GREEN RIVER – Years of hard work, extra time in the gym and all the ups and downs of wrestling have paid off for a group of Wolves.
After placing second for a number of years at the Wyoming State High School Wrestling Tournament, a group of determined Green River Wolves stole the show in Casper. Behind five state championships, the fighters knocked off the 13-time defending state champs Campbell County.
The Wolves trailed by single points heading into championship Saturday. Campbell County had five wrestle for titles while Green River placed sixth. Despite several Wolves in the consolation brackets, a slow start only had the Wolves up 20 heading into the finals.
In the consolation, Justin Flores scored three pins in the consolation brackets to finish in fifth. At 126, Nathan McCann battled back from a loss in the quarters to finish sixth while Kacey Cochrane scored two falls including one to take fifth.
Eric Clingenpeel, Dylan VanGieson and Blake Waite would all fight through the consolation brackets to bring home sixth-place finishes for the Wolves.
In the finals, Cyro Montoya faced Campbell County’s Austin Cunningham to get things started. Montoya dominated to open the finals with a 22-11 win. With a 20-point lead and up a win over Gillette in the finals, Montoya put the Wolves on their way to the title.
It would be 113 next, and Caleb Nathan took the mat against Riverton’s Keanan Pfisterer. It was a battle the entire way with Nathan standing with his arm raised in the end scoring a 3-2 decision.
Montaya and Nathan’s hot start would only be added to at 120. Gage Byers followed his teammates as he controlled Arsenio Lemus of Laramie. Byers scored the fall at the 2:50 mark in the match giving GRHS an insurmountable lead.
While the Wolves had a short rest before returning to finals action, Campbell County went to work. Taylor Jeffries cut into the Wolves lead with a state title at 132. At 138, Trevor Jeffries also had a chance to knock off some points but fell to second in the finals.
At 145, Shandon Welsh faced Steven Lahnert of Cheyenne East for the title. Welsh and Lahnert battled the entire way as the match stayed close. A late call by the ref went in favor of Lahnert as he escaped with the 3-0 win over Welsh. Shandon finished with second place to finish a year which saw him score 42 wins.
Gillette notched another title at 152 with Logan Wagoner, but the Wolves responded at 195. Brendan Hopkins earned a spot in the finals as he faced John Nowland of Rock Springs. The two wrestlers have been tops in the state all season and have matched each other all year long.
Hopkins and Nowland did not disappoint as they left it all on the mat. With fans on the edges of their seats for the duration, Hopkins stood in the center at the end with a 2-1 decision.
Zach Taylor added another Campbell County title at 220, but it was too little too late. With the title in hand, Jordan Tucker looked to end it in style at 285 for Green River. Tucker added the exclamation point as he handed Cheyenne South’s Isaac Mchenry his seventh loss of the season with the 3-1 decision.
Scroll all the way to the bottom to view a video of the team’s arrival home.
Results
Teams Score
1. Green River 228.5
2. Campbell County 200.5
3. Cheyenne East 164.5
4. Sheridan 153.5
5. Rock Springs 145.5
6. Laramie 141.0
7. Evanston 134.0
8. Natrona County 124.5
9. Riverton 112.5
10. Cheyenne Central 102.0
11. Cheyenne South 86.0
12. Kelly Walsh 74.0
2016 WHSAA State Championships Results for Green River
4A-106 – Cyro Montoya (42-3) placed 1st and scored 28.50 team points.
Rd 1 – Montoya won by fall over Casey Chancellor (Riverton) 15-18 (Fall 3:18)
Quarters – Montoya won by tech fall over Chase Clark (Evanston) 15-19 (TF-1.5 0:00 (21-6))
Semis – Montoya won by fall over Mikey Fischer (South) 30-17 (Fall 5:23)
1st Place – Montoya won by major decision over Austin Cunningham (Gillette) 36-8 (MD 22-11)
4A-106 – Justin Flores (8-6) placed 5th.
Rd 1 – Flores won by fall over Garrett Avery (Sheridan) 8-13 (Fall 0:28)
Quarters – Mikey Fischer (South) 30-17 won by fall over Flores (Fall 3:33)
Cons. Rd 2 – Flores won by fall over Brandon Haskins (Natrona) 10-25 (Fall 0:30)
Cons. Rd 3 – Flores won by fall over Chase Clark (Evanston) 15-19 (Fall 4:41)
Cons. Semi – Cameron Metcalf (Rock Springs) 38-11 won by injury default over Flores
5th Place – Flores won by fall over Levi Lopez (Central) 19-17 (Fall 2:06)
4A-113 – Dan Mondragon (1-4) place is unknown.
Rd 1 – Keanan Pfisterer (Riverton) 45-8 won by fall over Mondragon (Fall 1:42)
Cons. Rd 1 – Mondragon won by decision over Tyler Wilken (South) 19-26 (Dec 12-5)
Cons. Rd 2 – Levi Kaiser (Kelly Walsh) 33-19 won by decision over Mondragon (Dec 11-4)
4A-113 – Caleb Nathan (32-12) placed 1st and scored 24.00 team points.
Rd 1 – Nathan won by fall over Jose Rodriquez (Laramie) 11-20 (Fall 0:15)
Quarters – Nathan won by decision over kel Tritschler (Sheridan) 20-12 (Dec 2-0)
Semis – Nathan won by decision over Ashton Dupape (Rock Springs) 41-14 (Dec 7-1)
1st Place – Nathan won by decision over Keanan Pfisterer (Riverton) 45-8 (Dec 3-2)
4A-120 – Gage Byers (39-6) placed 1st and scored 30.00 team points.
Rd 1 – Byers won by fall over Addison Johnson (South) 27-20 (Fall 0:15)
Quarters – Byers won by fall over Ryder Gill (Laramie) 26-21 (Fall 0:20)
Semis – Byers won by fall over Bryton Winchell (Cheyenne East) 34-19 (Fall 1:07)
1st Place  – Byers won by fall over Arsenio Lemus (Laramie) 22-9 (Fall 2:50)
4A-120 – Talbert Bowen (2-4) place is unknown.
Rd 1 – Michael Cunningham (Gillette) 27-20 won by fall over Bowen (Fall 1:13)
Cons. Rd 1 – Bowen won by decision over Brock Munoz (Central) 7-29 (Dec 7-1)
Cons. Rd 2 – Peyton Rees (Riverton) 9-11 won by decision over Bowen (Dec 7-1)
4A-126 – Nathan McCann (28-14) placed 6th and scored 11.00 team points.
Rd 1 – McCann won by fall over Dominic Dominguez (South) 15-23 (Fall 4:45)
Quarters – Jose Aguilar (Gillette) 27-23 won by decision over McCann (Dec 7-5)
Cons. Rd 2 – McCann won by decision over Kaleb Dooley (East) 16-23 (Dec 7-5)
Cons. Rd 3 – McCann won by rule over Jacob Mortensen (RULE)
Cons. Semi – Trenten Heil (Sheridan) 23-12 won by decision over McCann (Dec 3-0)
5th Place – Jose Aguilar (Gillette) 27-23 won by fall over McCann (Fall 2:51)
4A-126 – Jacob Mortensen (26-13) place is unknown.
Rd 1 – Mortensen won by decision over Garrett Foster (Evanston) 22-9 (Dec 5-3)
Quarters – Ryder Jones (Central) 39-12 won by fall over Jacob Mortensen (Fall 5:12)
Cons. Rd 2 – Mortensen won by fall over RJ Stassinos (Rock Springs) 17-13 (Fall 5:50)
Cons. Rd 3 – Nathan McCann (Green River) won by rule over Jacob Mortensen (RULE)
4A-132 – Kaycee Cochrane (32-17) placed 5th and scored 14.00 team points.
Rd 1 – Cochrane won by major decision over Carsen Wagstaff (Evanston) 30-13 (MD 12-0)
Quarters – Trenton Eldridge (East) 41-20 won by decision over Cochrane (Dec 8-4)
Cons. Rd 2 – Cochrane won by fall over Paulo Benabise (Natrona) 35-13 (Fall 4:07)
Cons. Rd 3 – Cochrane won by decision over Jonathan Gasperetti (Natrona) 30-17 (Dec 9-6)
Cons. Semi – Tucker Goss (Sheridan) 37-11 won by decision over Cochrane (Dec 7-2)
5th Place – Cochrane won by fall over Joe Walker (Rock Springs) 29-25 (Fall 1:54)
4A-138 – Ira Dickinson (18-20) place is unknown.
Rd 1 – Dickinson won by fall over Connor McCoy (South) 10-32 (Fall 2:25)
Quarters – Dominic Miller (Sheridan) 38-20 won by decision over Dickinson (Dec 10-8)
Cons. Rd 2 – Cole Valdez (South) 29-19 won by decision over Dickinson (Dec 1-0)
4A-138 – Eric Clingenpeel (17-19) placed 6th and scored 11.00 team points.
Rd 1 – Clingenpeel won by decision over Cole Valdez (South) 29-19 (Dec 9-3)
Quarters – Patrick Debaun (Rock Springs) 11-5 won by decision over Clingenpeel (Dec 7-1)
Cons. Rd 2 – Clingenpeel won by fall over Connor McCoy (South) 10-32 (Fall 2:02)
Cons. Rd 3 – Clingenpeel won by fall over Gavin Mills (Gillette) 7-12 (Fall 1:52)
Cons. Semi – Dominic Miller (Sheridan) 38-20 won by decision over Clingenpeel (Dec 8-1)
5th Place – Thomas Neal (East) 31-19 won by major decision over Clingenpeel (MD 12-0)
4A-145 – Shandon Welsh (42-7) placed 2nd and scored 22.00 team points.
Rd 1 – Welsh won by fall over Decker Mattimoe (Central) 22-13 (Fall 1:36)
Quarters – Welsh won by fall over Noah Ujvary (Natrona) 17-11 (Fall 1:21)
Semis – Welsh won by decision over Wyatt Avery (Sheridan) 28-8 (Dec 10-7)
1st Place – Steven Lahnert (East) 46-5 won by decision over Welsh (Dec 3-0)
4A-152 – Zack Orr (4-11) place is unknown and scored 7.00 team points.
 Rd 1 – Orr won by forfeit over Dino Baldes (Riverton) 29-17 (For.)
Quarters – Gunner Bartlett (East) 27-11 won by decision over Zack Orr (Dec 5-2)
Cons. Rd 2 – Orr won by fall over Ryan Killpack (Laramie) 22-20 (Fall 2:20)
Cons. Rd 3 – William Kozlowski (Laramie) 31-18 won by decision over Orr (Dec 11-6)
4A-152 – Chance Anderson (5-12) place is unknown.
Rd 1 – Anderson won by fall over Ryan Killpack (Laramie) 22-20 (Fall 1:15)
Quarters – Logan Wagoner (Gillette) 38-7 won by fall over Anderson (Fall 3:14)
Cons. Rd 2 – Josh Wilcox (Sheridan) 22-21 won by decision over Anderson (Dec 7-2)
4A-160 – Russell Ferrell (1-4) place is unknown and scored 0 team points.
Rd 1 – Koa Rodriguez (Riverton) 30-13 won by fall over Ferrell (Fall 1:54)
Cons. Rd 1 – Sean Zediker (Rock Springs) 13-19 won by decision over Ferrell (Dec 11-4)
4A-170 – Dylan VanGieson (35-18) placed 6th and scored 13.00 team points.
Rd 1 – VanGieson won by fall over Jacek Aksamit (Sheridan) 2-3 (Fall 1:12)
Quarters – Andrew Nicholson (Central) 40-13 won by decision over VanGieson (Dec 2-0)
Cons. Rd 2 – VanGieson won by fall over Zachary Anderson (Sheridan) 28-19 (Fall 3:49)
Cons. Rd 3 – VanGieson won by fall over Gage Stewart (Evanston) 27-12 (Fall 0:02)
Cons. Semi – Dylan Jaure (KW) 41-13 won by fall over VanGieson (Fall 5:48)
5th Place – Dylan Mondagon (South) 33-19 won by major decision over VanGieson (MD 11-0)
4A-182 – Blake Waite (22-23) placed 6th and scored 11.00 team points.
Rd 1 – Waite won by fall over Chris Schmidt (Kelly Walsh) 13-12 (Fall 0:54)
Quarters – Jacob Fogg (East) 34-18 won by fall over Waite (Fall 4:37)
Cons. Rd 2 – Waite won by decision over Brandon Holbrook (South) 24-22 (Dec 4-3)
Cons. Rd 3 – Waite won by fall over Garrett Galey (Kelly Walsh) 24-17 (Fall 3:15)
Cons. Semi – Daniel Slack (Natrona) 31-14 won by decision over Waite (Dec 3-0)
5th Place – Dylan Skaggs (Evanston) 15-19 won by decision over Waite (Dec 4-2)
4A-182 – Justin Rubalcaba (2-3) place is unknown.
Rd 1 – Bryce Lundberg (Central) 44-6 won by fall over Rubalcaba (Fall 0:34)
Cons. Rd 1 – Garrett Galey (Kelly Walsh) 24-17 won by fall over Rubalcaba (Fall 3:30)
4A-195 – Brendan Hopkins (36-7) placed 1st and scored 28.00 team points.
Rd 1 – Hopkins won by fall over Joseph Williams (Evanston) 8-16 (Fall 0:42)
Quarters – Hopkins won by fall over Joe Baca (Central) 14-17 (Fall 0:44)
Semis – Hopkins won by fall over Kevin Doughty (East) 44-17 (Fall 4:16)
1st Place – Hopkins won by decision over John Nowland (Rock Springs) (Dec 2-1)
4A-220 – Keanu Hill (4-15) place is unknown and scored 3.00 team points.
Rd 1 – Hunter Deffenbaugh  (South) 13-8 won by fall over Hill (Fall 2:26)
Cons. Rd 1 – Hill won by fall over Brennon Bressler (Laramie) 12-22 (Fall 1:28)
Cons. Rd 2 – Wyatt Wichelhaus (Riverton) 26-15 won by fall over Hill (Fall 2:16)
4A-285 – Jordan Tucker (31-7) placed 1st and scored 26.00 team points.
Rd 1 – Tucker won by fall over Joshua Gross (East) 2-4 (Fall 1:19)
Quarters – Tucker won by fall over Robert Hernandez (South) 16-16 (Fall 1:36)
Semis – Tucker won by decision over Tyler Anthony (Gillette) 29-14 (Dec 7-1)
1st Place – Tucker won by decision over Isaac McHenry (South) 37-7 (Dec 3-1)
