CASPER — A year after enduring one of the most difficult state tournaments in program history after failing to place a single wrestler in the semifinals for the first time in more than five decades, Green River reversed course with a dominant first day.
Competing at the Ford Wyoming Center during the opening day of the WHSAA State Wrestling Championships, the Wolves advanced seven wrestlers to the Class 4A semifinals. Rock Springs added two semifinalists on the boys side, setting up a high-stakes Green River–Rock Springs showdown Friday with a berth in the state championship on the line at 132lbs.
Weston Green advanced to the semifinals and will face Rock Springs’ Lincoln Young, last year’s state runner-up, in a cross-county bout guaranteeing a Sweetwater County wrestler a spot in the championship match.
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Jeramiah Musbach (126) recorded two falls to earn a semifinal berth against Wyatt Mason of Thunder Basin. At 113 pounds, Bentley Johnson opened with a fall and followed with a technical fall to reach the semifinals, where he will face Cooper Sessions of Star Valley. Tavin Vendetti (120) also advanced with back-to-back technical falls and will meet Lucas Stirling of Thunder Basin.
Maddux Hintz (157) moved on with a fall and a decision and will face Tripp Vigil of Cheyenne Central. Jaydon Walther (165) secured two falls to reach the semifinals and will meet Weston Ennist of Laramie. Timothy Robinson (190) added two falls and will take on Hadley Hudson of Thunder Basin.
Andy Weipert (175) and Alaki Shafe (215) each won opening-round matches but were eliminated in the quarterfinals.
Rock Springs countered with semifinalists of its own. Young (132) recorded two falls to set up his meeting with Green, while Santiago Cruz (144) advanced with a fall and a major decision and will face Logan Rager of Sheridan in the semifinals.
Elsewhere for the Tigers, Kaijun Powell (120), Kason Cahill (144), Dane Arnoldi (150) and Hugo Cuevas (215) each earned first-round victories before falling in the quarterfinals.
On the girls side, Green River advanced four wrestlers to the semifinals, bringing the school’s total semifinalists to 11 across both programs. Kayleigh Johnson (110) reached the semifinals with two falls and will face Allison LeBlanc of Powell. Payton Shantz (120) added a fall and a decision to move on and will wrestle Lilly Quintanilla of Thermopolis.
Bianca Maez (130) advanced with a forfeit and a fall and will meet Oakley Hepworth of Star Valley. Jocelyn Shantz (135) secured two falls to earn a semifinal matchup against Remington Aullman of Star Valley.
Raygen Bauers (125), Izzabella Strumsky (170) and Faith Still (235) each won opening matches before falling in the quarterfinals.
Rock Springs placed two girls in the semifinals, both returning finalists from a year ago.
Reigning state champion Rylin Plant (105) needed less than two minutes combined to win her first two matches by fall and will face Penelope Anderson of Saratoga in the semifinals.
At 155, Sarah Eddy continued her dominant season with two first-period falls to advance to the semifinals. Eddy is now one win away from a return trip to the championship match, where a potential rematch with Thermopolis’ Alix Sorensen looms. Last season, Eddy was disqualified in the state final against Sorensen, resulting in her only loss of the year.
Paige Tongate (130) and Kaydence Sander (190) each earned first-round wins before being eliminated in the quarterfinals.
With seven boys and four girls from Green River and two boys and two girls from Rock Springs still alive in the championship bracket, Sweetwater County will be well represented when semifinal action begins Friday night in Casper. Championship matches are scheduled for Saturday afternoon.
