BEAR RIVER HIGH – By Mark Hirschi, Headliner Sports Writer, December 21, 2021
The boys wrestling team from Bear River High School were able to come out on top in their annual rivalry match with the Box Elder High School Bees on December 15, on their own home mat. The Bears outscored the Bees 46-32.
The Bears started out the night with a tough loss at 165 pounds putting them in a 6-point hole. River Smith (175) managed to get a major decision victory closing the gap by adding four points with his opponent wrestling tough as to not to give up the pin. The tide then turned for the Bears when Kwade Kosoff (190) and Kason Burn (215) both wrestling up a weight were able to pin their opponents.
Carson Pond (285) was able to turn his match around and get the fall for Bears. Freshman sensation Daxton Bingham (106) and senior Kaden Ward (113) were both also able to pin their opponents to put the Bears in a clear lead.
That is when the strategy began for the Bees as they were trying to turn the tide of the match. Box Elder moved their number one in the state wrestler down to 120 pounds to wrestle Bear River’s Max Miller. Bear River High’s head wrestling coach Jeff Smart was expecting this as he weighed in low enough to make the move. It happened to be Bear River’s responsibility to declare that Miller would be wrestling allowing for the Bees to implement their strategy. Miller was unable to fend off the pin and fell in the third round in an incredibly a tough match for the young junior.
The Bees were able to secure a pin in the next match and then won by major decision. Tyson Hirschi was able to secure the tie in team points when he won by fall allowing the next points to secure the Bears victory. The Bees gained a little momentum back with a pin at 144-pounds, but Bear River’s Dustin Douglas proved to be too much to handle in 150-pound class as his pin and securing the victory for the Bears. The Bees were able to get a major decision in the final match of the night.
The Bear River High boys’ wrestling team followed up the win with the Jody Warren Duals at Weber High School December 17-18, where the Bears took home first place.
Rewatch all the action from the Bear River vs. Box Elder boys' wrestling, courtesy of Bear River Live, on the link below.
Photos by Melanie Smith
