Wasatch High School celebrates a first place win during the 5A Girls Wrestling State Championships at the UCCU Center in Orem on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024.
Marielle Scott, Deseret News
In just its second year as a program, the Wasatch High School girls wrestling team can consider themselves champions, outlasting the competition in the region 5A state girls wrestling tournament with a top overall score of 249.5. Salem Hills finished in second with 208, while Cedar Valley wasn’t far behind with 200.
“This is our second year as a program, and we whave received incredible support from the community as well as the administration. I think all around from top to bottom we just have really good wrestling,” said Wasatch head coach Hailey Corona.
Corona has made it a point to create a tight-knit and cohesive team and it showed throughout the tournament.
“I try to cultivate a team that is really supportive. If there is ever any drama, we make it a point to get rid of it right away and we really don’t have any of that. We try to do fun things together outside of wrestling because wrestling is not always a fun sport and it has really brought the girls together,” said Corona.
Wasatch didn’t have a single individual state champ, but it had 11 wrestlers place in the top six of their respective weight which was key in racking up enough points to claim the state title.
Salem Hills’ runner-up finish was highlighted by Kelseigh Banks’ individual state championship at 120 pounds.
Third-place finisher Cedar Valley ended the 5A meet with the most individual state champs as Arisna Stoot (110), Annalee Wright (135) and Madison Meyes (170) all won state titles.
One of the feel good stories of the tournament were the Zimmerman sister from Hillcrest High School, who both won back-to-back state championships. Eva, a sophomore, easily handled Carolina Pastrana of Cyprus and won the title with a score of 17-1. Similarly in the 115-pound weight class, Eva’s sister Eliza took care of her competition and defeated Wasatch’s Marabelle Brown from Wasatch 11-0.
“My older sister Eliza and my brother who coaches us really help motivate me to do my best. I love to know that I really worked hard for it. I know that I worked hard and I deserved it. I didn’t cut any corners and I know I deserve it,” said Eva.
“I love having my brother and sisters with me, they mean so much to me. A lot of my success I owe to my coaches. Every single time I make a win I’m happy for my coaches, my family and everybody that is there to support me,” said Eliza.
Maple Mountain’s Aurelia Ramos ended her high school career on a high note by winning her first place match in the 190 pound weight class, defeating Ava Semchuck of Alta on a fall with 1:10 left in the first period.
After finishing second in state, her first two years of high school and then getting first the last two years, Ramos could be happier with the way her wrestling career has ended.
“I had an undefeated season, and it just feels great. My first two years I finished second to a team so it feels good to take these last two years, said Ramos.
Other individual state champs were Northridge’s Mikalah Whitehouse (130), Bonneville’s Alexis Kirkland (140), Kearns’ Leticia Garcia (145), Bonneville’s Hannah Bowler (155) and West’s Elena Kamai (235).
Class 5A state tournament
At Utah Valley
Team Scores
Wasatch, 249.5Salem Hills, 208Cedar Valley, 200Northridge, 170Hillcrest, 143.5Springville, 101Maple Mountain, 87Bonneville, 81
Individual results
105 — 1. Eva Zimmerman, Hillcrest; 2. Caroline Pastrana, Cyprus; 3. Maisey Blaser, Wasatch; 4. Jennifer Jones, Northridge; Eliana Topete, Wasatch110 — 1. Arisna Stoot, Cedar Valley; 2. Stephanie Taufa, Taylorsville; 3. Kaaulani Hew-len, Hunter; 4. Makayla Carrick, Salem Hills; 5. Stephanie Schmolke, Cedar Valley; 6. Kaylee Young, Maple Mountain115 — 1. Eliza Zimmerman, Hillcrest; 2. Marabelle Brown, Wasatch; 3. Casandra Pastrana, Cyprus; 4. Ella Gillian, Bountiful, 5. Hannah Coyne, Salem Hills, 6. Ariana Brimhall, Springville120 — 1. Kelseigh Banks, Salem Hills; 2. Pallas Anderson, Wasatch; 3. Mei-mei Engebretsen, Brighton; 4. Riley Levin, Alta; 5. Azia Kendall, Northridge; 6. Lilly Lake, Maple Mountain125 — 1. Ellie Jensen, Maple Mountain; 2. Paisley Nelson, Salem Hills; 3. Emily Pasillas, Northridge; 4. Elise Lewis Brighton, 5. Hailey Holton, Northridge; 6. Emily Scherzinger, Cyprus130 — 1. Mikalah Whitehouse, Northridge; 2. Braylin Jones, Salem Hills; 3. Amberly Howe, Wasatch; 4. Alexandra Gates, Cedar Valley; 5. Abbie Colvin, Roy; 6. Brailey Keller, Bonneville135 — 1. Annalee Wright, Cedar Valley; 2. Daeja Sundquist, Olympus; 3. Regan Heywood, Wasatch; 4. Sage Ross, Spanish Fork; 5. Aleia Baarsma, Hillcrest; 6. Geneya Ferreira, West Jordan140 — 1. Alexis Kirkland, Bonneville; 2. Rhya Balmforth, Cedar Valley; 3. Nehemiah Cook, Highland; 4. Brinette Winegar, Wasatch; 5. Alisa Misselhorn, Northridge; 6. Paige Fowler, Clearfield145 — 1. Leticia Garcia, Kearns; 2. Corinne Letchford, Wasatch; 3. Brinlee Mcarthur, Cedar Valley; 4. Avery Winterton, Salem Hills; 5. Tiana Robison, West Jordan; 6. Heather Weakley, Springville155 — 1. Hannah Bowler, Bonneville; 2. Hayley Harris, Springville; 3. Tyler Richter, Wasatch; 4. Ruby Lindstrom, Salem Hills; 5. Ariana Hope, Hunter; 6. Jessica Miller, Salem Hills170 — 1. Madison Meyes, Cedar Valley; 2. Madilyn Schuc, Alta; 3. Hotaia Valeti, Springville; 4. Maeli Howard, Bountiful; 5. Kate Bird, Wasatch; 6. Jasmine Katoa, West190 — 1. Aurellia Ramos, Maple Mountain; 2. Ava Semchuck, Alta; 3. Jocelyn Hepler, Salem Hills; 4. Malia Meyer, Taylorsville; 5. Asinate Mafuahingano, Hillcrest; 6. Lexie Antonino, Spanish Fork235 — 1. Elena Kamai, West; 2. Kalyn Wade, Northridge; 3. Llaisaane Taufa, Brighton; 4. Ameris Koch, Box Elder; 5. Adyson Knight, Wasatch; 6. Rylyn Denney, Cedar Valley.