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Brigham City • The impact of "The Hardy Boys" on the Box Elder wrestling program is no mystery.
The family's stranglehold on the mat started with Brian, the eldest of three brothers, in the 1970s. He was completely dominant, but was the first of many in the family to be ranked No. 1 in the state but come up short of the individual medal in the tournament. The curse finally broke with Caleb, the son of Jeff — Brian's younger brother — in 2000.
From there, brothers and cousins have not stopped winning, including Koelton, a two-time individual champion and older brother of the next great Hardy:
Brock.
"Brock is probably the best wrestler I've ever coached," said longtime Box Elder coach Mike Ripplinger, who has won six state championships coaching the Bees.
As a freshman, Brock captured the individual medal in the 145-pound division in the 4A classification with a pin one minute into the championship match last season. He finished the season with an overall record of 44-1, while registering 209 takedowns and allowing only four, and scoring a team-high 295 points. The next-highest on the team was 196.
"Brock has an uncanny feel for where the right position is. He's like a cat. He always lands on his feet," Ripplinger said. "A lot of guys have to get a person into the correct position to attack, but Brock is able to attack almost at every position."
Then, in July, Hardy won the USA Wrestling national title in freestyle wrestling at 138 pounds in the Cadet age division (14-15 years old). He was named an All-American.
"It was amazing," he said. "I finally got to where I wanted to be."
Now considered the top individual wrestler in the state regardless of graduating class, Hardy is already 2-0 on the young season. He's on track to become one of the most accomplished wrestlers in ever in Utah — a state known for wrestling. Yet he's not caught up in the attention. He entered high school with two main objectives: join Jeff Newby as the only four-time individual state champions in Box Elder history, and to be best wrestler in his family.
"That was always the scariest thing [growing up]. I was like, 'I got to be as good as them,' " Brock said. "My goal was to always be better than my brother. That was how I thought, 'I got to beat my brother.' I've got to be doing more than he was, and that's how I got to here. I think that's how we've all got to the highest level we got to."
Brock has yet to beat Koelton, who graduated in 2011 and wrestles at Utah Valley University. "He still beats me up," Brock said. "[I'll probably beat him] when he's old and fat and I'm still young and spry."
For Ripplinger, he's trying to figure out different ways to challenge Brock, including making him compete in higher weight classes, but he hasn't had difficulties keeping him motivated. Despite rarely getting challenged, Brock hasn't shown any complacency, saying "there's always someone out there that can beat me."
It's that mindset that Ripplinger believes will help Brock solidify his name as not only the best Hardy to ever wrestle, but one of the best of all-time.
"He's right on track for accomplishing just about the most for a Utah wrestler," Ripplinger said. "He's still got two more years left in the offseason, wrestling freestyle, and that will kind of the defining moment. Right now, he's on track to claim that he's one of the best."
Twitter: @trevorphibbs —
About Brock Hardy
• As a freshman, Brock Hardy captured the individual medal in the 145-pound division in the 4A classification with a pin one minute into the championship match last season.
• He finished the season with an overall record of 44-1, while registering 209 takedowns and allowing only four, and scoring a team-high 295 points (the next-highest on the team was 196).
• In July, Hardy won the USA Wrestling national title in freestyle wrestling at 138 pounds in the Cadet age division (14-15 years old). He was named an All-American.