Riverton wrestling is turning to Page

By Spencer Young & McCade Pearson

Photos by Dave Argyle (DBA Photography)

At 6-feet tall and about 200 pounds, Riverton High junior Simeon Page is an imposing figure. An all-state football player who led the state in tackles in 2014, Page loves it when his sports get physical, and that also drew him towards wrestling his freshman year.

Riverton’s Simeon Page had 169 tackles during the 2014 football season. (Photo by Dave Argyle, dbaphotography.com)

During football season, Page was nearly unblockable as the Silverwolves reached the state semifinals for the first time. A linebacker, he recorded 169 tackles over 12 games, or 14.1 per contest.

The impressive season-long performance was highlighted by a 23-tackle performance against rival Herriman. The Region 4 defensive MVP also had nine sacks on the season.

Page is a dominant three-sport athlete at Riverton, also competing and excelling in wrestling and as a member of the Silverwolves’ track team, where he won a state championship as part of the 4 x 100 relay. With the athletic diversity of a sprinter, Page’s greatest accomplishments might come on the wrestling mat.

After finishing fourth in the state at 195 pounds as a sophomore wrestler, Page entered the 2014-2015 season ranked No. 1 in his weight class (he now wrestles at 220 pounds) and No. 3 overall in the state. That’s not bad for a young man who is just in his third year wrestling competitively.

He has battled his way to a 36-3 record this year, and is looking for a deep run in this year’s state tournament. He has set a high standard for himself, but those who know him best knows the work he puts in to succeed, in sports and in the other areas of his life.

Page gets up at 4:30 a.m. four times a week to work out, developing strength, power and conditioning. He has also been an outstanding student, maintaining a 3.88 GPA while still enjoying a social life.

Now focused on wrestling, Page is excited for the state championships.

“The state tournament is truly a time where your mettle is tested,” Page said. “The winner is the man who makes the least amount of mistakes”

He says that he and his teammates are all going in well prepared and confident, and that he thinks they all have a great chance at placing this year.

Simeon Page of Riverton is among the top-ranked wrestlers in the state. (Photo by Dave Argyle, dbaphotography.com)

The challenges will continue for Page his senior year, when he will be part of a Riverton team welcoming a new football coach, as Mike Miller has announced his retirement.

“My senior year of football means a lot to me,” Page said. “I have been dreaming of it for a long time. I am looking forward to sharing my final season with all my great teammates. I also look forward to try and outplay my last season. I want to be the best at my positions.

“Coach Miller will be missed that is for sure. He was a great mentor. He left us in great hands though. The team is eager to accomplish great things so the outlook for the season is very optimistic.”

But for now, the young man who has made rapid progress in a few short years on the wrestling mat is focused on that state title. To get there, he will most likely need to get past his nemesis from rival Herriman, Wade French, who beat him at the Class 5A divisional by an 8-4 decision. A rematch would be a great way to close out the season.

Riverton High seniors Spencer Young & McCade Pearson collaborated on this story as part of the Preps Utah/Nu Skin student journalism program.