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Show FEBRUARY 17, 1987 L, I By KEITH DUNCAN Rob WarCLEARFIELD dens last chance ended with arms raised in jubilation. bundle of fierce has fought with competitiveness, The 188-pou- the intensity of lion both individually and with teammates to be the best in three years as a Davis Dart. But until last Saturday night at Clearfield High School, neither Warden or his teammates had laid claim to a coveted state championship, something he and they had desired with every passion. lers in the past by doing stupid things. Coach Isom was yelling to me in the last period that I needed to breakaway sometime and 1 was confident I could because escapes have been one of my finer points. But I waited as long as I could to get the escape to prevent having an overtime, even though I felt confident I could win in overtime as well. Warden planned it perfectly as he got the escape and the point, with very little time for Smith to do anything about it. As a team we really thought we could take second but our efforts on Friday didnt allow that to happen. I just wanted to get a state championship for the team after we failed to reach our team goal, continued the Davis wrestler. Robs dad, David Warden was state champion wasnt to be progleaming after the victory and rendered a few of his thoughts. longed any longer, as the Davis Rob is one of the most competisenior outwrestled Brightons Joe tive boys Ive ever seen and I dont in the finals of the Smith bracket last Saturday say that just because hes my boy. By what Rob showed in winning evening. Warden threw up his arms in this state title, it should be an inspiration to a lot of young boys who triumph and many of the teammates whod fought beside him in want to work hard and be competifootball gear or wrestling attire, tive, that success can come. He didnt get his championship were there to cheer the moment not and share in the championship. working hard and of course by no one does. I'm happy for him that Perhaps this wasnt an individual title at all, but something to be he achieved his quest, which is shared by a unit of athletes and what he called it. There was intensity on the part coaches who never gave up. The championship fight was a of the Warden team, who on Friday classic with Wardens single had filmed Smiths match and got it escape point being recorded with ready so Warden could view it on just 33 seconds left in third round. Saturday afternoon. Isom, the Clearly itd been a battle between state champ and the father put the two giants, the best the state had to final touches on their game plan after watching that video. offer. Isom furthered his comments, Jeffrey Isom, the gleaming Davis coach, who helped guide the club saying, Rob has never had trouto a fine third place finish in the ble escaping from anyone and I tournament, shined and said, knew hed get the most important What a horse. Ill never forget one of his life. Robs state championship does him. Rob is a gem and he proved it satisfy a quest in more ways than even more tonight. It was great to one. One of those quests centers see his athletic teammates rally around him like they did, they around a paper he wrote up on his probably felt they had just won too. older brother Jon, who finished Hes been ourcatylst all season third twice in the state wrestling and theres no question well have finals. That paper was composed in a tough time trying to fill his the seventh grade and wasnt forshoes. gotten. The paper expressed Robs deMy thoughts in attacking Smith was mainly not to do anything stu- sire to do like Jon did and maybe pid, said Warden, Just stick to even do a little better. Well, its reality now, the quest the basic moves and not give anyis for real. to wrest lost Ive good thing away. Theyd tried on the gridiron and came so close and Warden himself had given a title bid a great chance on the wrestling mat in prior years. And time was running out as graduation gowns have been the topic from time to time. But Wardens dream of being a : 4-- A 1- -0 188-pou- PHOTOGRAPHYKeith 4-- A 188-pou- . .., ' By KEITH DUNCAN Shandell CLEARFIELD Smoot stole the script from the movie producers and put on a show that will have folks talking for a long time to come. Smoots act did something to everyone who witnessed it and made a lasting impression upon teammates, coaches and others d from who love the junior Viewmont High School. The jubilant ending to the story red-hea- was Smoots thrilling 10-- victory 4 over Grangers Dave Marsh in the tichampionship moments of bid crown. tle for the Like every other wrestler who became a state champion on Saturday night, Smoot raised his clinched fists in splendid happiness as an honor hed fought so hard for, 4-- 158-pou- was finally his. But there is so much more to this story and yet so little room to tell it. Shandell moved to Ohio with his family four years ago and there learned the sport of wrestling from the worlds best. His family came back to Utah in the summer of 86, just in time for Shandell's junior year. 7 To start the season, Smoot paved the way to the finals of the Layton High Tournament where he met the talented Marsh in with just 30 the finals. Ahead seconds left, Smoot made a mistake and it cost him the match as Marsh pinned him in the third round. That loss may have been the best thing that ever happened to the Viking grappler as he put overtime on top of overtime in hopes he might once again have a chance at Marsh. The season progressed and perhaps Smoot and Marsh progressed faster than it. Neither wrestler lost again and both stood staring at each other, eye to eye, when the announcer at the state tournament introduced them as opponents. The match turned out to be everything it was supposed to be as every spectator glued their atten 86-8- 6--3 tion to the mat. Marsh, 28-- 0 on the year, and went after it like a Smoot, 28-couple of fierce muscle-bounmountain lions. The first period was a testing session as either wrestler felt their way. Smoot started the second session on the bottom but with 1:25 left broke away and scored the matchs first point. And then came the heave that must have been heard all the way back in Centerville as Smoot caught Marsh unexpectedly and threw him to the mat for a vital takedown and a near fall with 34 seconds left. The clock saved Marsh and still one period remained. started the Marsh, down, third down but quickly reversed and got his first two points. Smoot however, escaped