Morgan Wrestling Club’s McCrae Meibos brings home championship

While the high school was wrestling in Enterprise, the Morgan Wrestling Club Middle School and Junior High team was in Richfield participating in the1A-4A Junior High/Middle School State Tournament. Thirty-three wrestlers and their families and coaches made the trek to Richfield to compete in the two-day tournament.  

When the final whistle blew ending the tournament for the 717 wrestlers competing, Morgan’s team placed sixth in 3A and 11th overall out of the 39 teams that participated.  

Head coach Jarett Jorgensen said, “I’m excited about the number of boys who were able to attend State. We took 33 boys, almost double what we took the year before. Out of the kids who went we had 22 make it to the second day.”

“That next round was brutal for us; we had 13 go out, and we had three matches where teammates had to wrestle each other. We had eight in the semis, but only two made it to the finals. The kids wrestled well, and I’m proud of every wrestler’s improvements and hard work.”

McCrae Meibos brought home an individual first-place title at 120 pounds in the 4th-6th Grade Middle School Division. Meibos won his quarterfinal 4-3 over Uintah and pinned his semifinal opponent from Delta in 15 seconds. In the finals, Meibos won by fall over Beaver’s Gunner Marshall (3:56).  

“McCrae worked hard to get to the top of the podium. Last year he took second, and it’s exciting to see him on top this year,” Jorgensen said

Beau Phillips, wrestling in the 80-pound Middle School bracket, advanced to the title bout and brought home second place. Phillips opened with a 7-0 decision and pinned his quarterfinal opponent in 28 seconds. He got past Canyon View in the semis with a 12-10 win by decision to advance to the finals where he fell to Juab’s Trey “Swaggy” Fowkes by pin (2:08).

Beckett Lot (90 pounds Middle School) lost in the semifinals to the eventual champion from Payson by pin but rebounded to win his next two matches by fall to place third, and Kayde Wardell earned sixth place at 73 pounds in the Middle School division. 

In the Junior High Division (85 pounds), both Spencer Phillips and Sam Woolsey wrestled well, but they both struggled against Altamont’s Haydon Williams, who put both wrestlers out of the tournament before they reached the placement matches. Phillips notched two wins and Woolsey three.  

At 104 pounds Ryker Thomson took sixth place with three victories by fall. Krew Venz (108) also placed sixth. Venz lost in overtime in the quarterfinals and came back to wrestle for 5th/6th.  

Desmond Cadena (116) advanced to the semifinal match and lost by fall after being up in the match (1:18). Cadena finished sixth.

Also advancing to the semifinals was Quade Kuhn at 138 pounds. Kuhn lost by major decision (14-2) in the semis, but he rebounded to enter the 3rd Place Match. He lost by fall and placed fourth.

At 190 pounds, Colt Gale suffered a loss in the quarterfinals by pin. He won his next four bouts, two by fall and the final by a 9-8 decision to claim third place.

Jorgensen is grateful for his group of assistant coaches who have helped develop his young wrestlers. They include Clay Thomson, Jared Venz, Skyer Phillips, Brett Fearn, Dustin Rock, and Adam Toone.

“I’m excited for the future of Morgan wrestling. We had 18 fourth graders come out this year. It’s a bigger group than we’ve ever had. I really hope they all stick with it,” Jorgensen said.

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