High school wrestling season begins

The Hot Springs County High School Bobcat Wrestlers traveled to Powell last week-end to compete in the Powell Invite. Twenty-two teams from across the region were in town, to get a feel for the trajectory their respective seasons may follow.

For the Bobcats, the season started with a bang! In a very large tournament, with experienced teams, representing some extremely tough competition, the Bobcats finished in third place – and were the top Wyoming school – just ½ point out of second place, behind Huntly Project High School (Worden, MT). The team from Laurel, Montana finished as team champions.

This year's Bobcats team is a veteran mix of seven seniors - Colter Price, Lance Axtell, Ethan Yarrington, Will Ward, Logan Dafoe, Sam Skelton and Brody Sorenson. Returning juniors, Haeden Blair and Gage Pittsley, are joined by sophomores, Dyllan Myers, Cannon Boren, Tannen Birdsley, Ryan Axtell and Mack Buckner. Freshmen, Kacey Mackey, Silas Dickey, Rylan Stauffer and Bobby Crow round out the field.

Shining the light on his team, coach, Travis McDermott stated, "Led by a great group of seniors, the Cats racked up twenty-six wins in pool wrestling on Friday, and led in win percentage with an 82% mark. The Cats put 7 of 8 varsity wrestlers into the bracketed tournament on Saturday, which was a great accomplishment. They then went on to put three grapplers in the championship rounds, and three in the third place matches."

At tournament end, the Bobcats finished with two champions, one runner-up, and three third place finishes.

"These guys are a talented group of wrestlers, that put on a lot of great shows over the course of the weekend," said coach McDermott.

Going 5 and 0 in pool competition on Friday and 3 and 0 in the brackets on Saturday, senior Will Ward took the crown in the 150 lb. weight class - and notched his 100th career win in the process. "To reach such an accomplishment, this early in his senior season, shows his grit and determination, not missing tournaments or practices throughout his career. Will does it all with a smile on his face and a love of the sport. He is fun to watch, is a great leader on our team, and deserves all of his success," said coach McDermott.

Sophomore Cannon Boren, went 4 and 0 on Friday and 3 and 0 on Saturday, to take the championship at 138 lbs. "Cannon started off his sophomore season dominating some tough competition, beating a two-time Montana State Champion for the crown," said coach McDermott.

Senior Brody Sorensen was 4 and 0 in the pools on Friday and went 2 and 1 on Saturday, to take a second place finish.

"Seniors Colter Price and Sam Skelton, together with sophomore Dyllan Myers, each came away with third place finishes which were incredibly important in the team standings, and which really showed the heart to come back, and get those last match wins," said coach McDermott.

Colter went 3 and 1 on Friday and 2 and 1 on Saturday. Sam went 4 and 1 on Friday and 2 and 1 on Saturday. Dillon went 4 and 0 on Friday and 2 and 1 on Saturday.

For the JV team, senior Logan Dafoe came away with a championship on Saturday. "Logan hasn't wrestled since his freshman year, but already he shows he is ready to step up to the varsity side," said coach McDermott.

Sophomores Mack Buckner and Ryan Axtell also made it into the Saturday brackets, but fell short of placing.

As for the youngsters, coach McDermott said, "Our freshmen got their first taste of high school wrestling, and battled in all of their matches - working hard and never quitting."

The Bobcats will be in Worland this week for a dual tournament for the varsity team and a pool tournament for the JV team. Start times are 12:30 p.m. on Friday and 8:30 a.m. on Saturday.

