Becher brings home medal from state wrestling

At the Wyoming State High School Championships Friday and Saturday, Star Valley claimed the 3A title by outdistancing Powell by more than 90 points with their 266.5 points for their encore state title.

The final event of the wrestling season was not the hoped for outcome for the Bobcats as they finished 14th of the 16 class 3A teams with 39 points. While all the state qualifiers save two managed at least one victory, only one, Cullen Becher (160 lbs.), managed to bring home a state medal for 5th place.

Two other Bobcats, Koy Myers (145 lbs.) and Austen Ireland (106 lbs.), were one victory short of wrestling for a state medal. Both secured two pins adding points to the team score. Ireland gave up two major decisions to end his tournament; while, Myers holding a substantial lead over his Cody opponent got caught in a pinning combination while going for a pin.

Josh Lackey enjoyed just the opposite result with another Cody wrestler. Trailing 12-1, he took advantage of a poor decision and move by his opponent to score a reversal into a pinning combination to end the match with a victory.

Other Bobcats scoring team points with victories were Blake Williams, Riley Shaffer, and Michael Harvey (the only senior on the team).

Coach Scholl was frustrated but not disheartened. "We've had six upper class men on our team in two years. This year, of the 19 participants, 15 were freshmen and sophomores. Sometimes development years come around at the right time, sometimes not so good. The move to 3A was not at a good time, but we'll look to the future of the returning wrestlers with expectations."