FARMINGTON – By Cari Doutre – Jan. 20, 2020
The Rockwell Rumble is one of the most competitive, and well attended, wrestling tournaments of the high school season. This year 75 teams entered the varsity tournament from multiple states in the west, gathering at Legacy Event Center in Farmington Jan. 17-18.
Even with the odds stacked high, the Bear River varsity team still made the top 10, placing ninth overall with 122.5 points. Mountain Crest, the Bears’ Region 11 rivals, took 4th overall.
Individually, Bear River junior Trenton Ward suffered his first loss in the 2019-20 high school season in the semi-finals in the 106-pound weight division. He took third at the tournament beating Kaden Ercanbrack from Juab, 7-3. Ward’s overall record this year now stands at 34-1.
Jeshua Koch (285), a freshman from Bear River Middle School, also finished the tournament in third place. Koch pinned his opponent Jeffrey Durrant, a junior from Payson, in his final match at The Rumble.
Seniors Maverik Skinner (160) and Paxton Smith (195) both finished at The Rumble in seventh place.
Junior varsity wrestlers from Bear River fared better at The Rumble, taking fourth place overall as a team behind Payson, Fremont and Juab.
Senior Brayden Wolfe (132) took first place beating Kelton Smith from Payson in the finals, 13-5.
Sophomore Kayden Ward (98) took second place behind Preston LaForett, a junior from Payson. Junior Corbin Kierstead (138) took third place.
Both Kwade Kosoff (160) and Braxton Christensen (182) took fifth place. Dustin Douglas (126) and Travis Hatch (132) made it to the podium, both took sixth place.
Earlier in the week the Bears hosted Sky View on Thursday, Jan. 16, in a Region 11 meet. In a quick 52-24 win over the Bobcats, the Bears earned their first region win.
Individual Bear River wins:
Max Miller (106) – Fall 4:48
Dustin Douglas (126) Fall 1:42
Brayden Wolfe (132) MD 12-1
Kamryn Rees (138) Fall :57
Cael Wilcox (145) Fall 5:44
Kaeson Burn (152) Forfeit
TJ Yeates (170) Forfeit
Braxton Christensen (195) Forfeit
Jeshua Koch (285) Fall 1:44
This week the Bears will travel to Olympus High on Tuesday, Jan. 21, and will host Logan on Thursday, Jan. 23 at 7 p.m.