ST. GEORGE — When Bundy Sewell pinned Desmond Wise with 43 seconds left in the second period, Desert Hills had a comeback Region 9 win over Snow Canyon after starting Wednesday’s match with two forfeits.
The Thunder finished the region season 4-1 while Snow Canyon finished at 3-2. Thurday’s matches, which will complete the region’s dual meet season, include Cedar (4-0) at Hurricane (1-3) and Dixie (0-4) at Pine View (1-3). Both will start at 7:30 p.m.
“Down to the wire — we needed every point,” observed Thunder coach Brian Pace after the match. “Obviously the heavyweight match was key. Wise is a tough kid. It was a big win for Bundy.”
Desert Hills also got pins from Chance Bundy at 132, Brady Jones at 160 and Russ Farnesi at 220.
Another key win for the Thunder, Pace said, came at 106.
“That was his first varsity match,” Pace said of Jon Saculles. “It was nice to see him pull off the win.”
Saculles fell behind the Warriors Mikaena Puriri early and trailed 5-3 late in the second period. But a takedown and a near-fall gave him an 8-5 edge heading into the final period. He then powered to a 13-7 decision from there.
Snow Canyon’s Kody Hafen (120), Trent Wilson (138), Weston Jeppson (145) and Tanner Nelson (182) also had pins.
“It was exciting to have it come down to the heavyweights,” said Warrior coach Nick Lang. “Congrats to Desert Hills.
Snow Canyon had a definite gameplan heading into the match.
“Our team strategy was to limit points against their toughest kids,” Lang said. “Even though Seth (Rogers) lost his match, he executed that match to perfection.”
The Thunder’s Liam Williams downed Rogers 12-4, but, despite his No. 1 ranking at 152 pounds in Class 3A, he wasn’t able to pin him. That kept things interesting down to the end.
Rogers, Lang noted, was wrestling up two weight classes.
Following completion of the league duals, teams will turn their attention to the Class 3A divisional tournament at Cedar City High School on Feb. 5 and 6. Teams will be able to enter two wrestlers per weight class as the young men try to be among the eight who qualify for the state tournament at Utah Valley University on Feb. 12 and 13.
Before Wednesday’s match, the Thunder’s Caleb Palmer received the Vance Casperson Young Manhood Award. Coach Pace explained that the longtime Pine View coach presents the award to athletes who give more to wrestling than they get out of the sport.
Desert Hills 39, Snow Canyon 36
106-Jon Saculles, DH, dec. Mikaera Puriri, 13-7
113-Reese Jones, SC, by forfeit
120-Kody Hafen, SC, pinned Dalton Petty, 0:17, 1st
126-Zayden Rowley, DH, dec. Tanner Wilde, 9-5
132-Chance Bundy, DH, pinned Christian Case, 0:12, 2nd
138-Trent Wilson, SC, pinned Payton Pace, 0:51, 1st
145-Weston Jeppson, SC, pinned Kaden Ricks, 0:13, 3rd
152-Liam Williams, DH, dec. Seth Rogers, 12-4
160-Brady Jones, DH, pinned Dane Bulloch,0:14, 1st
170-Byron Anderson, DH, dec. Rhett Boatright, 15-0
182-Tanner Nelson, SC, pinned Tanner Hermann, 1:19, 2nd
195-Chris Stoddard, SC, by forfeit
220-Russ Farnesi, DH, pinned Hunter Wood, 1:59, 1st
285-Bundy Sewell, DH, pinned Desmond Wise, 0:43, 2nd.
DH's Brady Jones (in black) and SC's Dane Bulloch at 160 lbs. Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Wrestling, St. George, Utah, Jan. 27, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News DH's Liam Williams (black) and SC's Seth Rogers, 152 lbs. Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Wrestling, St. George, Utah, Jan. 27, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News DH's Zayden Rowley (black) and SC's tanner Wilde, 126 lbs. Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Wrestling, St. George, Utah, Jan. 27, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News DH's Zayden Rowley (black) and SC's tanner Wilde, 126 lbs. Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Wrestling, St. George, Utah, Jan. 27, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News SC's Christian Case (left), 132 lbs., file photo from Jan. 27, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News SC's Trent Wilson (in gold) and DH's Payton Pace, 138 lbs., Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Wrestling, St. George, Utah, Jan. 27, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News SC's Trent Wilson (in gold) and DH's Payton Pace, 138 lbs., Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Wrestling, St. George, Utah, Jan. 27, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News SC's Weston Jeppson (gold) and DH's Kaden Ricks, 145 lbs., Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Wrestling, St. George, Utah, Jan. 27, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News SC's Weston Jeppson (gold) and DH's Kaden Ricks, 145 lbs., Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Wrestling, St. George, Utah, Jan. 27, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News DH's Liam Williams (black) and SC's Seth Rogers, 152 lbs. Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Wrestling, St. George, Utah, Jan. 27, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News DH's Brady Jones (in black) and SC's Dane Bulloch at 160 lbs. Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Wrestling, St. George, Utah, Jan. 27, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News DH's Byron Anderson (black) and SC's Rhett Boatright, 170 lbs., Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Wrestling, St. George, Utah, Jan. 27, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News DH's Byron Anderson (black) and SC's Rhett Boatright, 170 lbs., Desert Hills vs. Snow Canyon, Wrestling, St. George, Utah, Jan. 27, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
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