Saylor Dandy wins girls Winter Classic wrestling tournament

by Art Adair
Contributing Writer
The San Juan girls wrestling team returned to action with a busy and successful week following the Christmas holiday.
On December 30, the Lady Broncos traveled to Manti to face Manti and Carbon. Of 16 total matchups, San Juan was featured in 13.
The Broncos dominated, defeating Manti 18-0 and earning a 24-12 victory over Carbon.
Lyric Williams got San Juan started with a win by fall over her Carbon opponent. Kheirra Keith, Saraeya Mills, and Saylor Dandy followed with hard-fought victories.
Hannah Todachinnie and Caydence Joe wrestled tough Carbon opponents but fell by pin. Lydia Hawks went 1-1, earning her win by fall. Against Manti, LaRyeus Benally, Jyel George, and Khatira Keith secured falls.
The team joined the Utah Holiday Classic, in Richfield, with 300 girls from 34 teams. The event continues to grow into one of Utah’s premier tournaments.
Day one used a scramble format to determine bracket placement for day two. Wrestlers who went undefeated advanced to the championship brackets, while those with one or more losses were placed in silver or bronze brackets.
The scramble format allows wrestlers to get the maximum number of matches, though some competitors with only one loss on day one were limited to ninth-place finishes.
San Juan finished ninth in a very competitive field with schools from all six Utah classifications and Nevada.
Saylor Dandy captured the tournament championship after an outstanding performance. She opened with falls over Nevada, Provo, Monument Valley and Carbon opponents. In the semifinals, she faced a tough Canyon View opponent and earned an 8-2 win.
In the championship bout, Dandy pinned her Grantsville opponent in the second period.
Saraeya Mills earned a sixth-place finish after wrestling seven matches and posting a 4-3 record.
All four of victories came by fall over Cedar Valley, Dixie, South Sevier, and Enterprise. Mills fell in the semifinals to a strong Salem Hills wrestler.
Khatira Keith finished with a 5-1 record and placed ninth. Her lone loss came in the scramble round against a Cedar wrestler, placing her in the silver bracket, where she rattled off four wins by fall.
Lyric Williams went 5-3 on the weekend, earning wins over Carbon, Salem Hills, and Lincoln County, NV. Four of her five wins came by fall.
Freshman Breckyn Helquist gained experience, competing in multiple matches.
Kheirra Keith went 4-2, earning pins over Grantsville, Enterprise, and Lincoln County to finish tenth. Hannah Todachinnie gained valuable mat time.
First-year wrestler LaRyeus Benally wrestled a tough tournament, finishing 4-4 and placing eighth.
Caydence Joe showed significant improvement, going 2-2 with wins by fall. Nevaeh Sampson finished 3-4 and placed seventh.
Khatira Keith and Saraeya Mills represented the Lady Broncos on the 1A/2A All-Star Team on Tuesday, January 6 at Utah Valley University.
The Lady Broncos are at the Iron Town Duels in Cedar City on January 10.