CASPER – Getting to the top of anything takes hard work, dedication, learning from failures and enduring to the end. For the Rock Springs Tiger wrestling team, this year’s wins cannot be seen on paper and in the standings.
White the Tigers may have not had the team finish at the State Championships they had hoped for, the growth over this season is evident. This season, the wrestlers on the team had a great teammate and leader to watch and learn from this season in Danny Macy.
Macy finished the season with over 30 wins while only tasting defeat five times. He won the 4A Regional Title and looked to match it in Casper at the state tournament.
Macy opened his 113 title run strong scoring a fall at the 0:43 mark of the match. He followed it with a major decision win in the quarterfinals beating Sheridan wrestler Ty Turner 14-3. He matched his quarterfinal performance in the semifinals as he faced Campbell County wrestler Jose Aguilar. Macy took control early in a high scoring match and scored a major decision win 16-8.
Just one week ago, Macy battled to an overtime win for the Regional Title. On Saturday, he stood across the mat staring at the same wrestler, Green River’s Nathan McCann. For the second week in a row, both wrestlers left it all on the mat in another battle to the finish. While they did not need overtime on Saturday, it was not far off. In the end, Macy stood in the middle of the mat with his hand raised after winning by a 5-3 decision.
“When you’re on the mat and the match just ended, the feeling you have inside is the best feeling in the world,” Macy said.
While winning was a great feeling for Macy, the most important things in his life took center stage.
“Just having all my family and my friends there means the world,” Macy said. “My Uncle Brian is the person who pushed me to become a state champion. He made me work on the off-season and pushed me to not only become better for me but for the team.”
Even in winning the top prize in the state, his drive to continue to learn and become a better wrestler is still in the forefront.
“My season was good this year but I still need to improve on things and get better,” Macy said. “There is always room for improvement for me and always a way to get better at anything.”
There were also several other Tigers who had a solid tournament. The other Tiger to placed at the tournament was Patrick Debaun. After a solid regional tournament, Debaun kept it going at state as he opened the 126 dvision with a first-round win by pin. In the quarterfinals, Debaun battled hard but fell to East’s Levi Romsa on a 9-3 decision.
Debaun bounced back in the consolation bracket taking a 7-1 decision and followed it with a 9-5 decision win to move into the consolation semis. He slipped a bit as he lost to Gage Byers of Green River but ended the season on a positive note with a tight 3-1 decision win over Laramie’s Aaron Candelaria to take fifth.
Several other Tigers had wins at the tournament. At 132, Wyatt Yenney finished 2-2 with both wins by decision. At 138, Ira Dickinson finished 1-2 while William Petrovich finished 2-2 at 145 with both his wins coming by the way of pin.
Tiger Christian Fennewald finished 1-2 with a first-period pin while John Nowland also went 1-2 at 182 also scoring a first-period fall. Devon Clark rounded out the Tiger’s performance going 2-2 at 285. Both of his wins came by the way of pin.
2015 WHSAA State Championships Results for Rock Springs
4A-113 – Danny Macy (30-5) placed 1st and scored 26.00 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Danny Macy (Rock Springs) 30-5 won by fall over Ethan Tozer (Cheyenne Central) 4-15 (Fall 0:43)
Quarterfinal – Danny Macy (Rock Springs) 30-5 won by major decision over Ty Turner (Sheridan) 16-11 (MD 14-3)
Semifinal – Danny Macy (Rock Springs) 30-5 won by major decision over Jose Aguilar (Campbell County) 22-12 (MD 16-8)
1st Place Match – Danny Macy (Rock Springs) 30-5 won by decision over Nathan McCann (Green River) 24-14 (Dec 5-3)
4A-113 – Trevor Ryan (34-15) place is unknown.
Champ. Round 1 – David Anzivino (Cheyenne East) 10-16 won by forfeit over Trevor Ryan (Rock Springs) 34-15 (For.)
Cons. Round 1 – Casey Chancellor (Riverton) 9-15 won by forfeit over Trevor Ryan (Rock Springs) 34-15 (For.)
4A-120 – Wyatt Martinez (28-21) place is unknown and scored 0.00 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Trevor Jeffries (Campbell County) 39-3 won by injury default over Wyatt Martinez (Rock Springs) 28-21 (Inj. 0:00)
Cons. Round 1 – Wyatt Martinez (Rock Springs) 28-21 received a bye () (Bye)
Cons. Round 2 – Trevon Covolo (Sheridan) 31-12 won by injury default over Wyatt Martinez (Rock Springs) 28-21 (Inj. 0:00)
4A-126 – Patrick Debaun (10-5) placed 5th and scored 11.00 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Patrick Debaun (Rock Springs) 10-5 won by fall over Clayne Standish (Sheridan) 9-16 (Fall 4:38)
Quarterfinal – Levi Romsa (Cheyenne East) 33-20 won by decision over Patrick Debaun (Rock Springs) 10-5 (Dec 9-3)
Cons. Round 2 – Patrick Debaun (Rock Springs) 10-5 won by decision over Kaleb Clayson (Riverton) 17-24 (Dec 7-1)
Cons. Round 3 – Patrick Debaun (Rock Springs) 10-5 won by decision over Jonathan Gasperetti (Natrona County) 28-23 (Dec 9-5)
Cons. Semi – Gage Byers (Green River) 34-10 won by fall over Patrick Debaun (Rock Springs) 10-5 (Fall 0:53)
5th Place Match – Patrick Debaun (Rock Springs) 10-5 won by decision over Aaron Candelaria (Laramie) 46-18 (Dec 3-1)
4A-132 – Wyatt Yenney (19-18) place is unknown and scored 2.00 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Tucker Leland (Evanston) 30-10 won by fall over Wyatt Yenney (Rock Springs) 19-18 (Fall 3:15)
Cons. Round 1 – Wyatt Yenney (Rock Springs) 19-18 won by decision over Chance Larson (Natrona County) 17-21 (Dec 6-4)
Cons. Round 2 – Wyatt Yenney (Rock Springs) 19-18 won by decision over Kaycee Cochrane (Green River) 25-12 (Dec 4-2)
Cons. Round 3 – Korbin Wagstaff (Evanston) 25-16 won by fall over Wyatt Yenney (Rock Springs) 19-18 (Fall 1:57)
4A-132 – Slade Pitt (16-18) place is unknown.