Friday Pools

Varsity 120B - Dyllan Myers, 24 team points. Round 1 - Myers won by fall, 1:11, over Corey Gonzales (Natrona County) , Round 2 - Myers won by fall, 0:34, over Rowen Lundgren (Lockwood), Round 4 - Myers won by fall, 0:48, over Mason Sires (Campbell County), Round 5 - Myers won by decision, 9-2, over Gabriel Whiting (Powell)

Varsity 138A - Cannon Boren, 25 team points. Round 2 - Boren won by fall, 0:24, over Joel Magana (Jackson Hole), Round 3 - Boren won by fall, 1:45, over Sebastian Mogan (Laurel), Round 4 - Boren won by fall, 2:48, over Tyler Wenzel (Powell), Round 5 - Boren won by tech fall, 16-1,over Braden Richey (Campbell County)

Varsity 138B - Colter Price, 17 team points. Round 1 - Price won by fall, 2:10, over Demetrius Pitt (Lander Valley), Round 2 - Price won by tech fall, 18-0, over Jaims Fernandez (Worland, Round 4 - Price won by fall, 1:28, over Jaiden Moreland (Laurel), Round 5 - Dalton Hinebauch (Lockwood) won by major decision, 11-0, over Price

Varsity 138C - Ethan Yarrington, 11.5 team points. Round 1 - Yarrington won by decision, 5-3, over Kolby Smith (Sheridan), Round 2 - Luke Russell (Natrona County) won by decision, 7-0, over Yarrington, Round 3 - Yarrington won by major decision, 14-4, over Bryce Brisbin (Park / Sweet Grass Co), Round 4 - Baylor Burton (Huntley Project) won by fall, 2:20, over Yarrington, Round 5 - Trey Breen (Tongue River) won by fall, 0:57, over Yarrington

Varsity 150B - Will Ward, 27.5 team points. Round 1 - Ward won by fall, 2:31, over Brodey Wilcox (Natrona County), Round 2 - Ward won by tech fall, 15-0, over Reese Lowe (Powell), Round 3 - Ward won by tech fall, 15-0, over Eddy Arciga (Lockwood), Round 4 - Ward won by tech fall, 15-0, over Reece Whisenant (Greybull/Riverside), Round 5 - Ward won by major decision, 14-0, over Landon Jones (Lander Valley)

Varsity 165C - Samuel Skelton, 24.5 team points. Round 1 - Skelton won by injury default over Kannon Grant (Cody), Round 2 - Skelton won by fall , 0:16, over Trevin Wiest (Park / Sweet Grass Co), Round 3 - Skelton won by fall, 2:02, over Gabe Banister (Natrona County), Round 4 - Skelton won by major decision, 12-3, over Weston McLaughlin (Riverton), Round 5 - Keegan Rager (Sheridan) won by tech fall, 15-0, over Skelton

Varsity 175C - Brody Sorensen, 22.5 team points. Round 2 - Sorensen won by fall, 2:29, over Tyler Palermo (Natrona County), Round 3 - Sorensen won by fall, 1:21, over Flint Reno (Campbell County), Round 4 - Sorensen won by decision, 8-4, over Jordan May (Riverton), Round 5 - Sorensen won by major decision, 8-0, over Ryan Petzold (Sheridan)

Varsity 190D - Haeden Blair, 15 points. Round 1 - Blair won by fall, 2:43, over Avery Posey (Wyoming Indian), Round 2 - Blair won by fall, 0:57, over Warren Fletcher (Shoshoni), Round 3 - James Mills (Lockwood) won by fall, 3:30, over Blair

JV 126A - Rylan Stauffer, 2 team points. Round 1 - Jaxen Baxendale (Lovell) won by fall, 1:49, over Stauffer, Round 3 - Stauffer won by decision, 6-5, over Landon Anderson (Powell)

JV 126C -Silas Dickey, Round 2 - Daniel Seymour (Park / Sweet Grass Co) won by fall, 1:-05 over Dickey, Round 3 - Evan Van Tuyl (Sheridan) won by fall , 0:20, over Dickey

JV 132A - Kacey Mackay, 4 team points. Round 1 - Kyler Loomis (Riverton) won by decision, 6-4, over Mackay, Round 2 - Carter Evans (Natrona County) won by fall, 2:16, over Mackay, Round 3 - Daniel Moschonas Reyes (Campbell County) won by major decision, 10-1, Mackay

JV 132C - Tannen Birdsley, 10 team points. Round 1 - Coyt Krieger (Hardin) won by fall, 1:40, over Birdsley, Round 2 - Birdsley won by decision, 7-4, over Jayden Olheiser (Riverton), Round 3 - Birdsley won by fall, 0:40, over Michael Brown (Campbell County)

