By Greg James | [email protected] 

It was the first year that girls wrestling was a sanctioned sport in the state of Utah and Granger collected fifth place at the state tournament.

“I am pleased with how well we did,” Lancer girls head coach Eric Antonio said. “I think the season went exactly how we wanted it to. We had a goal to finish top five.”

In total, eight Granger girls qualified for the tournament. The Utah High School Activities Association scored girls wrestling this season by how each participant did. Schools with larger numbers could enter more than one in each weight class and earn their team more points. 

Granger scored 87 points, good enough for fifth place. Westlake finished first and Copper Hills second. 

Senior Arleth Antonio has been a leader on the mat for the Lancers. In her third year wrestling, she assembled a 20-6 overall record and placed in every tournament she entered. In the state meet, she defeated three other girls before falling in the championship match.

“She (Arleth) is awesome,” Antonio said. “She is my younger sister, but she has experience and energy for this sport. As a junior, she started beating boys, and I think that helped her a lot.”

Arleth suffered an ankle injury in the second period of the championship bout and ended up getting pinned in the third period.

“I think that (the injury) made a lot of difference,” Antonio said.

Arleth has options to attend college and continue her wrestling career. She hopes to return to coach her own girls team after graduation.

Kiyani Benally, a senior, just started wrestling this fall. She placed fifth at the state tournament.

“She took first at the Mountain Crest tournament two weeks ago. If her bracket would have been set up differently she might have done better. She picked up the sport very well and really wants to keep wrestling,” Antonio said.

Benally won 25 matches this season and only lost 11 times. 

Other wrestlers that placed at state include Bethany Gardner, fourth; Kathleen Ceron, sixth; Marinthia Medoza, fourth; and Sherlyn Orduno, fourth. Adriana Calix and Brenda Sola also competed at the meet.

“Sheryln (Orduno) was wrestling for the first year. In her first month it was not going well, but she flipped the switch and started upsetting the other girls,” Antonio said. “I think she was our most inspirational wrestler this season.”

Antonio said the goal next season is top three and maybe a state championship.

“We have talked about recruiting. Each of the girls have an assignment to recruit one to three more girls for next year. We could even get first we just need the numbers.”

Antonio wrestled at Granger and graduated three years ago. Sam Vidal, the boys coach, has allowed him to run the program.

“Coach Vidal has helped all of his wrestlers be tough. He has helped fortalecer (strengthen) that. In our mindset the sky is the limit. We can be state champs and it is attainable. This year’s team is a special group of girls,” Antonio said.