Wrestlers head to regionals

Valentine’s Day brought the Glenrock Herders visiting on senior night for the Bobcat wrestlers. The team of Bobcats won the dual 33-24.

Riley Shaffer was honored for his commitment and effort in the four years he’s devoted his time and effort to the Bobcat wrestling program. He finished the night in the last home match of his career and the last match of the night in a low scoring 4-0 victory that was in no way as close as the score would indicate. Shaffer dominated Herder Cade Griffits for nearly 5 of the 6 minute match, and turned him to his back at the end of both the 2nd and 3rd periods too late to score points.

That decision by Shaffer was the only match all night not ending in a pin. Pinning for the Bobcats were Jorge Agguire (2:53), Wyatt McDermott (2:52), and Remington Ferree (:48).

Of all these pins, the one that got the Bobcat fans to their feet in appreciation was exchange student and first year wrestler Jorge Agguire’s 2nd period pin of Herder Talon Granaas after a fairly even 1st period. Jorge acted like it was an everyday occurrence, but his grin as he came off the mat to his teammates indicated something more.

McDermott has become proficient in using a wrestling move called the guillotine, and used it efficiently against Glenrock’s Dustin Simmions for his pin, but the match didn’t start out that way as McDermott was taken down with a bear hug move early in the 1st period. He quickly responded with an escape, takedown, and back points to lead 5-2 after that period, and then ended it early 2nd period.

It was with relief that the fans welcomed Ferree back into the lineup, and he responded with a good effort and a quick pin.

Bobcats Elijah Skelton, Jason Bowman, and Austin Barral all suffered pins at the hands of their Herder opponents, but all showed signs of progress and gave good accounts of themselves.

“We were ready to wrestle, and we wrestled well in all our matches,” commented Coach McDermott.

The Bobcats then journeyed to Lovell on Saturday for a triangular with the Bulldogs and a mixed varsity/JV Worland team. The scoreboard showed the Bobcats on the short side against Lovell, 40-36, and Worland, 48-35, but mat action told a much better story as Thermopolis won 4 of 7 matches from Lovell, and 5 of 8 from the Warriors .

Four Bobcats- Riley Shaffer, Austin Barral, Roedy Farrell, and Wyatt McDermott , won both their matches while Logan Cole won his only match via pin, and Elijah Skelton split losing to his Lovell opponent and gaining a decision against Worland.

“The team seemed a little flat in the first match (Lovel), but were more ready to perform against Worland.,” noted Coach McDermott. Everybody except Cole Christianson, who is sidelined for an injury, should be ready for regionals next week at Wind River High School.”

The one-day regional in Pavillion will get underway at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22. Eight wrestlers in each weight class will qualify for the state tournament the following week.