Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

SUN STANDOUT:

Rising star: Undefeated wrestler Ty Smith best underclassman

Ty Smith can remember rolling on the mats as a 3-year-old with his uncles Skyler Woods and Scott Woods, former University of Oregon wrestlers who now serve as his coaches at Virgin Valley High.

“Wrestling keeps me going,” Smith, a 106-pound sophomore, said. “It’s always been a big part of my life, and it always will be a big part of my life.”

Smith has started his high school career with back-to-back state championships, and this year went 53-0.

He also won three major tournaments, including the Sierra Nevada Classic in Reno, which attracted competitors from across the country. Smith beat out a 64-man bracket littered with fellow state champions.

“It opened up whole new possibilities and showed me what I can do if I stay on top of it and keep my mind set,” Smith said.

Smith’s goals over the next two years include securing his third and fourth state championships and traveling to bigger tournaments. He hopes the latter helps draw attention from college programs so he can carry on the family tradition.

Smith also praised practice partner Jacob Vaird, the only teammate in his weight class.

“If I didn’t have all the support motivating me, I wouldn’t have had a chance to go undefeated,” Smith said.

Rising Star finalists

• Annick Haczkiewicz, golf, Palo Verde: Shot 1-over par 142 to capture state championship, one week after firing 3-under par 69 to win the Sunset Region title.

• Kenyon Oblad, football, Liberty: Passed for 3,106 yards and 34 touchdowns while completing 62 percent of his passes to lead his team to a Sunrise Regional title and state championship appearance.

• Whittnee Nihipali, volleyball, Shadow Ridge: Recorded a state-best 525 kills.

• Michael Pasimio, tennis, Clark: Won back-to-back state championships.

Join the Discussion:

Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.

Full comments policy