BEAR RIVER HIGH - By Cari Doutre, Headliner Publisher, February 28, 2023
Max Miller put his first pair of wrestling shoes on when he was just 3 years old. Fast-forward to senior year in high school, the now 17-year-old has put on his last pair of wrestling shoes for the final time. Only this time they are the shoes of a state champion wrestler.
In the final high school wrestling match of his career, and his final wrestling match ever, Miller accomplished something that he had been working towards for over 14 years – a state championship title. And he did just that.
On February 18, at the Sevier Valley Center in Richfield, Miller defeated his opponent Seth Armstrong from Hurricane High School, 5-1, in the 132-pounds finals match in the 2023 4A state wrestling championships tournament to claim the title.
It was an emotional moment for Miller, his coaches, teammates, friends and family members all who gathered to watch and support him one last time on the wrestling mat.
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“He beat me before so going into it I was a little nervous, but I knew what I had to do to finish it,” said Miller in an interview with BRVNEWS.com and Bear River Live shortly after his finals match.
Miller finished the season with an impressive 46-6 overall record and got his 100th pin of his high school wrestling career in January.
Watch video highlights and more from Miller’s interview courtesy of Bear River Live on the link below.
The state championships tournament itself was full of highs and lows for the entire Bear River High boys’ wrestling team as they finished in second place overall in 4A this year. The Bears had 232 total points to first place finishers Mountain Crest High with 361 points. Snow Canyon High (187), Ridgeline High (178.5) and Green Canyon High (156) rounded out the top five this year.
The Bears had two wrestlers in the 4A state finals this year – Miller and fellow senior Braegger Richards at 150. Richards fell to Jace McBride, a senior from Mountain Crest, in the finals (Fall 3:39), taking home second place.
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Individually, the following Bear River wrestlers placed in the state tournament taking a spot in the top six:
1st place:
132 – Max Miller, Sr.
2nd place:
150 – Braegger Richards, Sr.
3rd place:
106 – Brandon Thorsted, So.
120 – Daxton Bingham, So.
150 – Jarom Nelson, Jr.
4th place:
144 – Caleb Korth
157 – Kyle Detwiler, Jr.
5th place:
126 – Keaton Smith, So.,
165 – Vincent Fertig, So.,
190 – Kwade Kosoff, Sr.,
6th place:
106 – Jaxon Morgan, Fr.,
138 – Ty Hawkes, Jr.,
175 – Skyler Yeates, Jr.,
Photos by John Hurley, Melanie Smith, Shelley Wilcox and Tymer Yeates
