Aaron Bulter claims rare award

by Anna Thayn

It has only happened 17 times in Utah wrestling history and never before at Monticello High School. On February 16, Aaron Butler became the first Buckaroo to be a four time state wrestling champ.

Coach Kent Adair said, “Aaron is an incredibly hard worker. He pushed himself every night in practice. He set high goals and worked very hard to achieve them.

“Even though he had some setbacks, he was always able to refocus on his goals and never failed to wrestle to the best of his ability at the state tournament.

“A lot of kids with the opportunity to be four timers never reach this goal because they fail to keep a focus on the match at hand and worry too much about the destination.

“Aaron never did this. He took each match as it came and never overlooked an opponent. As an ultimate respect from other wrestlers, two returning state champion wrestlers moved from his weight class this year to avoid competing with him.

“It has been a joy to coach him and I will miss being in his corner,” said Adair.

In two of his championship years, wrestlers Butler defeated for the title went on to become three time champions, only kept from reaching that elusive fourth title by Butler’s quest for the same.

Butler said that the thing he will remember most from wrestling at MHS is to “never give up. There were a lot of times over the years when the goal in mind seemed impossible The coaches and captains always taught me to never give up on myself.” That determination and focus on the goal served him well on his way to making history.

With a four year record of 169 wins and 14 losses, it is safe to say that Butler has been a dominant force from the beginning. In his very first match as a freshman, Butler suffered defeat, but he set the tone for the rest of his career by bouncing back to win five matches by fall and sealing his dominance with a technical fall on his way to a second place finish.

He stood on the second and third tier of the podium five times during that first season, but peaked at the right time, finishing first at the 2A Duals and at the region tournament, where he received his first outstanding wrestler award.

At the state tournament, Butler set the stage for what would eventually be history at Monticello High, cruising through the tournament with pins in three rounds and an overtime win in his first state championship match.

Since that first state championship in 2005, Butler has stood atop the podium many times. In four years as a Buckaroo, he never failed to make the podium at any tournament he participated in.

As a sophomore, he lead the field at four tournaments, then cruised to the top of the class for his second region and state titles. He set the tone for the Bucks, taking over the school record for most wins in a season with a record of 46-2 and the record for falls in a season with 37. By now, people all over the state were talking about the Butler boy from Monticello who had a shot as a four time champion.

As a Junior, Butler was voted co-captain of the team, and continued to dominate opponents. He was one of the elite wrestlers in Utah invited to compete at the Utah All-Star Classic. He earned first place awards at four of five tournaments, only falling short at the Rocky Mountain Rumble, one of the best tournaments in the nation.

Butler was injured at the tournament and was out for three weeks. Coaches wondered if he could come back for the final weeks of the season, but Butler focused on rehab and came back strong.

At region and state tournaments, he made it three in a row, taking home a championship medal at both tournaments, and earning two Outstanding Wrestler awards.

In his final year as a Buckaroo, Butler gave the fans what they had come to expect. He amassed 152 take downs for the season, blowing away the previous school record of 120.

The co-captain put up an impressive record of 44-3. He placed first at four tournaments and was again invited to participate in the Utah All-Star Classic, where he went up a weight and wrestled the top ranked wrestler in the nation. Butler earned the respect of many for his tenacity in the match. Then he earned a fourth region championship and third region Outstanding Wrestler award.

At the state tournament, Butler finished what he started, accomplishing the goal, and standing atop the podium one last time. It is a bittersweet moment for Buckaroo fans, as the most decorated MHS wrestler in school history stepped off the mat for the last time in orange and black. The 1A coaches honored him one last time with the Outstanding Wrestler award.

In four years, Butler has the highest lifetime win percentage at MHS, winning 92 percent of his matches. He earned several mentions in state record books, ranking fourth in career victories, eighth and tenth for most victories in a season, fifth for total falls in a season, and third for total falls in a career.

Butler said, “When you are a Buckaroo wrestler, you have a lot to live up to on and off the mat.” Butler not only lived up to greatness of those before him, but set the bar high for those who will follow.