Maple Mountain's LaMont keeps eye on 4th-straight state title


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SPANISH FORK — In just seven years, Maple Mountain High's wrestling program has established quite the legacy, with a four-time state champion and numerous multi-year champs of the Class 4A state wrestling tournament.

Taylor LaMont knows about that short-lived legacy, and he wants to add to it.

LaMont, who is rated the No. 6 138-pound wrestler in the nation by Intermat, will try to become the 26th four-time state champion in state history when the 4A/5A state tournament kicks off Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. MST at Utah Valley's UCCU Center. The 4A and 5A finals are currently scheduled to begin Thursday at 6:10 p.m.

"It's a pretty new school, and I really like starting a tradition," said LaMont, who would join Britain Carter as the only Golden Eagles to win four individual titles. "In seven years, that's pretty dang good. I'm excited to set that tradition and get my name on that board so that everyone remembers me."

Pleasant Grove's Ben Anderson and South Summit's Matt Lee will also be attempting to join the four-time state champion club this weekend.

LaMont is a wrestler who head coach Justin Judkins has been able to turn to since the younger brother of Utah Valley grappler Grant LaMont walked into the Maple Mountain wrestling room four years ago. Dubbed the "nucleus" of this year's Eagles squad that finished second in the inaugural 4A state dual tournament, Judkins referred to the United World Wrestling national champion and No. 19 overall wrestling recruit in the country as a student-coach with the team.

"He's leading from the front, and he sets a great example in every area — at practice, at tournaments, even at weigh-ins," Judkins said. "I know I don't have to worry about the team, because Taylor has got it. We've got some other guys who are there with him, but with him, he's always been the nucleus of the team."

Taylor LaMont of Maple Mountain and Trevor Lowe of Mountain Crest compete at the 4A State Wrestling Championships at UVU in Orem, Feb. 12, 2015. (Photo: Chelsey Allder, Deseret News)
Taylor LaMont of Maple Mountain and Trevor Lowe of Mountain Crest compete at the 4A State Wrestling Championships at UVU in Orem, Feb. 12, 2015. (Photo: Chelsey Allder, Deseret News)

LaMont is a three-time Greco-Roman national champion and Cadet world team member who finished first in freestyle at the Junior National Championships in Fargo, North Dakota, last year. He finished 61-0 as a junior in 2014-15 before claiming the 126-pound state title, and currently sits at 49-0 two days away from a chance at his fourth state championship.

"Every year, I've tried to win one after another and get closer to that fourth one," said LaMont, who dreamed of his senior season since winning his first state title four years ago. "Even though it's my senior year, I feel like this could be my toughest state tournament. But it could also be the funnest one, and definitely something special.

"It doesn't feel like that long ago. I feel like I was just wrestling here as a freshman. Now I'm the oldest, and it's pretty cool."

Judkins' programs, both at Maple Mountain and in his time at Springville High before that, have prided themselves on outworking opponents — and LaMont has been a prime example of that philosophy. Early in his high school career, LaMont lost to a wrestler who eventually signed with Oklahoma State. But rather than flee to another weight class, the young grappler wanted to wrestle him every chance he could.

Learning from losses — which LaMont doesn't have many of with two undefeated seasons — has been what he's done best, according to his head coach.

"He doesn't have many losses in his career — two undefeated seasons — but he had four losses to that kid in one year, and he never backed down," Judkins said. "He kept wanting to go after him. The mental aspect that he brings to this team is huge."

Maple Mountain is a strong contender to win its first state title since LaMont's freshman year. The nearly three dozen Golden Eagles who advanced through last weekend's division tournament will likely battle Region 8 rival Wasatch and Box Elder for the 4A team title in the coming days.

"The team aspect of it is really special," LaMont said. "Most people see it as an individual sport, but if you take care of yourself individually, it helps your team. It's fun to go out as a team and know that you contributed to it and did your best."

4A State Duals

LaMont credits that intensity to his high school coach. He's won plenty of national high school tournaments, like this year's Reno Tournament of Champions at 132 pounds, and he dropped his state dual final opponent from Wasatch in just 87 seconds.

But every time LaMont needed a coach, Judkins was there. The 12th-year head coach bought a plane ticket and flew to a national tournament in Pennsylvania last summer just to sit in LaMont's corner — and gestures like that made the wrestler stick by his coach for four years.

"He's been in my corner almost every match all four years, and he's taught me a lot," LaMont said. "He gets me in the best condition.

"It's great to have that support and that leader in my life."

After his standout wrestling career wraps up, LaMont plans to enroll at Utah Valley and wrestle alongside his then-redshirt freshman older brother Grant. But the duo also plan on giving back to the state of Utah, and a sport that has given them so much.

It's not just UVU, though that helps. But LaMont hopes to build a legacy similar to the one he's owned at the school on the border of Spanish Fork and Mapleton.

"I think the team is improving, and I want to be a part of that. Just like being a part of Maple Mountain's starting tradition, I want to be a part of the first national championship at UVU," LaMont said. "I want to be the first everything in that program, and help out Utah wrestling so that other people will go there."

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