JV 157C -Logan Dafoe, 12 team points. Round 1 - Caleb Timbers (Natrona County) won by decision, 7-6, over Dafoe, Round 2 - Dafoe won by fall, 0:33, over Daniel Rios Pelayo (Sheridan), Round 3 - Dafoe won by fall, 0:28, over Iker Ramos Garcia (Jackson Hole)

JV 175C - Mack Buckner, 15 team points. Round 1 - Buckner won by tech fall, 16-1, over Nikoah Sorenson (Greybull/Riverside), Round 2 - Buckner won by fall, 0:31, over Nicholas Martinez (Natrona County), Round 3 - Buckner won by fall, 1:14, over Jayden Lawlar (Sheridan)

JV 190B - Ryan Axtell, 6 team points. Round 1 - Axtell won in sudden victory - 1, 6-3, over Zarrek Comfort-Joyce (Lockwood (Billings), Round 3 - Axtell won by fall, 1:06, over Corbyn Godfrey (Greybull/Riverside)

Saturday results

Varsity 120 -Dyllan Myers, 3rd, 15 team points. Quarterfinal - Myers won by fall, 2:45, over Branson Thompson, Semifinal - Konner Heath (Laurel) won by fall, 5:33, over Myers, 3rd Place Match - Dyllan Myers won by fall, 2:51, over Gabriel Whiting (Powell) (Fall 2:51)

Varsity 138 - Cannon Boren, 1st, 24 team points. Quarterfinal - Boren won by fall, 1:40, over Joel Magana (Jackson Hole), Semifinal - Boren won by fall, 0:54, over Luke Russell (Natrona County), 1st Place Match - Boren won by decision, 8-4, over Baylor Burton (Huntley Project)

Varsity 138 - Colter Price, 3rd, 15 team points. Quarterfinal - Price won by fall, 0:58, over Kolby Smith (Sheridan), Semifinal - Baylor Burton (Huntley Project) won by tech fall, 16-0, over Price (Thermopolis), 3rd Place Match - Price won by fall, 4:09, over Luke Russell (Natrona County)

Varsity 150 - Will Ward, 1st, 26 team points. Quarterfinal - Ward won by fall, 1:39, over Derek Lachenmeier (Huntley Project), Semifinal - Ward won by fall, 3:53, over Patrick Haney (Powell), 1st Place Match - Ward won by fall, 5:11, over Brodey Wilcox (Natrona County)

Varsity 165 - Samuel Skelton, 3rd, 13 team points. Quarterfinal - Skelton won by fall, 3:12, over Caleb Vollmer (Tongue River), Semifinal - Holden Hoiness (Laurel) won by fall, 2:54, over Skelton, 3rd Place Match - Skelton won by decision, 7-6, over Wiley Philleo (Shoshoni)

Varsity 175 - Brody Sorensen, 2nd, 19 team points. Quarterfinal - Sorensen won by fall, 1:56, over Alex Sitz (Cody), Semifinal - Sorensen won by major decision, 14-2, over Hayden Ramaeker (Huntley Project), 1st Place Match - Kelten Crow (Sheridan) won by fall, 3:16, over Sorensen

Varsity 190 - Haeden Blair. Quarterfinal - Rudy Hall (Lovell) won by fall, 1:42, over Blair, Cons. Semi - Dusty Carter (Powell) won by fall, 2:22, over Blair

JV 157 - Logan Dafoe, 1st, 26 team points. Quarterfinal - Dafoe won by fall, 2:50, over Caleb Timbers (Natrona County), Semifinal - Dafoe won by fall, 2:46, over Ethan Baker (Campbell County), 1st Place Match - Dafoe won by fall, 2:31, over Israel Robertson (Cody)

JV 175 - Mack Buckner, 8th, 1 team points. Quarterfinal - Conrad Caton (Laurel) won by decision, 7-5, over Buckner

JV 190 - Ryan Axtell, 8th, 1 team points. Quarterfinal - Ian Backman (Natrona County) won by fall, 2:31, over Axtell