After several busy weeks on the mats, the MHS wrestlers slowed down and brought their show to the hometown gym.  The Dragon wrestling team schedule featured only one night of wrestles on Wednesday, February 4 while the MHS girls team also competed at the Kimberly Invitational tournament on Friday, February 6.

The Malad Dragons wrestling program celebrated both tradition and achievement on its weeknight duals, hosting the annual Cal Willie Memorial Night while also recognizing the program’s senior wrestlers.

Honored seniors on the boys’ side included Cam Bingham, Rydon Montgomery, Chase Martin, Zach Reiss, Porter Mills, Ayden Potter, Sam Willie, Jack Willie, and team statistician Logan Maroney. The evening also recognized senior girl wrestlers Cale Carter, Aubrey Shulz, Braylee Price, and Bella Smith, who competed during the Wednesday matchups and were acknowledged for their contributions to the program. 

Cam Bingham pinning the South Fremont 215lb wrestler.

Head wrestling coach Devin Morrison shared, “These are some incredible young men.  All of these seniors have been with us for several years, wrestling from the time they were in elementary school.”  He continued, “Every one of them has stepped up to lead their teammates and be examples both on and off the mat. 

“These boys have experienced the highs and lows of wrestling and have learned lessons they can take with them as they graduate and move on to their next phases of life. We as coaches have grown very close to these eight young men and will miss them, but are proud of their accomplishments both on and off the wrestling mat.”

Carter and Price were among the first girls to join the new MHS girls wrestling and now finish their high school careers with 4 years of wrestling. Smith was the very first state placer for Malad’s blooming program with Shulz as the first female wrestler to qualify and compete at the Jr Nationals wrestling tournament hosted in Fargo, North Dakota.  

Their coaching staff proudly said, “They all have been pioneers for our program. And they have helped the program grow and set the tone for future years to come.”

The Dragons followed the emotional senior recognition with dominant performances in the boys’ duals against teams from South Fremont and Sugar Salem.  Throughout the night, the team earned a 68–12 victory over South Fremont and a commanding 79–6 win against Sugar-Salem.

The senior girls also made their presence felt on the mat during Wednesday’s competition. Cale Carter and Braylee Price both went undefeated, winning all of their matches on the night, while others on the team competed with intensity and represented the Dragons with pride. While there were no official team scores for the girls’ matches, their performances highlighted the continued growth and strength of the Malad girls wrestling program.

The momentum of Wednesday’s wins carried into the weekend as the Lady Dragons delivered an impressive showing at the Kimberly Invitational.  The team won with an impressive finish of second place with 131.5 points. The result was particularly significant as Malad competed with just nine wrestlers, compared to the first-place team’s 19 competitors.

Individually, Malad saw strong finishes across the bracket, including Cale Carter in first place, Jennetta Jacaway Aubrey Shulz with third place finishes, Katy Carter and Braylee Price in fourth place, and Harlee Maddox in fifth place.

The Lady Dragon coaches praised the girls for their continued improvement and effort, noting that even wrestlers who did not place contributed valuable team points.

“Overall, it was a great weekend,” Head Coach Cambree Howe said. “The girls showed significant improvement in the areas we’ve been emphasizing in practice and competed hard from start to finish.”

With strong senior leadership, dominant home dual performances, and continued success, the Malad Dragons wrestling program continues to build momentum as the season closes out. The wrestlers will next hit the mats on Thursday, February 11 at Oakley High School.