Bobcat wrestlers seize three spartan helmets

The Hot Springs County High School Bobcat Wrestling Team was in Shoshoni last weekend to compete in the Clash of the Crossroads Tournament. In a tune-up for that event, the team first took on Glenrock, at home, in a Dual on Thursday night.

Led by their seniors, the Bobcats won the dual, with a 41-20 score - winning seven of their ten matches. Commenting on the night, Coach Travis McDermott said, “Seniors Colter Price and Ethan Yarrington, got things going with two falls, and then senior, Lance Axtell, moved up a couple of weight classes, in his debut match, but fell just short.”

“Seniors Logan Dafoe, Sam Skelton, and Brody Sorensen, then rattled off three consecutive falls. Sophomores Mack Buckner and Ryan Axtell, who both also jumped up weight classes, lost their matches in some good battles.” Sophomore Dyllan Myers then made short work in his match, securing the fall.”

“Sophomore Cannon Boren had the last match of the night against returning State Champion Brody Allen. Allen bumped up a weight to wrestle Boren, who was a State Runner-up last season. While the match started out a bit slow, with good scrambling on both sides, Cannon eventually took control of the match, and dominated the second and third periods, to come away with a major decision at 15 to 2.”

In Shoshoni, the Cats faced 13 teams from area schools – coming away with a second place finish in the team standings, with 155 points – second only to Cokeville at 163.5 points. The team wrestled well through the preliminary rounds on Friday - putting nine wrestlers into the semi-final round, and pushing five wrestlers into the finals on Saturday. Two additional wrestlers were able to come back, and get into the third/fourth place matches, while two others made it to the sixth place finish.

Coach McDermott said, “Sophomore Cannon Boren continues to impress, winning his third tournament of the season. Cannon dominated through the tournament, eventually beating Schnieder of Upton, who dropped a weight this week, but was ranked decond at 138lbs” “Senior Sam Skelton, had another great tournament, getting his first championship of the year at 165lbs, over a familiar foe, Vollmer of Tongue River. Senior, and returning State Champion, Brody Sorensen also got his first championship of the year, beating Cokeville’s Walker, for the Spartan Helmet.”

“Sophomore Dyllan Myers, continued his solid season, with a runner-up finish to last season’s State Champion, Brown of Big Piney. Junior Haeden Blair also had a battle for the championship, coming up a bit short to end up second, against Twomey of Rocky Mountain.”

“Senior Colter Price lost a close semi-final match, but then came back, and got a third place finish. Senior Logan Dafoe wrestled the best we have seen, and battled to a fourth place finish.”

Tannen Birdsley went one for two; Lance Axtell went two and two; and Ryan Axtell went one for two. Freshmen Rylan Stauffer, Kacey Mackay, and Silas Dickey, all went 0 for 2 in their first varsity matches.

The Cats will be at home for senior night on Thursday, where they will take on the tough Cody Broncs at 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday the team will travel to compete in Lander.