SWEETWATER COUNTY — The local sports scene was packed with action, drama, and memories that will last a lifetime.
There’s something special about the life lessons and examples that can be taken from the athletes, coaches, and individuals in our community. We take pride in telling those stories of those who dedicate time and effort into being great.
Enjoy reflecting on this year’s top sports stories of 2022!
Castillo Selected to NJCAA Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame
(March 1, 2022)
Western Wyoming Community College Wrestling Head Coach Art Castillo was selected to the NJCAA Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame Class of 2022.
Humbled and honored to receive this Hall of Fame induction, Castillo would like to recognize all the people who made it possible for him to be successful in this profession, which there are far too many to name.
Click here to read the whole story.
Brenli Jenkins Caps Outstanding Career Passing 1,500 Total Points
(March 3, 2022)
Rock Springs High School senior Brenli Jenkins became the first player in school history to top the 1,500-point plateau in her outstanding basketball career last week.
The four-year starter passed the elusive mark during the Make-A-Wish game against county rival Green River last Thursday night. The Lady Tigers came away with a 49-41 victory in the game.
As the Lady Tigers prepared for their first-round regional tournament game last night, head coach Ramiro Candelaria, members of Brenli’s family, and her teammates decided to surprise her with a congratulatory ceremony at Tiger arena.
Click here to read the complete story.
WATCH: “Horse Power” Documentary Now Available
(May 10, 2022)
During the 2022 season, SweetwaterNOW followed the story of the Western Wyoming Community College Mustangs wrestling team throughout the season and put together an in-season documentary split up into three 20-minute episodes.
Click here to watch the series.
A Mat of Their Own: WHSAA Sanctions Girls Wrestling
(April 28, 2022)
It’s been a long time coming, but gone are the days where high school girls will have to wrestle high school boys in Wyoming. For current and future female wrestlers in Sweetwater County the future is bright.
The Wyoming High School Activities Association (WHSAA) voted Wednesday to sanction the sport of girls wrestling beginning in the 2022-23 season.
In what is widely considered the fastest growing sport in the United States, Wyoming now joins 32 other states in the sanctioning of girls wrestling at the high school level.
Click here to read the rest of the story.
From Bro to Pro: McJunkin Seeks to Become Cornhole Pro
(July 21, 2022)
It’s a classic summertime backyard game you’ve played before. The type of game that brings family, friends and strangers together when the sun goes down a little later than usual.
The game is simple. Pitch your bags to the opposite side and land your bags either in or on the board. Outscore your opponent and you win.
Cornhole is the name of the game and for Clint McJunkin, the game has opened up new experiences and opportunities over the last year, some of which he never expected.
Click here to read the entire story.
Willmore Selected to Team USA Wheelchair Basketball Team
(June 27, 2022)
Basketball has served as an important part of Mandy Willmore’s life, but more so over the last few years as it has helped her rediscover herself and her purpose in helping others along the way.
Growing up in Rock Springs, Willmore was heavily involved in high school sports and the outdoors. The opportunities throughout high school eventually led to her chance to play college basketball for the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.
In 2010, Willmore and her basketball team traveled to Hawaii for an invitational. She headed out a few days earlier before the team arrived with her grandparents. Knowing that her teammates would arrive in just a few days, she decided to take a surfing lesson with the hopes of keeping up with them while riding the waves.
Click here to read the entire story.
A Dream Fulfilled: Erick Pauley Becomes Member of UW Broadcast Team
(August 26, 2022)
University of Wyoming football fans living in the southwest and central parts of the state will hear a familiar voice tomorrow afternoon when they tune into the radio broadcast of the Cowboys game against University of Illinois.
Green River’s own Erick Pauley will be making his debut as the sideline reporter for the Pokes after being tapped for the job when legendary play-by-play broadcaster Dave Walsh decided to retire at the end of last year.
Walsh spent 38 memorable years behind the microphone for Cowboy football and basketball games, and his retirement bumped then-sideline reporter Reece Monaco into the hot seat as the play-by-play voice for UW.
Click here to read the whole story.
Young Motocross Racer Ranked Fifth in the Nation
(October 20, 2022)
Once 7-year-old SJ Jones got on his first dirt bike, his life changed and he has already developed a passion for riding more than anything else. SJ said it started when he was about four or five years old and his mother and sister were in the hospital during COVID-19 and there wasn’t much to do. SJ was used to riding a 4-wheeler, but when his dad Stewy bought a dirt bike for him that’s all he wanted to ride.
When he’s not at school in Green River, SJ can be found at the track practicing or racing either in Rock Springs or in other states.
Click here to read the whole story.
Mustangs Honor Wrestlers Who Survived Grizzly Bear Attack
(November 11, 2022)
Brotherhood is at the heart of what makes up a wrestling team. It also happens to be at the heart of one of the most recent inspiring stories that made national headlines.
Northwest College wrestlers Kendell Cummings and Brady Lowry along with Orrin Jackson and Gus Harrison were shed hunting near Cody, WY in mid-October. Out of nowhere, a grizzly bear rushed Lowry, who instantly was in a fight for his life.
Click here to read the whole story.
