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Orem • You couldn't blame Delta senior Dallin Ewart for being overcome by emotion when his hand was raised as a state champion Saturday.

He was told over and over it was a moment he'd never achieve. But he beat the odds and grabbed that coveted title in the last match of his high school career, winning the 170-pound championship at the Class 2A state wrestling meet at Utah Valley University's UCCU Center.

He was one of five state champions for the Rabbits, who won the team title. Altamont, powered by three individual state champs, took home the crown in 1A.

As Utah wrestlers go, Ewart was late coming to the sport. He played football, soccer and baseball through his elementary school years and didn't try wrestling until he was in sixth grade.

His father, Micah, was a former wrestler at Monticello, and his older brother Jared had been a state finalist for Delta in 2013 and a state freestyle champion. They influenced his decision to wrestle.

Dallin was unsure at first, but by the eighth grade, he didn't want to do anything else. He set his sights on winning a state championship.

He had an outstanding freshman season, earning a tournament berth at the region meet by reaching the third-place match. He was ahead 9-0 in that bout when his opponent slammed his head. Dallin was rushed to the emergency room and diagnosed with a Grade 3 concussion.

"For more than a year, I had memory losses and would pass out randomly without any warning," Ewart said.

He never wrestled his sophomore year.

His consulting neurologist told him at the time of the injury and a year later at his follow-up appointment that he never should wrestle again.

But he'd improved enough by his junior year that the doctors allowed him the option to return to the mat.

It didn't go well.

He managed to compete in just ten matches his junior year at Morgan, with long stretches between some of them. But he didn't give up and managed to reach the region finals. He took yet another nasty blow to the head in the title match, and everyone agreed it would be best if he once again passed on the state tournament.

"This was the toughest time," he said. "I watched the tournament from home because I couldn't bear to go. I watched a kid I'd beaten 13-5 two weeks before win the state title. I was lower than low."

Ewart moved back to Delta for his senior year, and his teammates, coaches and family rallied to his support.

"My biggest goal was to win state," he said. "I wanted it so bad I did extra work in the weight room and would run on my off days. I said they were going to have to kill me to keep me off the mat."

Ewart sailed through his senior season without an injury, losing just six times on his way to victory.

After shaking his opponent's hand following his title win, he sprinted into the stands to embrace his mentor, Ben Kjar, his parents and hordes of classmates. He still was getting hugged half an hour later.

Not long after that, Ewart stood with his teammates — he called them his brothers and best friends — to receive the 2A gold trophy, just like he'd dreamed. —

Class 2A

Title matches

106 • Van Bray, Millard, def. Cody Stubbs, Kanab, 9-1

113 • Dillon Torgerson, North Sevier, p. Tayte Staples, North Summit, in 3:40

120 • Brady Poulsen, Delta, def. Gage Mason, North Sevier, 6-2

126 • Jaxon Cole, North Summit, p. Slade Sheriff, Millard, in 37 seconds

132 • Shawn Sorensen, North Sevier, def. Chayton Jacobson, Gunnison Valley, 2-0

138 • Payton Knight, South Sevier, def. Dyllin Broughton, Delta, 9-5

145 • Jace Anderson, North Summit, def. Kaleb Kelly, Millard, 6-4

152 • Taten Ringel, North Summit, p. Bowen Shields, Delta, in 3:58

160 • Jason Hatch, Delta, def. Newt Oveson, Emery, 5-2

170 • Dallin Ewart, Delta, def. Troy Jones, Millard, 12-5

182 • Tyce Raddon, Beaver, def. Noah Porter, North Sevier, 6-3

195 • Broughto Flygare, South Summit, def. Mac Peterson, North Sevier, 7-3

220 • Jantsen Manis, Delta, def. Randin Pentz, North Summit, 10-5

285 • Bradden Davis, Delta, p. Ty Mecham, Emery, in 5:03

Team scores • 1. Delta, 283; 2. North Summit, 205; 3. North Sevier, 200; 4. Millard, 180; 5. South Summit, 163.5; 6. South Sevier, 110; 7. Beaver, 109; 8. Enterprise, 75; 9. Grand, 73; 10. Emery, 65; 11. Kanab, 57; 12. Gunnison Valley, 48; 13. San Juan, 22; 14. Manti, 13; 15. Summit Academy , 4

Class 1A

Title matches

106 • Jonah Schoppe, Panquitch, def. Karson Wunderlich, Milford, 9-2

113 • Colby Harper, Duchesne, def. Kaden Beckstead, Panquitch, 14-8

120 • David Van Tassell, Duchesne, def. Dean Thompson, Altamont, 1-0

126 • Kolton Owens, Panquitch, p. Stetson Wright, Milford, in 5:23

132 • Shandon Bradford, Monticello, def. Jessen Mckinnon, Altamont, 12-6

138 • Zach Musselman, Monticello, def. Danny Thompson, Altamont, 4-2

145 • Mckay Foy, Altamont, def. Matthew Taylor, Duchesne, 6-3

152 • Stockton Moat, Duchesne, def. Brayson Wilcox, Monticello, 6-3

160 • Wyatt Jessen, Altamont, def. Steven Skewes, Duchesne, 19-14

170 • Kellen Mooney, Panquitch, def. Reagan Hunt, Parowan, 13-4

182 • Gatlin Thompson, Duchesne, def. Domanik Stansfield, Altamont, 8-2

195 • Cody Miles, Altamont, p. Wyatt Weston, Rich, in 40 seconds

220 • Kelton Cropper, Panquitch, p. Brandon Jones, Bryce Valley, in 2:58

285 • Aaron Verduzco, Duchesne, p. Parker Knudsen, Monticello, in 3:36

Team scores • 1. Altamont, 198.5; 2. Duchesne, 187; 3. Monticello, 171.5; 4. Panquitch, 117.5; 5. Wayne, 67; 6. Milford, 39; 7. Bryce Valley, 30; 8. Rich, 22; (tie) Whitehorse, 22; 10. Parowan, 21; 11. Monument Valley, 16; (tie) Piute, 16