All-star wrestling: 2-time state champ Canyon View's Matakaiongo proving herself against Utah's best

OREM — For much of her career, Canyon View's Tilisa Matakaiongo has always had something to prove.

In her senior season, the two-time 3A state wrestling champion at 235 pounds is proving it.

Matakaiongo reversed Keilikki Nau Rarick — one of her biggest rivals — in the final seconds of the duo's match to secure a 10-6 victory over the three-time 6A champion from Westlake at the 26th annual Ross Brunson All-Star fundraiser Wednesday night at the UCCU Center.

It was Matakaiongo's second victory over Rarick in the past three weeks, a 9-2 win at the Christmas Clash invitational that followed 10 months after Rarick won by technical fall 12-1 at the All-Star Hammer Duals in February. That was the last time Matakaiongo lost, according to FloWrestling.

"I think I wasn't really ready to wrestle her the first time," Matakaiongo said. "But now, it's my senior year and I'm more motivated to work hard. ... I want to set an example for the new girls on my team, and she what wrestling is. My little sister, too; I always want to perform when she comes to watch me."

Rarick came out fast, securing a takedown and near fall in the first minute of the match en route to a 5-1 advantage in the first period.

Matakaiongo came back, controlling the second period to pull within 5-4.

But Rarick forced Matakaiongo into a shell for much of the third period, adding a point via stall warning before the match was reset by stalemate with 16 seconds to go.

That left just enough time for Matakaiongo to hit a switch, reversing Rarick for 2 points and securing a near-fall to take the 10-6 advantage in the rubber match of the past year.

"We go back and forth all the time," Matakaiongo said of Rarick. "I love wrestling her; she's so tough."

The all-star duals, which brought together roughly 120 of the top boys and girls wrestlers in the state of Utah, once again served as a fundraiser for Utah Valley's wrestling program — the only NCAA Division I program in the state led by first-year head coach Adam Hall.

The Wolverines are back in the top 25 teams nationally following home wins over No. 23 Oregon State and California Baptist to open Big 12 play.

Utah Valley will travel to Columbia, Missouri, for a league dual against No. 14 Missouri on Jan. 17 in the first of a four-dual road trip. The Wolverines are back home Feb. 6 to host No. 11 West Virginia at Layton High — a homecoming for Penn State transfer Terrell Barrelclough.

"Some of these kids may end up in our program some day, and our biggest duals will end up in this building," Hall told KSL.com. "They get to experience some things that some of our current wrestlers don't, wrestling under the bright lights of this big arena."

The group included Utah Valley signee Ian Fritz, who recently moved to Pleasant Grove from North Carolina and wrestled in Grand's Austin Paris in a 157-pound bout. Paris, a two-time state champion with a 56-4 record who placed in the top six at the prestigious Doc Buchanan Invitational, handed the in-state newcomer a 13-9 loss.

Wednesday, though, also marked a chance for wrestlers to be seen by friends and family, by the community, and even by a handful of college coaches.

"It's an opportunity for some of the best kids in the state to showcase their skill, in front of our staff and others," Hall said, gesturing toward former Maple Mountain star Taylor LaMont who is now an assistant coach at Army. "It's really cool, and it's a huge opportunity, second only to the state tournament. It's a huge advantage for us."

26th annual Ross Brunson All-Star Duals

Girls division results

• 100 — Katie Zimmerman (Hillcrest) d. Madeliegh Grimstead (Tintic), fall 0:48
• 100 — Leena Sharp (Uintah) d. Rhiannon Towers (Olympus), MD 15-5
• 105 — Payton Gines (Syracuse) d. Abbey West (Jordan), 6-3
• 105 — Kristina Kent (Davis) d. Jaskin Hair (ALA), fall 1:56
• 110 — Lindsey Hansen (Tooele) d. Breann Ivie (Duchesne), fall 4:57
• 110 — Andi Stephensen (Juab) d. Caroline Pastrana (Cyprus), fall 4:49
• 115 — Martha Camacho (ALA) d. Quinci Smith (Crimson Cliffs), 18-11
• 115 — Sadie Rhoades (Uintah) d. Makayla Carrick (Salem Hills), maj. dec. 10-2
• 120 — Alexandra Ramirez (Enterprise) d. Azia Kendall (Northridge), fall 3:07
• 120 — Keagan Grange (Ridgeline) d. Elliza Brunner (Copper Hills), fall 2:47
• 125 — Bailey Rainer (Grantsville) d. Addilee Hall (Enterprise), fall 4:51
• 125 — Marabelle Brown (Wasatch) d. Addison Hills (Green Canyon), fall 2:30
• 125 — Brynlee Sorensen (Layton) d. Eliza Zimmerman (Hillcrest), fall 2:19
• 130 — Makenzi McCoy (Wasatch) d. Ariana Jones (Duchesne), maj. dec. 21-7
• 130 — Brooke Deeter (Westfield) def. Ellie Jensen (Maple Mountain), tech. fall 2:45, 18-1
• 135 — Regan Heywood (Wasatch) d. Ella Reynolds (Provo), 5-0
• 135 — Giovonna Good (Cedar Valley) d. Kieran Mooney (Panguitch), fall 0:45
• 140 — Sam Reynolds (Juab) d. Daniella Spencer (Duchesne), fall 0:45
• 140 — Nia Hagler (Snow Canyon) d. Taya Crookston (Ridgeline), fall 3:12
• 140 — Evie Davidson (Union) d. Rhya Balmforth (Cedar Valley), fall 2:59
• 140 — Nia Hagler (Snow Canyon) d. Isabella Sagastume (Cedar Valley), fall 3:49
• 145 — Jeanine Field (Snow Canyon) d. Olivia Merino (Mountain Ridge), fall 3:46
• 145 — Alexis Kirkland (Bonneville) d. Hilary Rex (Rich), fall 0:56
• 155 — Madison Sherman (Skyridge) d. Ruby Lindstrom (Salem Hills), fall 3:43
• 155 — Nina Hillier (Rich) d. Rhees Hatch (Bear River), fall 4:41
• 155 — Avery Winterton (Salem Hills) d. Hallie Denney (Cedar Valley), fall 1:59
• 170 — Hannah Bowler (Bonneville) d. Gabi Merino (Mountain Ridge), fall 2:51
• 170 — Summerlynn Mikesell (Richfield) d. Eve Allsup (Bear River), fall 5:12
• 190 — Tevia Nau Rarick (Westlake) d. Sydnee Neilson (Bear River), fall 1:09
• 190 — Asinate Mafuahingano (Cedar Valley) d. Abigail Woods (Duchesne), fall 3:04
• 235 — Maitae Cardenas (Canyon View) d. Kalyn Wade (Northridge), fall 0:53
• 235 — Macee Ercanbrack (Juab) d. Ina Slivers (Enterprise), fall 3:27
• 235 — Tilisa Matakaiongo (Canyon View) d. Keilikki Nau Rarick (Westlake), 10-6

