Bingham’s Cole Moody chases third consecutive state wrestling title

South Jordan • The question has come up for Bingham’s Cole Moody.

As a two-time defending state champion, the senior is rated highly among high school wrestlers. Depending on which service is referenced, Moody is as high as No. 2 in the state. But has he ever taken on the current top-ranked wrestler, Box Elder’s Brock Hardy?

It happened once, Moody says, when the two were eighth-graders.

“He pinned me,” Moody remembers.

Given the disparity in weight — Moody is competing at 182 pounds and Hardy is at 145 — it would seem to be a no-brainer that Moody would do much better these days if the occasion arose. But if there’s one wrestler who knows that weight isn’t necessarily the most important asset, it’s Moody.

With the classes 5A and 6A state high school tournaments set to begin Wednesday, Moody may be competing at 182. But he’s actually below 170, so many of his foes have an advantage in weight. Moody took on Jayden Burton of Syracuse in the finals of a 6A division meet, the last action before state. Burton lifted Moody nearly over his head and got a quick 2-point lead twice in the early going.

For Moody, though, this is just how things go sometimes. Although he does take note of the disparity in weight more early in matches.

“Maybe right at the start I feel like that,” he said. “Once I get them tired, though ...

“I’ve just got to battle back. It doesn’t really affect me mentally. I’ve just got to keep my offense going and I’ll be fine. I’ll be able to score points.”

Moody eventually built a 14-6 lead before pinning Burton with 44 seconds left in the match.

“I feel like I have pretty good conditioning,” Moody said. “If I just keep pushing the pace, eventually they’ll wear down.”

Moody, nicknamed “Red Dragon” by his friends for the tint of his hair, won at 170 pounds in the Class 5A state finals last year. He took the championship at 160 in 2016. His only loss at the state championships came in the semifinals at 138 pounds when he was just a freshman.

“For Bingham, he has the all-time record for most pins in a season. He’s fast, but a lot of it is just good technique. He’s patient and is always in good shape,” said Miners coach Matt Walker, whose most recent weight measurement of Moody was 167 pounds. “When you’re giving up 10 to 12 pounds, you really have to know what you’re doing. If you make a mistake, even if you’re a better wrestler, it can cost you. But Cole has been able to deal with it.”

Moody, a standout defensive back for Bingham’s 2016 and 2017 football state championship teams, will focus on wrestling after high school.

When the prep schedule is over, he’ll take recruiting trips to Fresno State, Wyoming and Utah Valley University.

First, though, he has his eyes trained on getting his third consecutive individual title.

“It’s something special. Winning state and feeling like no one can touch you at that point — and once you win, there’s no other feeling like it really,” Moody said. “I’ve done it two other times. I’ve just got to finish it my senior year.”