five seconds1 later. Marsh scored another reversal moments later and found himself But Smoot escaped down again with 38 seconds left and scored a reversal before the match was over. The battle caught the fancy of 1, d 6-- 0, 7-- 4. enough 4-- A All season long I wrestled Ben- der in practice and all I saw was Marsh pictured across his rt. I conditioned my mind way back that I would beat him one day. - ' place By KEITH DUNCAN I , CLEARFIELD Brighton High may have run away with team honors at the recently concluded state wrestling chamDavis but fans robbed totally of werent pionships, County some precious and memorable moments. Individually two champions emerged from the county as Shandell Smoot claimed the title by beating GranIt was a jubilant win for Smoot whose gers Dave Marsh, only loss of the year came earlier to Marsh. The next state champion came from Davis High School where Rob Warden escaped from Brightons Joe Smith with just 33 seconds left in the match to earn a victory in the class. Team wise, Brighton ran away with the tournament by building up 233.5 points. Next in line was Box Elder who took in 125.5 points. Earning third place and perhaps one of the finest finishes among local teams in years, was the third place taken by Davis High School. Jeffrey Isoms crew piled up 94 points to outdistance Granger who took fourth at 88. Taylorsville was fifth with 89.5 and Alta finished sixth with 87 points. We could have maybe done even better, said Davis Isom, But we felt good about beating out Taylorsville and Alta who had beaten us in dual matches during the season and Granger who outplaced us in the Layton Tournament. Hillcrest took the seventh place spot with 73.5 points, West Jordan was eighth with 60.5, Cottonwood was ninth (50.5) and Clearfield rounded out the top 10 with 48.5 points. Layton was the next best finisher among Davis County teams with 38.5 points which was good enough for twelfth. Viewmont took the sixteenth place in the tournament with 33.5 points. Bountiful scored 11 points in the tournament and Woods Cross garnered one point. There were two Davis County athletes who took third place finishes in the tournament and they included Gordon Nishimoto of Clearfield in the 108 pound class and Laytons Darel Webb in bracket. the Three more athletes took fourth place and they were all from Davis High. Dan Stephenson, Maurice Harker and Clint Allen at 170 all took home fourth place finishes. Both Tom Moore of Layton and Dave McNaughton of Clearfield were fifth in state. Sixth place finishers were Greg Loveless of Layton at 148 pounds, Sean Smith of Davis at heavyweight, Russ Porter of Davis at 129 and finally Eric Larsen of Clearfield at 122. Smoot was named the Outstanding Wrestler in the upper weights by the coaches. 4-- A 158-pou- 4. 188-pou- nd 158-pou- er coaches that they voted Shandell as the Outstanding Werstler in the upper weights, clearly another fine honor on the night. Jim Bender, one of Shandells close friends and the athlete who gave Shandell a good sparring partner throughout the year was as excited as anyone about the victory, saying, I'm overwhelmed, its unbelievable. "Maybe the loss at the first of the year was the best thing to ever happen to me, said Smoot in reflection. It made me work so hard. Had I beaten Marsh earlier, I may not have worked as hard as I did. - 1- -0 respectable tMrdL 1- -0 ' Warden clinches hands in jubilation ater beating Smith and laying claim to the coveted state championship, EDartts gainu 10-- Vikings Smoot provides thrills Duncan Davis Rob Warden stays atop Brightons Joe Smith in wrestling championship final. The Davis wrestler rode Smith well and didnt allow the Bengal wrestler a point from start to finish. Im overwhelmed, its unbelievable." Viewmonts Jim Bende7 Smoot may have been the favorite of many, simply because he was the underdog. About the first takedown, Smoot added, Were both experienced wrestlers and I dont think Marsh thought I dared throw a move like that, because in our first match he tried the same move but I countered it and put him on his back. It was there and I Went for it. er "Life is great right now, continued Smoot, This victory does a lot for our program at Viewmont which is on the upswing. I honestly believe we can be a Top 10 contender next season." Shandells family was excited about the victory and they mobbed him moments after he left the mat. When the excitement level turned down a notch or two, Shandells father, Stanley Smoot, turned it back up by handing his son an envelope. The younger Smoot fumbled to open it and let out another cry of joy when he saw what it contained. Inside was an airplane ticket to Ohio so Shandell could go back and watch his friends participate in the Ohio High School State Wrestling And there were plenty of warm congratulations for the Dart athlete after the victory, including this one from his mother. EaiBy Falcons are now Clearfield High captured two very different kinds of girls basketball wins, Davis gained a split of league contests, while Layton suffered two league losses and an even bigger personnel loss this week. The Lady Falcons moved to 84) in Region One, and 17-- 1 overall, with a 53-4-5 victory over second place Weber on Tuesday. Gearfield got its usual strong efforts from its outstanding guard line of junior Amber Poll and sophomore Kim HOI. HOI led the scoring with 21 points, Poll added 13 and junior Promise McIntosh had a strong effort with 10 points. On Friday, Bdx Elder decided to slow the tempo down when it came, visiting the Falcons. After one period, Gearfield led 14-but a delay game by the Bees limited the halftime score 8-- 0 to 18-- Eventually the Falcons pulled away again, winning 45-2Despite the stall, H01 stOl managed 14 points, and McIntosh added 10. Both Hill and Poll had three-poibaskets. ; Davis began its week with a thrilling 59-5- 8 victory over Viewmont, as Heather Peel scored 20 points, and Kristin Packer canned 1 1 points and pulled down 23 rebounds. Becky Rees added 14 for the Lady Darts. ' But on Thursday, Davis traveled to talented East, and came out on the short end of a 5 loss. Peel again led the scoring, the junior canning II points. Packer and Rees each added 7. 0. nt 61-4- . CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE Davis County Is Our Beat Give News Tips by Calling 295-225- t, 544-913- 3 Championships. Its so great, said Shandell, "Ive wanted so badly to go back and see my friends and now Ill be , able to. r i |