mountain Top Wrestling Club traveled to Brigham City to compete in the first leg of the Intermountain Champion Series: the Box Elder Freestyle and Greco-Roman Wrestling Tournament, Feb. 22-23, 2008. Between the two styles, the 27 athletes came away with 42 awards: nine championships, 26 placing in the top three, and one Outstanding Wrestler.

"This was a great way to start out the new season," said Coach Bill Kilpack (III). "We had a great opening day in the Greco-Roman tournament, and followed up strong in freestyle. Some of our main guys continued to perform, kicking off a little rust from last season or shifting gears from folkstyle to freestyle and Greco-Roman. Others had their first matches ever and really showed how much they've learned in just two weeks of practice. It was really exciting to see."

Leading the team with two gold medals were 11-year-old Derek Spachman of Saratoga Springs, Novice (ages 11 ands 12) 90 lbs. and 13-year-old Zayne Sayers of Sandy, Schoolboy (ages 13 and 14) 171 lbs. Each went through both tournaments pinning every opponent. Also having a solid tournament was 13-year-old William Kilpack of Sandy, Schoolboy 105 lbs., who pinned every opponent in the Greco-Roman tournament to win the championship and be named the Outstanding Wrestler for the Novice division, and pinning every opponent in freestyle until the finals, where he fell short, to finish second.

Also winning a gold medal and getting his first pin for a victory was second-year wrestler, 4-year-Christopher Smith of Murray, Flyweight (6 and Under) 65 lbs. The fall was in 10 seconds, which tied him for a Fastest Pin award in freestyle, but the award went to another competitor based on second criteria, the total number of falls.

Taking second in freestyle were three more wrestlers: first-year-wrestler 4-year-old Kyle Bollwinkel of South Jordan, Flyweight 65 lbs.; 11-year-old MacKelti Kilpack of Sandy, Novice 85 lbs.; and Jake Johnson of Sandy, Schoolboy 160 lbs.

Finishing third in freestyle were eight athletes: first-year-wrestler 4-year-old Cooper Fahrenbruch of West Jordan, Flyweight 40 lbs.; 7-year-old Garrick Kilpack of Sandy, Bantam (ages 7 and 8) 45 lbs.; 9-year-old Siondileigh Kilpack of Sandy, Midget (ages 9 and 10) 55 lbs.; first-year-wrestler 10-year-old Ethan Bollwinkel of South Jordan, Novice 95 lbs.; 12-year-old Justin Schwendiman of West Jordan, Schoolboy 70 lbs.; 12-year-old Joey Day of Sandy, Schoolboy 77 lbs.; 15-year-old Devin Sayers of Sandy, Cadet (ages 15 and 16) 171 lbs.; and Aron Engberg, Open (ages 18 and Up) 132-163 lbs.

Finishing fourth in freestyle were five athletes: 8-year-old Ajax Revels of Riverton, Midget 85 lbs.; 10-year-old Tyler Schwendiman of South Jordan, Novice 70 lbs.; 10-year-old Addison Day of Sandy, Novice 75 lbs.; 12-year-old Cody Jensen of West Valley City, Schoolboy 70 lbs.; and first-year-wrestler 13-year-old Joshua Bollwinkel of South Jordan, Schoolboy 144 lbs.

Finishing fifth in freestyle were 6-year-old Trevor Fahrenbruch of West Jordan, Bantam 55 lbs.; 12-year-old Matthew Findlay of Draper, Schoolboy 84 lbs.; and 14-year-old Ella-Maereen Kilpack of Sandy, Cadet 112 lbs.

Finishing sixth was first-year-wrestler 7-year-old Allison Spachman of Saratoga Springs, Bantam 55 lbs.

The rest of the champions in the Greco-Roman tournament included MacKelti Kilpack, Novice 85 lbs.; 10-year-old Bryson Kimball of West Jordan, Novice 112 lbs.; and Justin Schwendiman, Schoolboy 70 lbs.

