Manti and North Sanpete to send 23 wrestlers to 3A state
Photo courtesy Ashley Peterson
A slew of local wrestlers are headed to the 3A state wrestling championships.
Manti High School qualified 11 wrestlers for the Class 3A state tournament at last week’s divisional meets, led by a divisional championship from Durke Larsen at 126 pounds.
Larsen won the 126-pound bracket at the Division A meet in Richfield, giving Manti its lone individual title of the tournament. Waylon Jarvis added a fifth-place finish at the same weight, also securing a state berth.
Manti placed fifth overall as a team at the Division A tournament with 94.5 points, finishing behind Canyon View, Juab, Carbon, and Richfield.
Several Manti wrestlers earned podium finishes to qualify for state. Kellen Peterson placed third at 144 pounds, while Wyatt Hanks finished third at 157. Kolten Layton took fourth at 144, and Brian Marquez placed seventh at 138. Isaac Meacham qualified with a seventh-place finish at 215, as did Kort Thomson at 165 and Ollin Olsen at 106. Porter Denton finished eighth at 113, and Colt Anderson placed eighth at 150.
“Manti wrestling has recorded a successful post season, qualifying 11 boys for the state championship,” said Manti wrestling coach Bryan VanTassell. “At the forefront of the team are their seniors, Durke Larsen, Wyatt Hanks and Kellen Peterson all looking to be at the top of the podium. Durke Larsen is entering the tournament as the one seed and looking to redeem himself from his state championship loss in 2025 and walk away with an individual title.”
North Sanpete competed in the Division B tournament at Union High School and finished seventh in the team standings with 148 points.
The Hawks qualified multiple wrestlers for the state tournament, including Killian Olsen, who placed second at 106 pounds. Wyatt Griffith placed fourth at 113, and Chaetton Osborne finished third at 120. North Sanpete also advanced Chase Sorensen at 126, Easton Henrie and Stryker Lee at 138, Trevor Mann at 144, Andy Aragon-Begay at 165, Jesse Nuttall and Graysen Boylan at 190, Jaxton Blackham at 175, and Hagen Nielson at 215.
The 3A state wrestling tournament is scheduled for Feb. 4–5 at the Sevier Valley Center, where qualifiers from both divisions will compete for individual and team championships.