BEAR RIVER HIGH - By Cari Doutre, Headliner Publisher, February 25, 2023
Meet Bear River High girls’ wrestling team's first ever two-time state champion!
Sadie Hardy, a senior at Bear River High, closed out her high school wrestling days with her second state wrestling title during the 4A state wrestling championships on Saturday, February 18, at the Sevier Valley Center in Richfield.
Competing in the 100-pound weight division again this year, Sadie sailed through this year’s state tournament defeating her opponent Jayci Tolman, a freshman from Mountain Crest High, 9-3 in the finals. She finished the season with an overall record of 27-5.
In addition, Sadie was named this year’s 4A Outstanding Wrestler at the state tournament.
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Sadie, like many female wrestlers her age in Utah, got a late start to the competitive world of high school wrestling. It wasn’t until 2020 that girls’ wrestling officially became a Utah High School Activities Association sanctioned sport during her sophomore year.
She joined the first ever Bear River High girls’ wrestling team that year and has been a powerful force on the wrestling mat as well as a leader and role model on and off the mat to her teammates and the wrestling community. Hardy was also a two-year captain on the team.
But that doesn’t mean she was unfamiliar with the sport of wrestling growing up. Not even close. She is after all, a Hardy, and anyone familiar with the history of high school wrestling in Box Elder County and Utah understands the significance of that last name.
A long line of talented and decorated wrestlers, the Hardy’s are a well-known “wrestling dynasty family” out of Box Elder High – and now Bear River High as well. Sadie’s father, Caleb Hardy, is an assistant coach for both the Bear River boys’ and girls’ wrestling teams and is also a state champion wrestler. He took the title in 2000 as a member of the Box Elder High wrestling team.
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But it wasn’t her last name that helped her become a two-time state champion wrestler. Sadie earned those titles through her own hard work, dedication and grit. This year was no exception especially when it came down to her final high school wrestling match and her opponent.
“She’s beat me before. She beat me at the Rumble,” Sadie said after her state finals match in an interview with Bear River Live and BRVNEWS.com
“I knew that it was going to be a tough match. I’m really proud of the way I worked today,” she added.
Watch the full interview with Sadie Hardy, including video highlights of her state finals match, courtesy of Bear River Live below.
Photos by John Hurley and Melanie Smith