Taking silver in Greco-Roman were Cooper Fahrenbruch, Flyweight 40 lbs.; Garrick Kilpack, Bantam 45 lbs.; and Devin Sayers, Cadet 171 lbs.
Finishing third in Greco-Roman were Allison Spachman, Bantam 55 lbs.; and Siondileigh Kilpack, Midget 55 lbs.
Taking fourth in Greco-Roman were Trevor Fahrenbruch, Bantam 55 lbs.; and Ella-Maereen Kilpack, Cadet 112 lbs.

Finishing sixth in Greco-Roman were 9-year-old Cole Kimball of West Jordan, Midget 65 lbs.; Addison Day, Novice 75 lbs.; and Matthew Findlay, Schoolboy 84 lbs.
Also competing in the freestyle tournament was Jordan Engberg of Riverton, Midget 65 lbs.
Coach Bill Kilpack (Jr.) said, "This was a great season opener. We're very pleased with all of our first-year wrestlers, and glad to see some of the familiar faces back and ready to take it to the mat."

The Box Elder Tournament was the first leg of the 2008 Intermountain Champion Series. Also in the series are the Kuna Classic in Kuna, Ida.; the Mountain Top Classic, in Murray, Ut.; and the Idaho Express Invitational, in Meridian, Ida. For more information, go to www.intermountainchampion.com.

Mountain Top Wrestling Club is a nonprofit 501(c)3 corporation dedicated to providing a venue for individuals to learn, develop and refine their athletic skills and abilities; and educating regarding the rules and regulations of freestyle, folkstyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. It is open to male and female athletes ages four and older who live anywhere in the State of Utah. Practices are held three days a week at Jordan High School.
2008 Intermountain Champion Series Doubles in Size

In its second year, the Intermountain Champion Series has doubled in size, adding two more tournaments in Idaho and Utah: the Box Elder Tournament in Brigham City, Uta., and the Kuna Classic, in Kuna, Ida..

"It's really exciting to see tournament directors showing so much interest," said series co-founder Bill Kilpack of Sandy, Utah-based Mountain Top Wrestling Club. "It's great to see so many wanting to go the extra mile to recognize kids in the Intermountain West."

The Box Elder tournament is one of the biggest freestyle and Greco-Roman tournaments in Utah, as is the Kuna Classic in Idaho. They will join the ranks of the Idaho Express Invitational in Meridian, Ida., and the Mountain Top Classic which, this year, will be held in Murray, Uta. The Idaho Express Invitational and Mountain Top Classic are two of the largest freestyle and Greco-Roman tournaments in the Intermountain West.

"We're continuing with our plan to start small and build each year," said co-founder Lani Wall of Meridian, Idaho-based Idaho Express Wrestling Club. "Last year, we recognized one Intermountain Champion in each age division. This year, we're recognizing two, breaking up each age division into upper and lower weights. The kids really were wowed by the awards we put together for them."

To be eligible for the Intermountain Champion Series awards, athletes must participate in at least two of the four tournaments. Points are awarded for placing first through sixth, as well as being named an Outstanding Wrestler or receiving an award for Fastest Pin.

In its first year of existence, the Intermountain Champion Series recognized seven Intermountain Champions:

·         Jaxon Moore of Pleasant Grove, Uta., for the Flyweight/Pre-Bantam Division
·         Jed Lee of Draper, Uta., for the Bantam Division
·         Matt Lee of Draper, Uta., for the Midget Division
·         William Kilpack of Sandy, Uta., for the Novice Division
·         Jacob Falk of West Jordan, Uta., for the Schoolboy Division
·         Carson Kuhn of Sandy, Uta., for the Cadet Division
·         Kirk Smith of Boise, Ida., for the Junior Division

The Intermountain Champion Series was created to recognized the finest wrestlers in the Intermountain West. The goal is to give freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestlers similar opportunities through USA Wrestling-sanctioned tournaments as are offered in a lot of big private folkstyle tournaments held around the country.

