Battered Brayden Anderson takes first at state 4-A wrestling

Corey Burger Posted February 22, 2010 7:57pm Bobcat Wrestling

Image: Brayden Anderson — Brayden Anderson sporting state championship shiner — Brayden Anderson — Brayden Anderson sporting state championship shiner (Corey Burger)

After losing a contact, suffering head clashes that lead to cuts and bandages, and battling into sudden death overtime Sky View junior wrestler Brayden Anderson held on to win his first 4-A state championship title in the 140 pound weight class, held at Utah Valley University (UVU) in Orem one week ago.

After battling his way to a fifth place finish as a sophomore wrestler at last year’s state championship tournament, Brayden Anderson entered the finals at this year’s tournament ranked as the number one seed from the north. Anderson entered the tournament with a 45-4 record, and moved on to the final round after pinning Jason Avery from Westlake in the first round, pinning Mason Wilson of Bonneville in the quarter finals, and winning an 11-6 decision over Taylor Merkley of Uintah in the semi-finals. Anderson was matched up with fifth seeded Timpanogos junior wrestler DJ Argyle who sported a 25-8 record, and was coming off of a fifth place finish in the 5-A tournament last year. A realignment of schools placed Argyle and Timpanogos in the 4-A bracket and led to the most exciting match up of the tournament.

Perhaps a sign of the adversity Anderson would face, the match was stopped for a few seconds when he lost a contact just after the match had begun. The first period was an evenly matched battle with each wrestler taking turns trying to control the other, but usually ending up out of bounds before any points could be scored. The first period of regulation ended tied 0-0.

After a flip of the coin Argyle deferred and Anderson chose the down position. Half way through the second period Anderson quickly escaped and scored the first points of the match. Shortly after the escape, as the physical battle progressed, a clash of heads sent both wrestlers to the trainer for medical treatment. Anderson suffered a cut over his right eye as a result of the collision. With fifty five seconds left in the second period the match continued and the equally skilled wrestlers were unable to score again before the second period came to a close, ending with Anderson up 1-0.

Both wrestlers received medical attention between periods and Anderson entered the third period with a heavily bandage wrapped head. Anderson started the third period strong and aggressive from the up position, when he broke down Argyle and looked to be in control from the top. With a minute and twenty two seconds in the third period the match was once again stopped so that Argyle could receive medical attention for an injury over his right eye. When the battle continued with just a minute left in the match, an apparent attempt at a throw by Anderson resulted in two points for Argyle when he reversed the move just before going out of bounds and went up 2-1 in the match. When the match resumed Anderson was able to escape from the down position and tied the match 2-2.

With twenty seconds left in the final period another clash of the heads again sent both wrestlers to the sidelines for medical treatment. With a few more wraps of the bandage for Anderson both wrestlers were back on the mat and ready for action. However, as time expired neither wrestler was able to score and regulation ended with the match tied at two points each.

The first overtime period ended much like the first period of regulation without a score by either wrestler, closing the overtime period still tied at two. In wrestling if the score is tied after the first overtime period each wrestler takes turns from the down position in a thirty second period to earn as many points as possible. Anderson started out down first and got an escape giving him the lead 3-2. In the next thirty second period Argyle achieved the same results ending that period all tied up again at 3-3 sending the match into sudden death overtime.

Anderson who scored first in regulation time had his choice of position at the start of sudden death overtime. His choice of the down position was rewarded when a few seconds into the period he quickly escaped and the point earned solidified his place as a state champion wrestler.

“It was pretty crazy” Anderson said when asked how he felt the match went, “the reality didn’t really set in until all of the adrenaline wore off.” When asked how it felt to win his first state championship Anderson simply stated, “Pretty Awesome!”

“Brayden wrestled a phenomenal tournament” Head Coach Kyle Wright said, “the way he won the championship and all that he went through says a lot about his mental fortitude.” Wright continued, “Anderson’s win is a culmination of the time and focus he puts in during practice. He works the hardest and spends the most time on the mat.” This state championship has proved that all of Anderson’s hard work and determination has paid off.

Sky View who sent nineteen wrestlers to the sectional tournament, had nine wrestlers move on to the state tournament. When asked how he felt about this season Coach Wright answered, “A lot of kids made some good improvement this year, of course we would like to place more kids at state.” Wright continued to summarize the season when he said, “That will come as we continue to develop better work ethics, and more mental toughness.” The Sky View wrestling results at the state championship tournament are found below: