GREEN RIVER – Green River High School will honor their 2023 hall of fame inductees Friday evening. The inductees this year are Michael Clark, Tom Seamans, Daniel Weeks, Bill Hodges, and the 1996 and 1997 State Wrestling Championship Teams. Clark was originally inducted into the HOF in 2012. The game will start at 7 p.m. at Wolves Stadium.
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Inductees
Michael Clark – Originally inducted into the HOF in 2012, re-introduced this year
Clark embarked on a remarkable journey that began with his graduation from Green River High School in 1999 and culminated in a decorated career in the United States Navy.
Clark’s path led him to SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team-2 (SDV Team-2) in Virginia Beach, Va., where he assumed his first permanent duty station in October 2000. It was with SDV Team-2 that he experienced his initial overseas deployment, traveling to Rota, Spain, in September 2001.
In the following year, Clark left SDV Team-2 to commence Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training, known as BUD/S, in Coronado, Calif. This rigorous training program consisted of five weeks of instruction and training followed by 24 weeks of intense physical and mental development. Clark was part of BUD/S Class 244, which commenced with more than 200 participants, but had only around 30 individuals graduate in July 2003.
Following BUD/S, Clark underwent a seven-month selection and training course at the Naval Special Warfare Development Group. The group is tasked with intelligence operations, counter-terrorism, and hostage rescue services for U.S. Special Operations Command and the U.S. Department of Defense.
During a deployment to Afghanistan, Clark faced a tragic loss when his teammate, Adam Brown, was killed in action. For his actions that night, he was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor. A biography titled “Fearless” was later released in May 2012, chronicling the life and heroism of Brown.
One of the defining moments in Clark’s career was a hostage rescue mission involving Dr. Dilip Joseph. Dr. Joseph was the medical director for Morning Star Development, a non-profit organization training healthcare workers in Afghanistan, and had been taken hostage by the Taliban. The Taliban demanded ransom for his release. Clark was part of the mission to save Dr. Joseph. During this successful operation, Clark’s team suffered another loss when Petty Officer First Class Nicolas Checque was killed in action.
Throughout his distinguished career, Clark received numerous awards and medals, including the Combat Action Award, the Iraq and Afghanistan Campaign Medals, and five Presidential Unit Citations. Upon retirement, Clark was honored with the Defense Meritorious Service Medal for his exceptional service to the country.
Daniel Weeks
Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Weeks, a distinguished military officer, traces his journey from the Wolves’ swimming pool to leadership in the United States Air Force.
In his high school years, Weeks proved to be an excellent athlete, becoming a three-time individual state champion swimmer. He was also recognized as a three-time all-state athlete and participated in multiple state relay teams. He was a key member of the 2001 GRHS swim team that clinched the state title. To this day, his relay team’s record in the 400-yard freestyle set in 2001 still stands. He was named Wyoming’s most outstanding swimmer of the year during his senior year.
Following his graduation from Green River in 2003, Daniel pursued higher education at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado, earning a bachelors degree in civil engineering in 2007. He excelled in the Air and Space Basic Course at Maxwell Air Force Base, earning promotions to Second Lieutenant in 2007 and subsequently to First Lieutenant in 2009.
Weeks continued his academic and military journey, achieving a masters degree in civil engineering from the University of Washington in 2012, all while being promoted to the rank of Captain. In 2017, he furthered his professional development at Air Command and Staff College, earning a promotion to Major.
In 2022, Weeks reached a significant milestone, receiving his doctorate in civil engineering from the University of Texas in Austin. This accomplishment was paired with a promotion to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Throughout his military career, Weeks has served in various roles, including as a doctorate student and the Operations Flight Commander in the 100 Civil Engineer Squadron at RAF Mildenhall, UK. He has also contributed as an executive officer and an assistant professor of civil engineering at the U.S. Air Force Academy. He has been on four deployments in support of operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria.
Currently, Weeks holds the position of commander of the 765th Air Base Squadron at Lajes Field, Portugal. He leads 290 people and oversees the installation, engineering, contracting, and force support functions supporting $1.7 billon in infrastructure. His squadron sustains air and space power in support of the United States and its NATO allies.
Tom Seamans
Tom Seamans graduated from Swink High School in 1979. Upon completing high school, Seamans embarked on his collegiate wrestling career with a scholarship from the University of Wyoming.
He earned accolades as a two-time conference runner-up and culminated his college wrestling career as a conference champion in his senior year. Following his graduation, Seamans stepped into the role of a graduate assistant coach for the University of Wyoming during the 1983-84 season.
In August of 1984, a new chapter in Seamans’ career began as he accepted a social studies teaching position at Green River High School. Simultaneously, he took on roles as a junior high assistant football coach and an assistant wrestling coach for the high school.
In the spring of 1986, Seamans was appointed as the head wrestling coach for the Green River Wolves. Under his leadership, the team achieved remarkable success, winning an 10 conference championships, 10 regional championships, and five state championships between 1987 and 1999.
In July of 2001, Seamans accepted the role of head wrestling coach and social studies teacher at Campbell County High School. He would lead his team to a stunning 13 consecutive state wrestling championships from 2003 to 2015.
Seamans’ legacy as a head coach spanned 29 seasons, with 13 years in Green River and 16 years in Gillette. During his tenure, his teams dominated the wrestling scene, securing 18 class 4A Wyoming State Wrestling Championships, 24 Regional Tournament Championships, and 23 Conference Championships.
He was rewarded with a total of 16 Wyoming Coaches Association Coach of the Year awards. Seamans was honored with the 4A Conference Coach of the Year title 20 times. His exceptional coaching abilities reached national recognition in 2017 when he won the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Coach of the Year award.
Throughout his career, Seamans achieved a dual meet record of 284-74 and guided his teams to victory in 117 tournament championships across multiple states, including Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Montana, South Dakota, and Nebraska. His coaching excellence also manifested in the development of 347 state place winners, 91 individual state champions, 11 two-time champions, six three-time champions, and three four-time champions.
Only one of Seamans’ teams in his 29-year career finished below third place at the state competition.
In an exclusive conversation with SweetwaterNOW, Seamans shared his thoughts about being inducted into the hall of fame.
“I’m honored to be inducted, we had some great teams,” Seamans said. “The 1996 and 1997 teams were as good as we’ve had. I believe it was the 97 team that went against Wasatch Utah which was a team who hadn’t lost in seven years and we beat them.”
Later in the interview, he was asked about what it was like to be honored so many times as Coach of the Year.
“Awards are not as exciting as coaching the teams. The pleasure of making everyone happy around the team when we succeed is what I enjoyed,” he said.
With Seamans and Bill Hodges both being inducted to the hall of fame this week, he reflected on a relationship dating back to the mid 1980s where both were in the University of Wyoming’s wrestling program. After Seamans got the head coaching job at Green River High School, he hired Hodges to be his assistant.
“Bill was my little brother,” Tom said. “He was my assistant from my first year to my last and I’ve never had a better assistant.”
Seaman said he stayed with Hodges for a while when he was first hired at GRHS.
Art Castillo, who was a wrestler for the duo lead the Western Wyoming Community Collage wrestling team to a national championship with Hodges as an assistant coach.
“It’s unbelievable, I’ve been in their facility and it’s similar, if not better to what I’ve see from D1 teams,” Seamans said.
Bill Hodges
Hodges’ journey in wrestling began over five decades ago when, at eight years old, he entered the world of wrestling without any formal practice. The local ranching kid soon found himself competing in national tournaments before he ever had a wrestling practice. It wasn’t until his junior year in high school that Hodges decided to take wrestling seriously. Throughout the rest of his high school career, he lost only one match, eventually becoming the sole undefeated wrestler in the State of Wyoming during his senior year at GRHS.
After graduating from high school, Hodges continued his wrestling journey by enrolling at the University of Wyoming, where he received both academic and athletic scholarships. He finished his senior year of college as the WAC (Western Athletic Conference) Champion and contributing to three WAC championship teams. The 1985 team he was part of is set to be inducted into the Wyoming Athletic Hall of Fame this year.
In 1987, Hodges returned to his hometown of Green River and embarked on a new chapter in his life as a coach and social studies teacher. His coaching career started as early as 1970 when he coached the Green River freestyle team while still in high school. From 1987 to 2017, he mentored countless Green River wrestlers, spanning high school, middle school, and the Green River Grapplers. Hodges coached 48 high school state champions and led 10 state championship teams during his time as a high school coach.
Hodges’ coaching journey also included a stint at Western Wyoming Community College in Rock Springs, where he served as head coach from 2002 to 2008. During his tenure, he coached the college’s first two National Champions and secured a fourth-place finish at Nationals in 2006. Although injuries led him to step down in 2006, his passion for coaching persisted as he continued to coach middle school wrestling in Green River. In 2013, he made a return to assist the high school wrestling team in Green River.
In 2017, Bill Hodges retired from teaching and coaching but couldn’t stay away from wrestling for long. He returned as an assistant coach for WWCC, where his guidance led to four more national champions. In 2023, Western Wyoming achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first national championship team in the history of WWCC wrestling.