All tournaments in the Intermountain Champion Series are sanctioned through USA Wrestling, and offer both freestyle and Greco-Roman competiton. For more information, go to www.IntermountainChampion.com or call (801) 641-9832.
Mountain Top Wrestling Club Takes It to the Beehive Brawl

(Sandy, Utah) Feb. 4, 2008 ∆ Twenty-one members of Mountain Top Wrestling Club traveled to Richfield to compete in the first annual Beehive Brawl folkstyle wrestling tournament. Of the 21 young athletes, 14 came away with medals, including two champions and 10 in the top three.

"This was a good tournament," said Coach Bill Kilpack (III). "We had some early surprising losses, but regrouped and finished strong, fighting our way back through the consolation brackets. We had six make it to the finals, and won two of them. We're really proud of the guys."

Six wrestlers made it to the finals: 6-year-old Mason Christiansen of Riverton, 6 and Under 55 lbs.; 8-year-old Derek Fisher of Lindon, 8 and Under 49 lbs.; 10-year-old Tyler Schwendiman of South Jordan, 10 and Under 67 lbs.; 11-year-old Derek Spachman of Saratoga Springs, 10 and Under 90 lbs.; 12-year-old Justin Schwendiman of West Jordan, 12 and Under 64 lbs.; and 12-year-old Zayne Sayers of Sandy, 12 and Under Heavyweight.

Dominating their championship matches were Spachman, who won the title by way of fall, and Sayers, who won his title by technical fall (gaining a 15-point lead).

Falling short in the finals but defending their silver medals in challenge for true second matches were Christiansen, Fisher, and Justin Schwendiman.

Finishing third were five athletes: Tyler Schwendiman; 10-year-old Tayler Johnson of Draper, 10 and Under 80 lbs.; 12-year-old William Kilpack of Sandy, 12 and Under 105 lbs.; 12-year-old Nick Hulbert of Salt Lake City, 12 and Under 110 lbs.; and 13-year-old Tyler Jensen of West Valley City, 15 and Under 75 lbs.

Finishing fourth were 12-year-old Cody Jensen of West Valley City, 12 and Under 64 lbs.; and 14-year-old Devin Sayers of Sandy, 15 and Under 157 lbs.

Finishing sixth were 6-year-old Jefferson Harbaugh of South Jordan, 6 and Under 49 lbs.; and 13-year-old Kevin Maxwell of Sandy, 15 and Under 82 lbs.

Also competing in the tournament were 6-year-old Garrick Kilpack of Sandy, 6 and Under 46 lbs.; 6-year-old Spencer Maxwell of Sandy, 8 and Under 52 lbs.; 8-year-old Jordan Harbaugh of South Jordan, 8 and Under 49 lbs.; 9-year-old Siondileigh Kilpack of Sandy, 8 and Under 55 lbs.; 11-year-old Alex Maxwell of Sandy, 10 and Under 67 lbs.; 11-year-old MacKelti Kilpack of Sandy, 10 and Under 85 lbs.; and 14-year-old Ella-Maereen Kilpack of Sandy, 15 and Under 114 lbs.

Coach Bill Kilpack (Jr.) said, "The wrestling trips make the season fun. The kids wrestle, then stay in a hotel after and hit the pool. The trips are not only a reward for the kids, but for their families. Traveling gives the kids something that they'll remember all their lives. I think this was a very positive experience for everyone involved."

Mountain Top Wrestling Club is a nonprofit 501(c)3 corporation dedicated to providing a venue for individuals to learn, develop and refine their athletic skills and abilities; and educating regarding the rules and regulations of freestyle, folkstyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. It is open to male and female athletes ages four and older who live anywhere in the State of Utah. Practices are held three days a week at Jordan High School. For more information, call 641-9832, e-mail coach@mountaintopwrestling.com or visit them on the Worldwide Web at www.mountaintopwrestling.com.
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Jordan Junior Wrestlers Place 11, Take 6th at State Championships

(Sandy, Utah) Jan. 28, 2008 - Twenty members of Jordan Junior Wrestling entered the 4A/5A Junior High State Championships held at Mt. View High School in Orem. Of those 20, 11 placed, including three in the finals.

"This was a good showing of how much the guys have grown since last season," said Coach Bill Kilpack (III). "We placed three more than last year, and were one match away from taking fifth. Had the wind been blowing a little different that day, we might have three more placers, but you can't win them all. I'm very proud of them for their accomplishments."