Boys division results

• 106 — Porter Dahl (Millard) d. Evan Centeno (Ben Lomond), 14-7
• 106 — Kacen Jones (Corner Canyon) d. Kaden Oldroyd (Westlake), fall 2:27
• 113 — Perry Fowler (Syracuse) d. Trexden Olson (Beaver), maj. dec. 12-1
• 113 — Aiden Bastian (Layton) d. Ben Belliston (Timpanogos), tech. fall 5:32, 18-1
• 120 — Krew King (North Sanpete) d. Chad Yellow (San Juan), fall 4:47
• 120 — Ethan Sharp (Uintah) d. Lane Monroe (Millard), maj. dec. 14-6
• 120 — Karson Shelley (Spanish Fork) d. Corbyn Robison (Westlake), tech. fall 2:46, 17-1
• 126 — Jamyne Xoumphonphackdy (Westlake) d. Boston Thompson (Milford), maj. dec. 9-0
• 126 — Tanner Telford (Corner Canyon) d. Michael Alexander (Uintah), fall 2:50
• 132 — Kolter Kelly (Millard) d. Limoni Matakaiongo (Canyon View), 3-0
• 132 — Rykan Hacking (Uintah) d. Caleb Jackson (Pleasant Grove), maj. dec. 8-0
• 132 — Glade Harman (Mountain View) d. Ben Kohler (Wasatch), 5-2
• 138 — Hanks Jacobson (American Fork) d. Kaden Guymon (Snow Canyon), 5-2
• 138 — Dallas Millsap (Desert Hills) d. Dak Eldredge (Millard), maj. dec. 19-10
• 138 — Riker Ohearon (Carbon) d. Connor Knudsen (Timpanogos), 8-3
• 144 — Teague Brown (Syracuse) d. Gage Raddon (Beaver), 5-2
• 144 — Zane Winter (South Summit) d. Micah Murdoch (American Fork), 15-3
• 144 — Austin Ellis (Davis) d. Drew Korth (Morgan), 6-5
• 150 — Brody Rhoades (Uintah) d. Jex Bradshaw (Beaver), tech. fall 5:16, 19-4
• 150 — Brody Rhoades (Uintah) d. Tege Kelley (American Fork), tech. fall 5:16, 19-4
• 157 — Karl Ledbetter (Corner Canyon) d. Alex Williams (Beaver) tech. fall 6:00, 15-0
• 157 — Austin Paris (Grand) d. Ian Fritz (Pleasant Grove), 13-9
• 165 — Kaizen Detoles (Westlake) d. Alex Crawley (Canyon View), maj. dec. 17-9
• 165 — Jacob Marshall (Panguitch) d. Ryker Roundy (Davis), maj. dec. 14-6
• 175 — Shepard Stephens (Davis) d. Morgan Tingey (Millard), 14-11
• 175 — Ben Smith (South Summit) d. Kamren Wolff (Fremont), tech. fall 4:59, 22-5
• 190 — Landon Shumway (Mountain View) d. Kaden Moore (Salem Hills), maj. dec. 12-0
• 190 — Kaden Turner (Millard) d. Ryker Woodward (South Summit), 8-1
• 215 — Ridge Lindley (Fremont) d. Boston Jolley (Rich), fall 1:31
• 215 — Ridge Lindley (Fremont) d. Isaac McGee (Mountain View), 8-3
• 285 — Caden Young (Uintah) d. Jordan Johnson (Rich), fall 1:43
• 285 — Kaydon Williams (Corner Canyon) d. Trayvn Boger (South Summit), 2-1

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