January 25, 2023
Tooele County girls wrestlers Lady Hawk Rumble

Two crowned individual champions, GHS team takes third ♦

With two individual champions and a third-place team championship, local high school female wrestlers demonstrated the strength of the three girls’ programs in the Tooele Valley Saturday at the Lady Hawk Rumble in Cache Valley. Stanbury’s Angie Aguilar and Tooele’s Lindsay Hansen each won individual championships while the Grantsville team placed third overall. The Lady Hawk Rumble featured some of the best female wrestlers in the state.

With Mountain Crest, 2022 4A State Champions, winning the tournament and 6A 2022 State Runner Up Copper Hills placing second, the competition at the tournament was stiff. 

“We really love going to the Lady Hawk Rumble because we get great competition and see a lot of the wrestlers we’ll see at state,” Grantsville coach Matt Mecham noted. “Our girls got matches against top competitors in each weight and had the opportunity to see 3A competitors like Rich, Union and North Sanpete as well. 

“As coaches we’re very pleased with how our team performed today.”

Of the 29 teams competing in the varsity and JV tournaments, Grantsville placed third as a team, with Stansbury fifth and Tooele 13th. Eleven Cowboy wrestlers earned spots on the podium with Hailey Broderick (155) advancing to the finals.

The Stallions wrestled seven girls in the varsity tournament, and all seven athletes placed with four: Addyson Van Cott (115), Kortnee Selin (125), Angie Aguiar (235) and Jayde Solipo (235), in championship bouts. Although they were fighting several injuries, the Buffs produced a champion, Lindsay Hansen (105) and a fourth-place finish.

“We had seven wrestlers in the varsity tournament and all seven medaled,” Stansbury Coach Codie Miller said. “We also had four JV wrestlers medal. (and) they are still getting better every week. 

“We are still waiting for some to come off injuries who will help score points, but I am very proud of our lady wrestlers; the progress we are making and what is in store for the next few weeks.”

In the 235-pound weight class, Stansbury dominated the bracket. Both Angie Aguilar and Jayde Solipo wrestled their way to the finals to finish first and second. 

In the championship bout, Aguilar prevailed by fall (3:13) as she did in each of her matches, finishing the tournament undefeated and pinning each of her opponents. Elisia Truhillo, a third 235 pounder, advanced to the 5th place match and lost by pin to claim sixth place.

At 105 pounds, Tooele’s Lindsay Hansen was the valley’s second individual champion. Hansen advanced to the finals with three pins over Davis, Mountain Crest and Copper Hills. In the finals, she took down Ridgeline’s Keagan Grange 11-10. Grange recently won the Rockwell Rumble and had only lost one match to a Utah competitor this year before her loss to Hansen.

Tooele Coach Joel Spendlove said he loved how tough his team wrestled all weekend. 

“We took 13th with only six wrestlers,” he said. “I couldn’t be prouder of them.”

Stansbury’s Addyson Van Cott (115) also won her opening, quarter final and semifinal matches to earn a spot in the championship bout. Van Cott lost on a close 5-3 decision to take second. Also at 115 pounds, the Cowboys’ McKinly Collier placed fourth.

At 125 pounds, the valley was well represented with Stansbury’s Kortnee Selin in the championship match, Grantsville’s Vanessa Elexpuru in the 3rd Place Match, and Grantsville’s Reagan Pitt in the 5th Place match. Selin took second place after pinning each of her opponents in the previous rounds before losing by fall in the finals. Elexpuru claimed 3rd with a 12-7 decision, and Pitt took sixth place.

Grantsville’s Hailey Broderick (155 pounds) won her opening bout by fall and took the semifinals by decision 10-4. She fell in the championship match by fall to Syracuse’s Ashlyn Parker. The Stallions’ Abigail Acosta placed fourth in the 155-pound bracket.

Valley wrestlers placed at every weight but 170 pounds and represented Tooele County well. At 100 pounds, Rhylee Clark (GHS) placed third. Grantsville’s Arlie Jensen took sixth at 110 pounds while Stansbury’s Kacie Jean Nicholes (3rd) and Grantsville’s Bailey Rainer (5th) placed in the 120-pound bracket.

At 130 pounds, the Cowboys’ Nikki Dong earned fourth and at 135 pounds, the Buffs’ Ana Chlarson took fourth as well. At 140 and 145 pounds, Grantsville’s Kaizley Clark and Courtney Mecham took fourth. Zoey Cloward, the Cowboys’ 190 pounder, also placed fourth.

Tooele and Grantsville will face each other in a dual Friday, January 27 in Grantsville. It will be Senior Night for the Cowboys.