LAS VEGAS, NV. - By Cari Doutre - Dec. 21, 2019 -
Trenton Ward proved to the western states that he dominates the wrestling mat. The Bear River High junior took home the championship title at 108 pounds in the Las Vegas Holiday Classic held December 20-21, 2019, in Nevada. Ward pinned his opponent in the finals, Alan Casey from Oakdale, Calif.
Also representing the Bears in Las Vegas was freshman Jeshua Koch in the heavyweight division. Koch, the youngest Bear River wrestler to place in the tournament, was pinned by his opponent, Tyler Carpenter from Broomfield, Colorado. Koch comes to the high school team already an accomplished wrestler earning several titles over the course of his wrestling career before he even started high school.
Maverik Skinner, a senior at Bear River High, and the youngest of the Skinner boys’ wrestling dynasty at Bear River, finished the tournament in third place. He defeated Kamyn Stonebaker from Liberty, Arizona, in a close 4-3 match in the 162 weight division.
Senior Paxton Smith took fourth place at 197, losing his final match 6-4, to his opponent from Liberty, Arizona. Tyler Howard, a Bear River senior, finished the tournament in fifth place at 184. Howard beat Karter Kares from Green Valley, Nevada, for his spot on the podium.
River Smith, a sophomore wrestling in the 128 pound weight class, took eighth place overall, good enough to medal.
The Bears finished fifth overall as a team out of 64 teams from the western United States.
