4A STATE WRESTLING: Father-son combo Dischers lead Wasps to 2nd straight title


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OREM — Jakob Discher had never won an individual state wrestling championship, but he's been around plenty at Wasatch High.

Thursday night's individual title was extra special — not just because he celebrated his own title and a second straight Class 4A championship with the Wasps at Utah Valley's UCCU Center.

He also did it with his father, Wasatch coach Wade Discher.

"It was special. We both were crying," Jakob Discher said. "It was special, because we've been doing this for all of our lives, and that was pure joy."

Words escaped the younger Discher as he stood at the top of the podium.

"I don't have any words to describe it. I'm just happy," Jakob Discher said. "Accomplishing goals, not only as an individual, but as the team; that's what it is all about."

Trailing Maple Mountain's Brandyn Van Tassell in the final minute of the state championship match, Discher knew he needed to execute a perfect roll to pull ahead. But every time he tried, Van Tassell kept holding on by the ankle and preventing the escape point.

Discher pulled his feet under him, stood up, and executed a standing roll with about 14 seconds left to scramble for a reversal and the necessary two points.

"I was just like 'dude, get off the bottom; get moving,'" Wade Discher said. "The kid kept attacking his ankle, and we worked on that. Finally he did it, he cleared his foot out and hit his granby (roll).

"It was pretty cool. When he did that, I was so happy for him. We needed him at 145 for the team, and he's light. But he wanted to go 152. … It's great, because he's worked so hard and he's come so far. Van Tassell would beat the tar out of Jakob when he was a kid; there are so many good kids there (at Maple Mountain). But he focused in, he's a fighter, and he's got guts. That's what separated him from a lot of kids."

Photo: Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
Photo: Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News

Wasatch won its second-straight 4A state title since moving up from Class 3A in 2013. The Wasps totaled 283 team points to Maple Mountain's 234. Box Elder finished a distant third with 177 team points, followed by Uintah (160) and Payson (134).

The Wasps tabbed their first state champion at 113 pounds when Trevor Cluff won, 9-6, over Mountain View's Gabriel Terry. Zak Kohler defeated his own teammate Braiden Parker to make it two-in-a-row at 120 pounds, defeating Parker's bid for a 3-peat, and Wasatch went on to win titles through Corbin Smith (132), Discher (152), Ritchie Heywood (170) and Ben Bos (285).

"We all knew we could do it, but it had to happen. I felt like I had to set the mood and get us going," Cluff said. "I know they all support me, and they pushed me in the wrestling room. It felt good having them behind me.

"We get really excited when we win the state title as a team. But this is cool, too; it's been a dream of mine for a long time."

At Utah Valley
Class 4A state wrestling championships
106 — Garrett Ricks, Box Elder, d. Randy Merkley, Uintah, 10-1.
113 — Trevor Cluff, Wasatch, d. Gabriel Terry, Mountain View, 9-6.
120 — Zak Kohler, Wasatch d. Braiden Parker, Wasatch, 8-6.
126 — Tanner Cox, Maple Mountain, d. Carson Halls, Wood's Cross, 16-1.
132 — Corbin Smith, Wasatch, d. Kedric Coonis, 11-8.
138 — Taylor LaMont, Maple Mountain, d. Jed Loveless, Payson, 12-2.
145 — Brock Hardy, Box Elder, p. Seth Gardner, Wasatch, 1:04.
152 — Jakob Discher, Wasatch, d. Brandyn Van Tassell, Maple Mtn, 5-4.
160 — Tucker Tomlinson, Uintah, d. DJ Cohen, Wasatch, 4-3.
170 — Ritchie Heywood, Wasatch, d. Jaxon Van Tassell, Salem Hills, 3-2.
180 — Chayce Loveless, Payson, d. Cory Rokovitz, Maple Mtn, 6-2.
195 — Parker Jensen, Skyline, p. Keegan Ngatuvai, 3:57.
220 — Jordan Crofts, Skyline, p. Korbon Tibbals, Maple Mtn, 3:31.
285 — Ben Bos, Wasatch, p. Riley Taylor, Box Elder, :36.

Wasatch's ability to close the tournament was impressive, not just in the results, but in how relaxed they pulled off back-to-back titles since moving up to the 4A level just three years ago.

"I don't think they even thought about it," said Wade Discher, whose team warmed up in part between each round by playing tag on the mats. "They just stayed loose, and it was all the same from the beginning of the year through the end of the year. I don't think there was ever a moment. They just went out and wrestled."

Maple Mountain's Tanner Cox won his third state title at 126 pounds for the Golden Eagles' first of two champions.

Taylor LaMont grabbed his fourth state championship, becoming the 26th in Utah history, to lead the second-place Golden Eagles. The Utah Valley signee gingerly lunged to a big win in the first period and cruised to a 12-2 major decision over Payson's Jed Loveless.

In addition to Van Tassell, Cory Rokovitz (182) and Korbon Tibbals (220) also placed second for Maple Mountain.

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