Grizzly grapplers show improvement at Wind River

Pavillion was the destination Saturday as the Rocky Mountain wrestling team resumed the season at the Don Runner Invitational hosted by Wind River High School.

The meet was duals tournament, with the Grizz wrestling four opponents.

Rocky coach Eddie Whiting said he didn’t have team scores but said the Grizzlies beat Wyoming Indian and fell to Wind River, Big Piney and Greybull/Riverside.

“I feel that our overall performance at the Wind River Duals was good,” Whiting said. “I see room for improvement, but I also notice the improvements we have made.”

Regarding some individual performers, Whiting noted the improvement made by senior Rebecca Herren at 130 pounds, who he said went 2-1 in the girls round-robin bracket.

“She came out this week like a girl on a mission,” Whiting said. “I have been waiting to see this side of her since working with her this summer. She is back to looking solid again.”

Whiting said sophomore Sam Loyning went 3-1 at 132 pounds and looked solid after bumping up a weight class while nursing a knee injury.

“Sam wrestled tough. He keeps improving day by day, and he just takes a loss humbly,” Whiting noted.

Junior Triffen Jolley wrestled to a 2-2 record at 157 pounds, Whiting said.

“Triffen wrestled solid. He just had some tough kids, and he took losses with grace,” Whiting said. “We know what we have to do for next week.

“I would say we all wrestled solid and are ready for triangular in Basin and then to Shoshoni for the clash at the crossroads.”

The Grizz will travel to Basin this evening (Thursday) for the annual Big Horn County Triangular, facing off with Lovell and Greybull/Riverside. Wrestling begins at 5 p.m. The Grizz will then compete at the Clash at the Crossroads tournament Friday and Saturday in Shoshoni. Wrestling begins at noon Friday and 9 a.m. Saturday.

The Dylan Humes Invitational follows in Moorcroft on January 24-25.