| Carbon High wrestlers Trent Greenhalgh, Dustin Howa and Zack Burdick along with Dallen McFarlane who wasn’t available for the photo on Monday afternoon, all placed in the state wrestling meet with Howa winning an individual crown in the 135 lb. class. Carbon as a team took seventh place. |
To his friends, teachers and coaches he is known as “Dirt.”
To the Utah High School Activities Association as of Saturday he is known as champion.
That’s when he beat Czyz Woody in the 135 lb. class at the 3A wrestling championships for the state crown, 13-7.
At one point in the match Dustin Howa was down 6-0, but came back to win on points, unlike anything Carbon wrestling coach said he has seen before.
“I have to say I have never had a kid that does what he has done all year,” said Carbon wrestling coach Dave Smith. “He gets behind and always comes back. I’ve never coached a kid that does that consistently like Dustin.”
Smith said he has seen plenty of champions get behind and win by a pin, but to be down that much in a state match and to win it on points almost never happens.
“He’s just in great shape and takes over,” stated Smith as he walked to the gym for photos of three of the four placers Carbon had at state. “He has a lot of determination.”
Along with Howa three other young men from Carbon also placed in what has been for many years what is considered to be the best classification in wrestling in the state.
Taking second place in the 119 lb. class was Trent Greenhalgh as he was defeated by Jake Madsen of Bear River 6-4.
Another Carbon wrestler, Zack Burdick, competing in the 140 lb. class took third as he defeated A.T. Cisco of Tooele 6-3.
If the above names are familiar, it’s because they have all had brothers, cousins, etc. that have competed in wrestling at Carbon and other schools in the area.
In addition one more wrestler on the team also placed. Dallen McFarlane took fifth in the 145 lb. classification.
With the four finishers, it gave Carbon enough points to take seventh place in the 3A class.
“Our boys did a good job,” said Smith.
The championship in 3A was won by Wastach a perennial power team that included a half of a famous name on it: Sanderson. In this case it was Cyler Sanderson, the younger brother of Cael Sanderson, the only person to ever go through his NCAA career undefeated and also a gold medal winner at the Olympic games in Greece last summer.
The Wasps won the top team trophy convincingly with 297 points far out distancing second place Uintah with 174.
Other teams on top included Bear River, 166.5; Delta 139.5; North Sanpete 115.5; and Hurricane with 106 points.
Carbon barely edged out Ogden by one half point (98.5 to 98) for seventh place.