The head coach of the national championship team was Art Castillo who Bill and Tom Seamans coached in high school. Art was a part of the 1996 and 1997 Green River teams that will be inducted into the hall of fame the same night as Bill and Tom.
Bill was also a great teacher for many students. Hodges taught at Green River High School from 1987 to 2017, and again in 2020. During his tenure, he taught a wide range of social studies classes and engaged in various academic activities, including Close-Up, We the People, Model United Nations, and student council.
In an exclusive conversation with SweetwaterNOW, Hodges shared his thoughts about being inducted with the teams.
“I’m just glad the teams are being recognized each year, they were some of the best I’ve seen,” Hodges said. “They were just such a great group of guys who accomplished so much.”
Hodges later talked about the long relationship he has with Seamans.
“Well at UW they had a system where they assign you a ‘big brother’ and he was assigned to me. The big brother was supposed to keep you out of trouble. Well if there is one thing Tom wasn’t good at it was keeping me out of trouble,” Bill joked. “Tom’s a great man. He was always good to me.”
Hodges also has a good relationship with former wrestler he and Seamans coached, Art Castillo. Hodges spoke about helping Art and the Mustang wrestlers win a national championship at WWCC.
“It’s awesome, I knew Art would be a good coach and I even had him coaching with me when i was the head coach at Western in the 2000s,” he said.
The relationship between Hodges, Seamans, and Castillo runs deep to this day. Along with another former wrestler, Cory Hintz, they continue to talk regularly and still compete against each other
“Cory and Art still think they won some basketball game aginst us when they were seniors,” Hodges said. “I don’t think they did.”
Bill joked about how a rematch could be in the works.
1996 and 1997 State Wrestling Championship Teams
The 1996 and 1997 Green River High School Westing Teams were regional champions, state champions, and ranked 15th in the nation and both be inducted into the hall of fame this season. The 1996 team led the state tournament with a score of 219.5, followed by Kelly Walsh in second with only 152 points and Gillette in third with 151.5 points. The 1997 wrestling team won state with a score of 215, followed by 2nd place Campbell County with a score of 186.
Along with these accomplishments, Hodges and Seamans both spoke about a match that they thought to be iconic. In the 1997 season the team had a meet against Wasatch, Utah. Wasatch was undefeated for seven seasons going into their dual with Green River. Wasatch was led by Cael Sanderson, an eventual undefeated NCAA wrestler and olympic gold medalist. Green River defeated that team and ended Wasatch’s streak.
Members from the teams include: John Ashley, Dallas Balzly, Mike Barrera, Scot Brady, Greg Bybee, Art Castillo, Joe Chacon, Eric Christiansen, Ben Compos, Johan Dana, Joey DuPuis, Jeiremy Gomez, Nathan Gomez, Travis Graham, Blake Gunter, Derek Hamel, Iyron Hamel, Ryan Harmon, Cory Hintz, Teddy Hodges, Gordon Lee, Jaime Lewis, Trenton McDowell, Bryan Merrick, Willie Montoya, Levi Montoya, Jake Owens, Ryan Paulovich, Jeremy Potter, Josh Rollins, Justin Salas, Robbie Schamber, Brad Setzer, Todd Stapelton, Damien Taylor, Justin Taylor, Matt Tieman, Jeremy Twitchell and Eric Wright.
Coaches were Tom Seamans, Bill Hodges and Wade Discher.
Green River had 11 individuals that placed at state in 1996:
- 2nd FR. Blake Gunter 103 lbs
- 3rd SO. Dallas Balzly 112 lbs
- 2nd JR. Jeremy Potter 119 lbs
- 2nd JR. Travis Graham 125lbs
- 2nd JR. Jaime Lewis 135lbs
- 1st SR. Trent McDowell 140 lbs
- 1st JR. Greg Bybee 145 lbs
- 3rd JR. Cory Hintz 152 lbs
- 3rd JR. Art Castillo 160 lbs
- 6th SR. Gordon Lee 189 lbs
- 3rd SR. Josh Rollins Hwt.
Individuals who placed at state for 1997:
- 2nd SO. Eric Wright 103 lbs
- 3rd SO. Blake Gunter 112 lbs
- 1st JR. Dallas Balzly 119 lbs
- 3rd Ryan Harmon 130 lbs
- 3rd SR.Travis Graham 135 lbs
- 5th SR. Derek Hamel 140 lbs
- 1st SR. Greg Bybee 145 lbs
- 3rd SR. Cory Hintz 152 lbs
- 4th SR. Joe Chacon 171 lbs
- 3rd Justin Taylor Hwt.