Winning a state championship was 13-year-old Jake Ribald of West Jordan, in the 124-pound division. He led the team, pinning every opponent, including his championship match, where he won by fall in the second round.

Also making it to the finals were brothers Cody and Tyler Jensen of West Valley City. Twelve-year-old Cody wrestled in the 60-pound bracket and, although he fell short in the finals, he finished with a win, defending his silver medal in the challenge for true second match. Thirteen-year-old Tyler wrestled in the 75-pound bracket, maintaining a lead through the entire match, until a last-second reversal took the lead and the championship.

"There was some real excitement in these weights," Coach Derek Jensen said. "Tyler got to pay back one opponent who beat him in overtime last year, and really showed his stuff, despite that last-second loss. And Cody, I'm just amazed at how much improvement he's made since last season, when he finished fifth. Pretty exciting!"

Also winning a silver by winning his challenge for true-second match was 12-year-old Zayne Sayers of Sandy, in the 165-pound bracket. "That win was well deserved," Kilpack said. "Zayne finally got to beat his nemesis. I can't even tell you how many times this kid came out ahead over the past two or three years. But, this year, Zayne just took it to him, and came away with a very satisfying win, 16-8."

Taking a bronze medal was 12-year-old William Kilpack of Sandy at 105 lbs.

Finishing fourth were 12-year-old Matt Findlay of Draper, at 86 lbs.; 11-year-old Clayton Moss of Sandy, at 100 lbs.; and 12-year-old Nick Hulbert of Salt Lake City at 112 lbs.

Taking fifth were 13-year-old Rami Haddadin at 85 lbs.; and 10-year-old Derek Spachman of Saratoga Springs at 90 lbs.

Finishing sixth was 10-year-old Tayler Johnson of Draper at 76 lbs.

Jordan Junior Wrestling finished sixth at a team in the Middle School Division.

Also competing were Rylan Kramer of Riverton, at 65 lbs.; Justin Schwendiman of West Jordan, at 65 lbs., before having to withdraw with an injury; Alex Maxwell of Sandy at 70 lbs.; Addison Day of Sandy, 73 lbs.; Bronzon Battaglia of Sandy, 83 lbs.; MacKelti Kilpack of Sandy, 83 lbs.; Kevin Maxwell of Sandy, 85 lbs.; Mitch Nazer of Sandy, 96 lbs.; and Ella-Maereen Kilpack of Sandy, 116 lbs.

"There was some real improvement this year over last," said Coach Jensen. "It's great to see that kind of growth. Not just on the mat, but in the kids as young men and women."

Jordan Junior Wrestling is a folkstyle wrestling program offered through Salt Lake County Recreation, operating out or Jordan High School in Sandy. The middle school/junior high team is for grades five through nine; the elementary team is for grades four and younger. For more information, go to http://members.aol.com/jordanjuniors/ or email jordanjuniors@aol.com.
Mountain Top Wrestling Club Opens 2008 Season Feb. 4

(Sandy, Utah) Jan. 4, 2008 3⁄4 Mountain Top Wrestling Club will open the 2008 freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling season on Feb. 4, 2008, at Jordan High School. Returning to coach the team are Bill Kilpack (III), a national AAU wrestling champion and alternate for the Greco-Roman Pan-Am team; his father, Bill Kilpack (Jr.), one of the original coaches of the much lauded Sundance Wrestling Club; Derek Jensen, a two-time member of the All-Marine wrestling team; and Mike Johnson, a former youth wrestler who successfully coaches kids in a number of sports.

“Last year was a really great year,” said Kilpack (III). “We took state in both freestyle and Greco-Roman and had some really dominant wrestlers. We had more kids at the local tournaments than any previous year, took home 71 medals, 28 state titles and four outstanding wrestler trophies at the USA Wrestling-Utah state tournament; had three of the seven Intermountain Champions, 15 national championship finishes and 47 All-American finishes. We hosted the Mountain Top Classic again, which was a leg in the Intermountain Champion series, and hosted wrestlers from seven states. We have as strong a core group as ever, with more parental support than ever, coming down from as far as Clearfield and up from as far as Spanish Fork. Last year was just amazing, and we want to just pick right up where we left off, building and continuing to improve our members both as athletes and individuals.”

