Canyon View girls wrestling team wins divisional meet, qualifies 14 athletes for state

Canyon View girls wrestling team celebrates winning their divisional meet, Morgan, Utah, Feb. 1, 2023 | Photo courtesy of Dallas Lowry, St. George News / Cedar City News

CEDAR CITY — The Canyon View High School girls wrestling team took first place at the 3A Divisional meet on Wednesday with every member of the team qualifying for state. They have 14 making the trip.

Canyon View wrestler Maitae Cardenas competes at divisional meet, Morgan, Utah, Feb. 1, 2023 | Photo courtesy of Dallas Lowry, St. George News / Cedar City News

The Falcons scored 267 total team points in the B Division, while runner-up Juab finished with 265. Both of the divisionals, which encompassed the 3A, 2A and 1A classifications, were staged at Morgan High School.

“When you win by two points, it helps the girls realize that they all took part,” Canyon View coach Dallas Lowry told Cedar City News. “If any one of them wouldn’t have won any match, we wouldn’t have beaten Juab, so that’s pretty cool.”

Four Canyon View wrestlers took first place in their respective brackets, with Julia Kay winning at 105 pounds, Kristie Jensen winning at 110 pounds, Tilisa Matakaiongo winning at 190 pounds and Maitae Cardenas winning at 235 pounds. All four girls won their finals matches by first-round pins.

Both Kay and Matakaiongo are undefeated so far this season. Kay, whose overall season record stands at 42-0, was also named outstanding wrestler of the meet. Matakaiongo, a sophomore, is 23-0 and also competes on the Canyon View Talons drill team, which won the state 3A championship in Orem on Friday.

Canyon View girls wrestling team celebrates winning their divisional meet, Morgan, Utah, Feb. 1, 2023 | Photo courtesy of Dallas Lowry, St. George News / Cedar City News

The other 10 Canyon View wrestlers, all of whom placed in their respective brackets at the divisional meet, are as follows: Sierra White placed third at 100 pounds, Angela Mackelprang took seventh at 115 pounds, Michaela Rember took second at 120 pounds, Gwendaline Gardiner placed fourth at 125 pounds, Gemma Carter took fifth at 130 pounds, Addison Rushton placed third at 140 pounds, Hallie Carter placed third at 145 pounds, Kelsey Diane Weaver took second at 155 pounds, Violeta Gonzalez Anzaldo took third at 170 pounds and Adriane Geminiano placed fourth at 190 pounds.

Meanwhile, in the A Divisonal, the Enterprise girls placed fourth and Panguitch tied for seventh, with Kanab and Beaver also participating from Southern Utah. Enterprise had 12 girls compete, while Panguitch and Kanab each had two. Beaver had one participant.

Next up for the Canyon View wrestlers will be the 3A state meet on Feb. 15-16 at the Sevier Valley Center in Richfield.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.

Free News Delivery by Email

Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!