Champ. Round 1 – Nate Parris (Cheyenne Central) 21-3 won by fall over Slade Pitt (Rock Springs) 16-18 (Fall 0:21)
Cons. Round 1 – Jared Flores (Green River) 12-4 won by fall over Slade Pitt (Rock Springs) 16-18 (Fall 1:25)
4A-138 – Ira Dickinson (25-16) place is unknown and scored 1.00 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Chris Moodry (Campbell County) 30-15 won by fall over Ira Dickinson (Rock Springs) 25-16 (Fall 4:27)
Cons. Round 1 – Ira Dickinson (Rock Springs) 25-16 won by decision over Eric Clingenpeel (Green River) 22-23 (Dec 7-4)
Cons. Round 2 – Denton Skogen (Natrona County) 29-19 won by decision over Ira Dickinson (Rock Springs) 25-16 (Dec 9-2)
4A-145 – William Petrovich (28-23) place is unknown and scored 7.00 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – William Petrovich (Rock Springs) 28-23 won by fall over Gavin Niemeyer (Natrona County) 10-11 (Fall 1:09)
Quarterfinal – Triston Mckinsey (Campbell County) 23-23 won by fall over William Petrovich (Rock Springs) 28-23 (Fall 3:47)
Cons. Round 2 – William Petrovich (Rock Springs) 28-23 won by fall over William Kozlowski (Laramie) 22-18 (Fall 1:46)
Cons. Round 3 – Seth Green (Cheyenne East) 38-22 won by fall over William Petrovich (Rock Springs) 28-23 (Fall 2:13)
4A-145 – Joe Walker (19-17) place is unknown.
Champ. Round 1 – Zack Orr (Green River) 26-12 won by fall over Joe Walker (Rock Springs) 19-17 (Fall 4:38)
Cons. Round 1 – Dalton Mizel (Cheyenne East) 10-14 won by fall over Joe Walker (Rock Springs) 19-17 (Fall 4:17)
4A-152 – Christian Fennewald (14-18) place is unknown and scored 3.00 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Jordan Hollopeter (Laramie) 21-12 won by decision over Christian Fennewald (Rock Springs) 14-18 (Dec 9-6)
Cons. Round 1 – Christian Fennewald (Rock Springs) 14-18 won by fall over Tristan Chapman (Campbell County) 19-9 (Fall 0:55)
Cons. Round 2 – Matt Benardis (Natrona County) 29-15 won by fall over Christian Fennewald (Rock Springs) 14-18 (Fall 1:58)
4A-160 – Dawson Lorenz (12-11) place is unknown and scored 0.00 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Josh Wilcox (Sheridan) 18-24 won by tech fall over Dawson Lorenz (Rock Springs) 12-11 (TF-1.5 0:00 (19-2))
Cons. Round 1 – Bryce Codr (Cheyenne South) 12-30 won by fall over Dawson Lorenz (Rock Springs) 12-11 (Fall 1:46)
4A-182 – John Nowland (23-21) place is unknown and scored 4.00 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – John Nowland (Rock Springs) 23-21 won by fall over Brandon Holbrook (Cheyenne South) 19-18 (Fall 1:01)
Quarterfinal – Brandon Shelstad (Campbell County) 28-9 won by fall over John Nowland (Rock Springs) 23-21 (Fall 5:57)
Cons. Round 2 – Tanner Dobrenz (Kelly Walsh) 18-21 won by fall over John Nowland (Rock Springs) 23-21 (Fall 2:59)
4A-285 – Devon Clark (2-10) place is unknown and scored 7.00 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Devon Clark (Rock Springs) 2-10 won by fall over Braydon Titmas (Evanston) 12-17 (Fall 5:07)
Quarterfinal – Tory Music (Sheridan) 39-5 won by fall over Devon Clark (Rock Springs) 2-10 (Fall 0:57)
Cons. Round 2 – Devon Clark (Rock Springs) 2-10 won by fall over Joshua Gross (Cheyenne East) 6-22 (Fall 3:43)
Cons. Round 3 – David Romero (Riverton) 22-13 won by fall over Devon Clark (Rock Springs) 2-10 (Fall 0:47)
