OREM -- Morgan coach Cody Payne admitted "he'd by lying" if he said he was pleased with the Trojans' third-place finish at the state 3-A wrestling tournament.
He'll take the result, though.
Matt Gallen won the 152 title, two other Trojans made the finals and Morgan at least moved up to the Delta and Wasatch level with a solid run through the post-season and this two-day tournament at Utah Valley University's McKay Events Center.
Payne thought his Trojans could overtake the Wasps for second place. Wasatch instead finished 74 points ahead, 236.5-162.5
"It was within reach," Payne said. "But we had a good year. The kids have wrestled well. the last three weeks and put together a good tournament I'm proud of them.
Gallen capped off his 52-1 senior year with an 11-4 victory over Juab's Dustin Fowkes.
"Matt wrestles an extremely technically match," Payne said. "He wrestled that kid perfectly."
Morgan's other two finals representatives were pinned: Colton Walker by Wasatch's Gerritt Bradley in 103 while Hurricane's Daniel Nielson pinned Taylor Drennan in the final minute of the heavyweight bouts.
Morgan finished ninth last year.
The area's other state champion came from Ben Lomond junior Zach Boden, who registered a state title in 171 by pinning Delta's Jaxon Singleton in the third period.
After two pins on Friday, Boden needed overtime to beat Canyon View's Andrew Weber to advance to the finals. Boden was named outstanding wrestler in the upper weights.
Bear River finished ninth in the team standings, with Taylor Skinner finishing third in the 160 flight.
Delta had five individual champions en route to its second 3-A crown with.
Millard scored 253.5 points to win the 2-A title, with South Summit second at 197, and North Sevier at 196.
In the 1-A ranks, Altamont scored 223 points, followed by Monticello with 169 and Rich with 115.
The day capped an incredible week of prep wrestling.
Friday, Viewmont edged Pleasant Grove 164.5 to 163.5 to win the 5-A title, with Bingham third, and Region 1 teams Weber and Layton fourth and fifth, respectively.
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