6A boys wrestling: Rivera's 3-peat leads Layton to repeat title

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OREM — It may be too much to say that Geronimo Rivera wanted something more than his third consecutive state wrestling title Saturday, though he wouldn't disagree with the statement.

Just as much as winning, Rivera wanted a hug from his mom.

So if you saw the Layton junior bolt through the outer doors of the UCCU Center and sprint up two flights of stairs into the crowd, just know it was so he could accomplish his now-annual goal: giving his mom, Krista, a big hug after winning a state title.

"I always hug her after every state championship," Rivera said. "I always sprint through the same hall for three straight years. It's a tradition now. Next year, I'm going to make it four."

Rivera scored a takedown with two seconds left to edge Westlake freshman Israel Borge 3-1 in the 126-pound championship match that put an exclamation point on the Lancers' second straight 6A title at the UCCU Center.

Noah Bull added the 144-pound individual title, and Aiden Bastian (113), Lander Bosh (120), Gavin Regis (150), Kaden Bennie (175) and Takkoa Byrd (285) each added a runner-up finish to help Layton defend its title that it stripped from then-five-time defending champion Pleasant Grove a year ago.

Tied up in the final minute of the match, Rivera (33-6) just had one thought racing through his head: Keep moving and complete the comeback the Layton junior has been imagining ever since he lost to the formerly undefeated Borge (49-1) at the Rockwell Rumble on Jan. 13.

"I just kept the pressure on him, constant pressure; that's what won me that match," Rivera said. "I didn't stop moving. I knew if I stopped moving, I would have lost that match. I've won that match a thousand times in my head, every night dreaming of it, ever since he beat me at the Rumble."

Corbyn Robison (113), Curtis Borge (132) and Josh Fish (150) each won a title to pace Westlake to a runner-up finish with 219.5 points.

Corner Canyon (143), Pleasant Grove (140.5) and Fremont (101.5) rounded out the top five.

Syracuse's Mason Carlson, left, competes with Layton's Lander Bosh at 120 lbs. in the 6A boys wrestling state championships at UVU in Orem on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024. (Photo: Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)

Team results

Layton, 260
Westlake, 219.5
Corner Canyon, 143
Pleasant Grove, 140.5
Fremont, 101.5
Mountain Ridge, 99
Davis, 96.5
Syracuse, 79.5
Riverton, 67.5
Bingham, 64.5

Individual results

106 — 1. Samuel Moody, Riverton. 2. Tanner Telford, Corner Canyon. 3. Asher Millward, Skyridge. 4. Perry Fowler, Syracuse. 5. Michael Kowalski, Layton. 6. Kaden Oldroyd, Westlake.
113 — Corbyn Robison, Westlake. 2. Aiden Bastian Layton. 3. Dax Christensen, Bingham. 4. Milo Fowden, Farmington. 5. Hudson York, Corner Canyon. 6. Coleton Tobler, Copper Hills.
120 — 1. Mason Carlson, Syracuse. 2. Lander Bosh, Layton. 3. Hanks Jacobson, American Fork. 4. Trey Thompson, Westlake. 5. Dagen Lamano, Layton. 6. Zack Anderson, Syracuse.
126 — 1. Geronimo Rivera, Layton. 2. Israel Borge, Westlake. 3. Jamyne Xouphonphackdy, Westlake. 4. Lincoln Rex, Lehi. 5. Corban Atwood, Lone Peak. 6. Parker Garcia, Mountain Ridge.
132 — 1. Curtis Borge, Westlake. 2. Hudson Palmer, Farmington. 3. Austin Ellis, Davis. 4. Cole Fenwick, Layton. 5. Teague Brown, Syracuse. 6. Wyatt Bingham, Pleasant Grove.
138 — 1. Layne Kleimann, Mountain Ridge. 2. Jason Worthley, Fremont. 3. Jace Lemons, Layton. 4. Parker Ballantyne, Westlake. 5. Tucker Sorensen, Layton. 6. Carter Olson, Riverton.
144 — 1. Noah Bull, Layton. 2. Tege Kelley, American Fork. 3. Korbin Chuchran, Westlake. 4. Thomas Bartholmew, American Fork. 5. Luke Skousen, Lone Peak. 6. Easton Gines, Syracuse.
150 — 1. Josh Fish, Westlake. 2. Gavin Regis, Layton. 3. Shepard Stephens, Davis. 4. Ammon Cannon, Lehi. 5. Coen Maxwell, Mountain Ridge. 6. Treyson Hunt, Fremont.
157 — 1. Brayden Robison, Westlake. 2. Hixon Canto, Pleasant Grove. 3. Preston Stevens, Mountain Ridge. 4. Hayden Johnson, Mountain Ridge. 5. Kamren Wolff, Fremont. 6. Kayleb Murphy, Davis.
165 — 1. Logan Hancey, Fremont (x2). 2. Brad Farrer, Pleasant Grove. 3. Ryker Roundy, Davis. 4. Ty Carman, Herriman. 5. Kaizen Detoles, Westlake. 6. Jonathan Inagaki, Layton.
175 — 1. Banks Love, Bingham. 2. Kaden Bennie, Layton. 3. Macrae Parker, Herriman. 4. Jake Closson, Pleasant Grove. 5. Mason Kartchner, Farmington. 6. Caleb Robinson, Corner Canyon.
190 — 1. Leimana Fager, Corner Canyon. 2. Trevyn Gates, Pleasant Grove. 3. Elijah Hawes, Layton. 4. Gage Watt, Riverton. 5. Carter Percival, Davis. 6. Jayce Wilbon, Mountain Ridge.
215 — 1. Cayaen Smith, Pleasant Grove. 2. Ridge Lindley, Fremont. 3. Collin Webb, Corner Canyon. 4. Colton Cook, Westlake. 5. Ethan Sweet, Layton. 6. Jackson Olsen, Mountain Ridge.
285 — 1. Kaydon Williams, Corner Canyon. 2. Takkoa Byrd, Layton. 3. Issac Sweat, Lehi. 4. Jared Smith, Lone Peak. 5. Braiden Moon, Layton. 6. Nathan Holladay, Corner Canyon.