The team's three Intermountain Champions, 15 national championships, 47 All-American finishes were tallied between the three main styles of wrestling: freestyle, Greco-Roman and folkstyle. In addition to the 28 state championships, team members earned 16 state runner-up finishes, 18 state bronze finishes. At the USA Wrestling Western Regional Championships, there were eight who placed, including four championships. Members also earned eight Outstanding Wrestler awards and two Fastest Pin awards in 2007. In addition to the two team state championships, Mountain Top Wrestling earned a team championship at the USA Wrestling Salt Lake Slam and the U.S. Folkstyle Nationals, and two 2nd place team trophies.

Mountain Top Wrestling Club will compete in open tournaments throughout Utah and will supplement the in-state schedule with tournaments in Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, California and Nevada. In addition, the team will return to compete in the Western Regional Championships, return to the Reno World Championships and Rocky Mountain Nationals, and return to the USA Wrestling Kids Nationals. Kilpack (III) said, "The traveling is important to the development of the athletes. It allows them to get more mat time during the season, provides them folkstyle experience before reaching high school, and provides new opponents who they have not met week after week. Just as importantly, the travel provides a reward for the wrestlers’ hard work and the support of their families."

Kilpack (Jr.) said, “The wrestling trips make the season fun. The kids wrestle, then stay in a hotel after and hit the pool. The trips are not only a reward for the kids, but for their families. Wrestling is a family sport. Every successful wrestler has strong family support. It takes dedication from the kids as well as their parents. Traveling gives the kids something that they'll remember all their lives.”

This year’s coaching staff has a long and successful wrestling history.
Kilpack (III) of West Jordan was an original member of the Sundance Wrestling Club, arguably the finest freestyle/Greco-Roman wrestling team in Utah history. As a competitor, he garnered an AAU national championship, seven national silver medals, seven more national medals, and was a member of the Pan-Am team in Greco-Roman wrestling holding an alternate position. In addition, he was named All-American 15 times by AAU, the US Wrestling Federation or USA Wrestling in freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling; was a seven-time Zone/Western Regional champion; and a six-time state champion in freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. He also spent many years helping coach Sundance teammates.

Kilpack (Jr.) of West Jordan was one of the two original coaches of the Sundance Wrestling Club, and a member of the University of Utah wrestling team. Sundance was arguably the finest freestyle/Greco-Roman wrestling team in Utah history, producing the first two world champions from Utah, and dozens of other international and national honors. He was also a member of the University of Utah wrestling team.

Jensen of West Valley City was a varsity letterman all three years of high school at Hunter High School, was a Utah Summer Games champion, a Region champion, a two-time freestyle state champ, and competed at nationals as a senior in high school. Following high school, he was a member of the wrestling team at Palo Mar College in California before joining the military, where he was twice named to the All-Marine Wrestling Team.

Johnson of Draper wrestled as a child, but had to choose between wrestling and basketball. As a result, he was a varsity letterman in both basketball and football all three years of high school, and a member of the All-Regional All-Star team in basketball. His love of the sport and passion for helping kids as a coach now continues through several sports.

Mountain Top Wrestling Club is a nonprofit 501(c)3 corporation dedicated to providing a venue for individuals to learn, develop and refine their athletic skills and abilities; and educating regarding the rules and regulations of freestyle, folkstyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. It is open to male and female athletes ages four and older who live anywhere in the State of Utah. Practices are held three days a week at Jordan High School

Mountain Top Wrestlers Take 14 Awards at the Salt Lake Slam

(Sandy, Utah) Twenty-three Mountain Top Wrestling Club members competed in the USA Wrestling Salt Lake Slam folkstyle wrestling tournament held at the Salt Palace Dec. 29, 2007. Of those 23 athletes, 14 came away with awards, including five who made it to the finals, and one champion. The tournament is one of four legs of the USA Wrestling Tour of America Series, and hosted top athletes ranging from age 4 to 14. The team took one division championship, and finished in the Top 10 in all but one age division.

