Local wrestler selected as finalist of the year

Austin Wright Paris, the son of Wyland and Holly Wright, has been selected as a finalist for the 2016-2017 Utah Elementary School Wrestler of the Year by USA Wrestling Utah.

He is a fourth-grader at Helen M. Knight Elementary School. Last season, he wrestled for the local Devils Wrestling Club and also with the Grand County Middle School team.

Austin finished the 2016-2017 wrestling season with a record of 204 wins and 14 losses and 51 championship titles. He also had a 13-0 record on his middle school team, and he is a member of Team Utah.

His major accomplishments this season include winning Utah State Championships in folkstyle, freestyle and Greco. He was also the champion wrestler at the U.S. Open in folkstyle and freestyle; a Salt Lake Slam Nationals Champion and a Beehive Brawl Nationals Champion, where he was also named outstanding wrestler.

In addition, he won the Las Vegas Royal Crush National Championship, where he was named outstanding wrestler. As an AAU Grand Nationals Champion in Folkstyle and Freestyle, he won similar honors from that event, and he is also a West Regionals Champion in Greco.

Austin said it’s great to be selected as a finalist for the second year in a row.

“It shows hard work pays off,” he said.

His favorite part of the 2016-2017 season was getting to travel with Team Utah to Iowa for the Heartland Duals and San Diego for the USS Battle on the Midway Duals. He also loved competing at the U.S. Open, where he got to compete alongside many of his wrestling heroes.

As a huge fan of Jordan Burroughs, he said the best part was getting to watch Burroughs and Kyle Dake in the finals. He also loved to see all of his wrestling buddies and be able to compete against the best wrestlers in the country.

Austin thanked his coaches Jason Ramsdell and Beachem Bosh, as well as his parents for “driving him all over to compete and for keeping him working hard.” He also thanked his wrestling partners, Landon Moralez and Lane Peterson.

Austin’s 2017-2018 season begins on Sept. 30 at a Rocky Mountain Nationals event in Denver, where he hopes to build on the success of this past year.

To vote for Austin to win Utah Elementary School Wrestler of the Year, go to: surveymonkey.com/r/TTNYCTF. Voting ends on the evening of Sunday, Sept. 26. The link is also available on the Little Devils Moab Facebook page.

HMK student Austin Wright Paris begins new season on Sept. 30