Wrestlers battle at Ron Thon

The Bobcats started the largest invitational wrestling event in Wyoming, Riverton's Ron Thon Invitational, just the way they like, with six straight wins from their three varsity entries.

Ultimately, Logan Cole was the only Bobcat to make his way to the finals. Thermopolis scored 41 points to finish somewhere in the middle of the 41-team tournament.

Cole (220) pinned his way to the semifinals with wins over Ken Raymond (Rawlins), Brandon Mortensen (Rock Springs), and Brock Sather (Thunder basin – Gillette). Things got tougher with Moorcroft's rated Parker Schlater who held Cole to a tight 7-5 decision.

Waiting for Cole in the finals was 3A state champ Cody Pinkerton (45-0) of Douglas – the only wrestler to defeat Cole this year, twice. Again, Pinkerton seemed to have Cole's number as he dominated in a 15-3 major decision.

Sophomore Wyatt McDermott (126) continued his comeback from a football injury with an opening round pin of Green River's Nathan Campos, and followed that with major decision over Aiden Gregory of Cheyenne South. Then he met up with highly rated Amos Golano (40-4) in the quarterfinals losing via tech fall. Rebounding, McDermott scored a major decision over Big Piney's Camden Schell, but lost his next match (one round away from placing) in a nail-biter to Wright's Preston Seamands, 4-2.

Freshman Roedy Farrell (138), competing in his first Ron Thon, started with a first period pin of Corben Jensen (Campbell Co. – Gillette), and followed that with a high action 15-11 decision over Wheatland's Keegen Meyer. The tourney got tougher as Farrell met two very good rated 4A wrestlers in KW's Cyrus Meeks (6-2) and Carl Porter of Thunder Basin (13-5) to end his tournament.

"We had a good weekend; everyone wrestled well," noted Coach McDermott. "Roedy just couldn't get started Saturday morning, but he's rated #1 in 2A, and he'll be fine. Logan wrestled at a high level, and his semifinal (with Moorcroft's Schlater) will probably be the finals at state. There were several state champs at the #126 weight. Wyatt was 3-2 and very nearly placed."

McDermott continued, "Our JV wrestlers also did well though no one placed. Elijah (Skelton) wrestled well and was one match away from placing with a 3-2 record. Jason (Bowman) and Austin (Barral) both won a couple of matches, and Jorge (Agguire) had an experience he can share with friends when he returns to his home country."

The next action for the Bobcats will be in Greybull for their one-day tourney on Saturday, Feb. 8..

The pre-Ron Thon traditional warm-up with Worland, Douglas, and Buffalo was abbreviated this year due to the seven open weights of the Bobcats, three by Buffalo, and four by the #2 Worland team, and the absence of Douglas. The resulting losses to Buffalo, 44-24, and Worland, 33-18, reflect the absences of Remington Ferree, Cole Christenson, Riley Shaffer, and Jarik Sorenson due to injuries and illness.

Logan Cole led the hometown squad with two pins and a total of about two minutes mat time. Wyatt McDermott followed with a first period pin of Buffalo's Sam Hurlik (1:46), and a quicker pin of Worland's Loren Filcher in :48. Roedy Farrell provided the Bobcats a pin and took a forfeit. Jorge Agguire accepted a forfeit and staged a strong comeback in a 7-4 decision loss Worland's Eric Edholin. Austin Barral lost a major decision to Buffalo's Jace Skavgord, and suffered a third period pin to his Worland opponent. Elijah Skelton suffered two pins in his night's work, as did newcomer Jason Bowman.

Ron Thon Results

120 pounds, Elijah Skelton - Champ. Round 1 Skelton received a bye, Champ. Round 2 Skelton won by fall (1:29) over Luke Bjorkland (Natrona), Champ. Round 3 Skelton won by decision (10-4) over Ryker Mele (Green River), Quarterfinal Raf Greene (Star Valley) won by decision (7-1) over Skelton, Cons. Round 6 Skelton won in sudden victory (SV -1 7-7) over Kayleb Farris (Green River), Cons. Round 7 Dawson Goss (Sheridan) won by decision (5-4) over Skelton

120 pounds, Jorge Agguire - Champ. Round 1 Agguire received a bye, Champ. Round 2 Nick Clemans (Sheridan) won by major decision (13-0) over Agguire, Cons. Round 2 Kaleb Kullman (Thunder Basin High School) won by fall (0:57) over Agguire

126 pounds, Wyatt McDermott - Champ. Round 1 McDermott won by fall (4:31) Nathan Campos (Green River), Champ. Round 2 McDermott won by major decision (4-12) over Aiden Gregory (Cheyenne South), Quarterfinal Amos Solano (Cheyenne East) won by tech fall (15-0) over McDermott, Cons. Round 4 McDermott won by major decision (12-2) over Creeden Schell (Big Piney), Cons. Round 5 Preston Seamands (Wright) won by decision (4-2) over McDermott

138 pounds, Roedy Farrell - Champ. Round 1 Farrell won by fall (1:08) over Corben Jensen (Campbell County), Champ. Round 2 Farrell won by decision (15-11) over Keegan Meyer (Wheatland), Quarterfinal Cyruss Meeks (Natrona County HS) won by decision (8-2) over Farrell, Cons. Round 4 Cael Porter (Thunder Basin High School) won by major decision (13-4) over Farrell

145 pounds, Jason Bowman - Champ. Round 1 Dusty Cox (Glenrock) won by fall (2:37) over Bowman, Cons. Round 1 Bowman received a bye, Cons. Round 2 Bowman won by decision (7-0) over Tucker Wilson (Jackson Hole), Cons. Round 3 Bowman won by fall (0:28) over Nathan St. Clair (Cody), Cons. Round 4 Dakota Tobin (Moorcroft) won by decision (8-7) over Bowman

170 pounds, Austin Barral, Champ. Round 1 Ethan Zancanella (Wright) won by decision (4-1) over Barral, Cons. Round 1 Barral won by fall (1:14) over Nathan Mcdowell (Laramie), Cons. Round 2 Barral won by decision (9-2) over Rodrigo Rios (Greybull), Cons. Round 3 Kenai Bergquist (Douglas) won by major decision (12-0) over Barral

220 pounds, Logan Cole - Champ. Round 1 Cole won by fall (1:48) over Kenneth Raymond (Rawlins), Champ. Round 2 Cole won by fall (3:35) over Brandon Mortensen (Rock Springs), Quarterfinal Cole won by fall (4:16) over Brock Sather (Thunder Basin High School), Semifinal Cole won by decision (7-5) over Parker Schlater (Moorcroft), 1st Place Match Cody Pinkerton (Douglas) won by major decision (15-3) over Cole