Richards wrestled in his early youth, but reintroduced himself to the mat come high school.

Vying for his second career trip to state, Richards, wrestling at 150 pounds, picked up a third consecutive win over Northridge senior Alex Turner 10-1 (fall, 2:21) during Box Elder’s first region road trip to Northridge on Thursday.

Box Elder won 11 total matches, including one by forfeit in the 106-pound class, for a 60-12 victory over the Knights for the team’s third victory this month (following home success against region foe Clearfield and 6A Davis).

Richards lent 111 receiving yards and 76 tackles to the football team’s 9-3 finish, but Box Elder’s two-way, receiver-corner now trades in those especially sticky gloves for a singlet.

“It’s just good for you,” Richards said of wrestling. “It’s just a good thing to do. It keeps you in shape and definitely keeps you dedicated. I didn’t know if it was for me, and it’s hard, but I’m glad I rejoined.”

But Richards is hardly the first of Box Elder’s football stars to hit the mat come December.

Fellow junior Talan Sumko, wrestling at 165 pounds, and senior Logan Cefalo — leading Box Elder with 104 tackles in football this fall — have also achieved varsity letters on the wrestling team.

Sumko fell to Northridge senior Gatlyn Collier 8-2 (fall, 3:30) in one of just two non-forfeit losses against the Knights on Thursday; Cefalo stepped away from wrestling his senior season despite managing a state runner-up at 175 pounds last season.

Even his wrestling coach, tenured Utah wrestling guru Jed Craner, can be found following Richards during football season.

“He’s always sending me videos of my tackles because they just look like double and single legs cause they’re just down low,” Richards said. “Our three leading tacklers on the team are all wrestlers.”

Non-football wrestler Conley Evans, a junior wrestling at 126 pounds, has impressed Richards early in the season. Evans defeated Northridge’s junior Cade Kartchnar 5-0 (fall, 1:24) for a share of Box Elder’s 11 victories on Thursday.

“We’re legit,” Richards said. “We’re all just wrestling really hard. (Evans), he’s 126 (pounds), he won state his freshman year and last year. He had a devastating match in the semis and I think he’ll go far this year.”

Looking inward, though, Richards said he’s pleased with how his concentration and confidence have blossomed more than anything else.

He’s got the pad level, now it’s about dialing in his zen.

“I’ve been practicing and focused on my breathing,” Richards said.

“That’s helped me, like, tremendously. Just focusing on my breathing so I can just do my wrestling and do my stuff. … I feel like I lost matches last year because of my conditioning and getting nervous in my head, and forgetting to breath, and it’d all get to me — but now that I just focus on breathing and doing (my) stuff, it’s helped so much.”

Box Elder next hosts Fremont on Thursday, Dec. 18. Matches are slated for 7 p.m.

Connect with prep sports reporter Conner Becker via email at cbecker@standard.net and X @ctbecker.