CASPER – Green River dominated the smaller weights while Gillette dominated the heavier weights to open the 4A State Wrestling Tournament on Friday.

After the first rounds of the tournament, Gillette took an 18.5 point lead over Green River. As the semifinals started, Green River used a strong performance by the lighter weight divisions to actually take the lead away from the Camels. Gillette finished strong to take a 40.5 point lead after the opening day.

The Wolves will have some work to do but still has a shot on Saturday as they placed six wrestlers in the finals. Gillette has eight in the finals with two final matches head to head with the Wolves.

 

4A Team Scores

1 Campbell County 218.5

2 Green River 178.0

3 Sheridan 130.5

4 Cheyenne Central 91.0

5 Laramie 83.0

6 Cheyenne East 79.0

7 Natrona County 64.5

8 Evanston 56.0

9 Cheyenne South 49.0

10 Rock Springs 43.0

11 Riverton 41.0

12  Kelly Walsh 32.0

 

106

Green River’s Cyro Montoya will wrestle for a state title at 106. Montoya won his first two matches on Friday both by pin. He moved into the finals after winning by rule over teammate Caleb Nathan. In his first match, Nathan won by pin at the 1:25 mark and won his quarterfinal match by a 5-2 decision. He will wrestle in the consolation semifinals on Saturday.

 

113

In will be a rematch of the Regional Finals as Rock Springs Tiger Danny Macy will face Green River’s Nathan McCann. Macy beat McCann one week ago for the Regional Title. Macy opened the finals with a pin in 43 seconds and followed it with a major decision win, 14-3. He moved into the finals with his second major decision win, 16-8.

McCann also won his opening round match with a pin in the first minute. He took a 9-2 decision win in his next match and had to battle to make it to the finals with a 3-1 decision.

 

120

Green River’s Cole Verner is one of three wrestlers who are fighting to stay perfect. Verner is still perfect and will wrestle for a title as he moved into the finals with three wins by pin on Friday. Tiger Wyatt Martinez lost his opening match after an injury but had a bye in the consolation bracket and is still alive for Rock Springs.

 

126

Chase O’Melia will wrestle for a state title on Saturday for Green River. O’Melia won his first two matches by pin and earned his way into the finals with a 6-3 decision in the semis. Green River’s Gage Byers also advanced to the semifinals with two wins but was beat in a 9-3 decision. He will open Saturday action in the consolation semifinals.

Tiger Patrick Debaum opened the finals with a pin but fell in the quarters by a 9-3 decision. He will open Saturday in the consolation bracket.

 

132

Tiger Wyatt Yenney lost to open the finals but rebounded in his next match with a 6-4 decision. He will open Saturday in the consolation bracket against Green River’s Kaycee Corchrane.

In an unlucky draw for Green River, Corchrane was matched up against teammate Jared Flores in the opening round. Corchrane moved on by rule but was beat in the next round. Flores is also still alive as he won in the consolation bracket by fall.

 

138

Coltin Hopkins  opened his state journey with a bang winning his all of his first three matches with first period wins. He will wrestle for a title on Saturday.

Rock Springs Tiger Ira Dickinson is also still alive as he will wrestle in the consolation bracket on Saturday. Dickinson lost his opening round match but responded in the consolation bracket as he eliminated Green River’s Eric Clingenpeel by a 7-4 decision.

 

145

Shandon Welsh opened the tournament with two tight battles. He won his opening match with a 10-3 decision and followed it with a win in the quarters by a 12-10 decision. He scored a win by fall in the semifinals to move into the finals on Saturday. Green River’s Zack Orr beat Tiger Joe Walker to open the tournament but lost in the quarters. Orr will open in the consolation bracket on Saturday.

Tiger William Petrovich will also open Saturday in the consolation bracket. Petrovich opened the tournament with a win by pin but also lost in the quarters.

 

152

Kole Case and Austin Waters both made it to the semifinals for the Wolves but were both knocked off. Case and Waters will open on separate sides of the bracket in the consolation semifinals.

Rock Springs’ Christian Fennewald lost in his opening match of the finals but was able to win by a fall in 55 seconds to stay alive in the consolation bracket.

 

170

Blake Waite opened with a win by pin but fell in the quarterfinals. He will open Saturday in the consolation bracket for Green River.

 

182

Hunter Hanks made it to the semifinals for Green River but was knocked off. He will open Saturday in the consolation semifinals.

Tiger John Nowland won his first-round match by fall at the 1:01 mark but was beat in the quarters. He will also open Saturday in the consolation bracket.

 

195

Both Green River’s Brendan Hopkins and James McCarter will open action in the consolation bracket on Saturday. McCarter lost in the first round and had a bye in the consolation bracket to move to Saturday. Hopkins opened with a win but was beat in the quarters.

 

220

Jordan Tucker had a bye in the first round for Green River and won his quarterfinal match 5-1. He lost in the semifinals and will open in the consolation semis on Saturday.

 

285

Both Green River’s Gabe Bunderman and Tiger Devon Clark are still alive. Bunderman lost his opening match but won his first consolation match by injury. Clark won by pin to open the finals but was knocked off in the quarters. Both will open on opposite sides of the consolation bracket on Saturday.