Bull, committed to Nebraska, missed the first half of the season while nursing a shoulder injury, suffered in the offseason at a club tournament in Las Vegas. Thursday’s road duals at Weber marked Bull’s return to high school wrestling since undergoing surgery.

In the penultimate dual, Bull defeated Weber High freshman Michael Bennett (stepping into the circle with Bull for a second time following a 3-0 loss to Conner Yerka in his 165-pound bout) by fall in stamping a 68-10 team victory over the Warriors on Thursday.

Bull’s doctor cleared him for competition on Jan. 1.

“It feels good, I’m ready to wrestle,” Bull said. “I’ve been waiting on this for a long time. I just got to be smarter in my positions, keep my shoulder safe, and keep me safe. I was scared, my coaches were scared I’d jump back in and hurt my shoulder and be out in college for my freshman year, but I felt ready. I was telling (Layton coach Adam Fager) I felt good, and I felt strong, so I knew I was ready.”

Bull is one of five Division I commits at Layton this season, and likely would’ve accompanied fellow seniors Lander Bosh, Gavin Regis, Austin Paris and Elijah Hawes on the road to recent tournaments in Las Vegas and Southern California if not for his injury.

Still, Bull returned to the floor with a win on Thursday in the first dual of his final prep campaign. Searching for a third state title later this year in Orem, Bull said one of the toughest challenges through his recovery was figuring out how to stay productive away from active competition.

Pain management and a lack of doing his favorite sport, wrestling, put the screws to Bull over the course of his recovery.

“It’s a big mind game for you,” Bull said. “Especially if you’ve been wrestling for a long time, it’s a big mind game — you’re out of it. You have to watch all your friends do it and find a way to keep at it. There’s a bunch of ways you can stay a part of it, you’ve just got to find those ways.”

Layton next travels to Box Elder for the Richardson Memorial Invitational, running Friday through Saturday in Brigham City.

Duals results: Layton at Weber boys

113: Garcia (Layton) def. Corry (Weber) by fall (3:35).

120: M. Ireland (Layton) win by Weber forfeit.

126: Johnston (Weber) def. Brock (Layton) by 24-15 major decision.

132: I. Ireland (Layton) def. Aparicio (Weber) by fall (5:48).

138: Goodwin (Layton) def. Shupe (Weber) by 16-3 major decision.

144: Neil (Layton) def. Hicken (Weber) by technical fall (1:34).

150: Strong (Layton) def. Raymond (Weber) by technical fall (2:20).

157: Bull (Layton) def. Bennett by fall (time unavailable).

165: Yerka (Layton) def. Bennett (Weber) by fall (0:033)

175: Fager (Layton) def. Jackson (Weber) by fall (1:35).

190: Pimentel (Layton) win by Weber forfeit.

215: Casper (Layton) def. Boden (Weber) by fall (1:24).

285: Lawrence (Layton) def. Graham (Weber) by technical fall (2:40).

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