LARAMIE — In an exciting display of two of the best wrestling teams in Wyoming on Saturday, the University of Wyoming wrestling team blanked No. 1-ranked Western Wyoming Community College 46-0, securing their second win of the season. Head coach Mark Branch had urged his team to wrestle with more aggression after their season opener against Campbell, and his wrestlers delivered, notching Wyoming’s first shutout since 2014 and the largest margin of victory in Branch’s tenure.
“I think today was a step forward,” Branch said. “We are just getting more comfortable and more confident with each match. So, with it being the second dual of the year, I’m still not where I want to be with that aggressiveness, but we definitely moved our feet and hands better today.”
The Cowboys racked up eight bonus-point wins, with half coming by pin. The action began with a string of three pins that set the tone for Wyoming’s shutout. No. 2-ranked Jore Volk at 125 lbs started things off with a second-period pin over No. 5 Sefton Douglass. Stockton O’Brien at 133 lbs followed suit, pinning No. 11 Zach Marrero in the second period. At 141 lbs, No. 29 Cole Brooks quickly took down No. 5 Dmitri Garza-Alarcon in the first period, boosting the Cowboys to an 18-0 lead.
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Wyoming kept the momentum with major decisions in three straight bouts. At 149 lbs, No. 17 Gabe Willochell overcame No. 5 Tristan Stafford, 15-3, followed by No. 23 Jared Hill (157 lbs), who defeated No. 12 Hixton Canto 15-5. Cooper Voorhees (165 lbs) rounded out the major wins with a 17-5 victory over Banks Norby.
New Cowboy Seamus Casey, competing up a weight class at 174 lbs, held his ground for a 6-3 decision over No. 10 Sam May, while Brett McIntosh (184 lbs) earned a 12-2 major decision against No. 9 Banks Love.
The Cowboys closed the dual with back-to-back victories at the upper weights. No. 10 Joey Novak (197 lbs) earned a pin in the first period against Ian Dickinson, and heavyweight Kevin Zimmer capped the day with a hard-fought 4-2 decision over top-ranked Dmarian Lopez, giving Wyoming its final points in the sweep.
Next up, Western Wyoming will host Northwest College on Sunday, Nov. 12, at 6 p.m. Meanwhile, Wyoming travels to Oklahoma State on Nov. 22 before standout Volk competes in the NWCA All-Star Classic on Nov. 16 in State College, Pennsylvania.
Wyoming 46 | Western Wyoming 0
- 125: No. 2 Jore Volk (Wyoming) fall *No. 5 Sefton Douglass (Western Wyoming), 4:36
- 133: Stockton O’Brien (Wyoming) fall *No. 11 Zach Marrero (Western Wyoming), 4:52
- 141: No. 29 Cole Brooks (Wyoming) fall *No. 5 Dmitri Garza-Alarcon (Western Wyoming), 1:58
- 149: No. 17 Gabe Willochell (Wyoming) major decision *No. 5 Tristan Stafford (Western Wyoming), 15-3
- 157: No. 23 Jared Hill (Wyoming) major decision *No. 12 Hixton Canto (Western Wyoming), 15-5
- 165: Cooper Voorhees (Wyoming) major decision Banks Norby (Western Wyoming), 17-5
- 174: Seamus Casey (Wyoming) decision *No. 10 Sam May (Western Wyoming), 6-3
- 184: Brett McIntosh (Wyoming) major decision *No. 9 Banks Love (Western Wyoming), 12-2
- 197: No. 10 Joey Novak (Wyoming) fall Ian Dickinson (Western Wyoming), 1:59
- HWT: Kevin Zimmer (Wyoming) decision *No. 1 Dmarian Lopez (Western Wyoming), 4-2
* NJCAA rankings