“The Slam was a tough tournament," said Coach Bill Kilpack (III). "Since it was USA Wrestling-sanctioned, it shifted the age groups, which had an impact, but they would all be wrestling there in the spring, anyway. We had some who really showed their stuff, showing significant improvement over past weeks. It was really exciting to see."

Leading the way was 9-year-old Sean Keating of South Jordan. He won the Midget (9 and 10 years old) 80-pound division, pinning every opponent but one, and that one he beat by technical fall (gaining a 15-point lead).

"Sean's toughest match was his first of the day," Kilpack said. "He won it 17-2, but he just couldn't pin the kid. The way that match went, it was really a tribute to both wrestlers' guts and heart."

Also making it to the finals were four other wrestlers: 6-year-old Mason Christiansen of Riverton, Bantam (ages 7 and 8) 56 lbs.; 6-year-old Justyn Ribald of West Jordan, Bantam 65 lbs.; 8-year-old Derek Fisher of Lindon, Midget (ages 9 and 10) 50 lbs.; and 12-year-old Zayne Sayers of Sandy, Middle School (ages 13 and 14) 160 lbs. Each finished in runner-up positions.

Taking third-place trophies were 10-year-old Tayler Johnson of Draper, Novice (ages 11 and 12) 80 lbs.; 11-year-old Derek Spachman of Saratoga Springs, Novice 90 lbs.; and 13-year-old Jake Ribald of West Jordan, Middle School 128 lbs.

Winning fourth-place medals was 6-year-old Spencer Maxwell of Sandy, Bantam 56 lbs.
Taking fifth was 13-year-old Tyler Jensen of West Valley City, Middle School 70 lbs.
Taking sixth place were four wrestlers: 6-year-old Garrick Kilpack of Sandy, Bantam 44 lbs.; 10-year-old Tyler Schwendiman of South Jordan, Novice 70 lbs.; 12-year-old Joey Day of Sandy, Middle School 77 lbs.; and 12-year-old William Kilpack of Sandy, Middle School 98 lbs., who had to withdraw, due to injury.
"Joey Day and Spencer Maxwell had exciting tournaments," Kilpack said. "This was the first time each of them placed at a tournament at this level. Last year, Joey was recognized as one of the team's Most Improved wrestlers, and it's continuing to play out this season. Spencer is making just as much progress, particularly in being able to hear the coaches and respond before the opening is gone."
In the team competition, Mountain Top was the Bantam Division Champion; finished third in the Midget Division; and finished fourth in the Middle School Division.

Also competing in the tournament were 9-year-old Siondileigh Kilpack of Sandy, Midget 55 lbs.; 9-year-old Spencer Westover of Sandy, Midget 65 lbs.; 10-year-old Carter McMillan of West Jordan, Novice 65 lbs.; 11-year-old Alex Maxwell of Sandy, Novice 70 lbs.; 11-year-old Addison Day of Sandy, Novice 75 lbs.; 11-year-old MacKelti Kilpack of Sandy, Novice 80 lbs.; 12-year-old Nick Hulbert of Salt Lake City, Middle School 112 lbs.; 13-year-old Rami Haddadin of Sandy, Middle School 84 lbs.; 13-year-old Rami Haddadin of Sandy, Middle School 84 lbs.; and 13-year-old Jacob Westover of Sandy, Middle School 98 lbs.

Mountain Top Wrestling Club is a nonprofit 501(c)3 corporation dedicated to providing a venue for individuals to learn, develop and refine their athletic skills and abilities; and teaching the rules and regulations of freestyle, folkstyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. It is open to male and female athletes ages four and older who live anywhere in the State of Utah. Practices are held three days a week at Jordan High School. For more information, call 641-9832, e-mail coach@mountaintopwrestling.com or visit them on the Worldwide Web at www.mountaintopwrestling.com.

Jordan Junior Wrestlers Bulldog the Provo Tournament

(Sandy, Uta