Improving to 10-15 on the season, Land’s 9-3 decision over Layton freshman Savannah Mitchell in the 155-pound bout didn’t alter a 45-27 outcome favoring the Lancers in Thursday’s region dual. But it’s another step toward taking her talents to the state stage in Orem on behalf of the Warriors.

Like many wrestlers, Land got into the sport at a young age, but her weekly competition is part of a larger plan to become a welder after high school. Instead of a college scholarship, Land has her eyes fixed on a 5,000-year-old trade with a myriad of avenues to pursue.

Thursday’s win boiled down to Land’s continued pursuit of unmatched, raw strength.

“I’m aggressive in it,” Land said. “There are days when I’m full-on going for it. … I’ve been wrestling since I was in sixth grade. I don’t really use a lot of moves, but I use just a lot of my upper-body strength. I like to throw them around a lot. It wears me down, but it’s just me.”

In a roundabout way, wrestling ultimately put Land on the path of becoming a welder. Land’s teammate, Leah Anderson, pitched her on the school’s welding class a year ago.

Upon starting school at Weber, Land was unsure about whether a girls wrestling program was even an option. Weber dressed roughly 16 girls in her first season, Land said.

“I come from 40 girls for a team and at first, I didn’t think (Weber) was going to have a girls wrestling team. I was scared for that,” Land said.

Land, who placed sixth individually at the Warrior Women’s Tournament in December, has also made herself more coachable thanks to the help of Brad Hess, the head coach of both Weber’s boys and girls programs since 2022.

“(Hess) is an amazing coach. I liked my old coach, but I think (Hess) is ten times better with the girls. He knows how to coach girls a lot better, and he has a good personality with us girls. He knows how to take some things seriously and tone things down for us girls, because girls are different than boys.”

After high school, Land’s plans to become a professional welder include to one day work under water.

Duals results: Layton at Weber girls

100: Nikepwi (Layton) def. N. Powers (Weber) 8-4 (fall, 3:09).

110: Siniscalchi (Weber) win by Layton forfeit.

115: Forrett (Layton) def. Cooley 3-0 (fall, 0:11).

120: Giatras (Weber) def. Clarke 6-1 (fall, 2:37).

125: Rodrigues (Layton) win by Weber forfeit.

130: Cordova def. S. Powers (8-2 decision).

135: Osborn (Weber) def. Kirman (Layton) 3-0 (fall, 0:54)

140: Healey (Weber) win by Layton forfeit.

145: Fisher (Layton) def. Anderson (Weber) 3-2 (fall, 0:52)

155: Land (Weber) def. Mitchell (9-3 decision).

170: Galvez (Layton) win by Weber forfeit.

190: Johnson (Layton) def. Shaner 3-0 (fall, 0:54)

235: Angulo (Layton) win by Weber forfeit.

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