Grizzly middle school grapplers finish strong

The Rocky Mountain Middle School wrestling squad concluded the 2024 season with a strong performance at the conference tournament in Thermopolis Saturday, coming away with two first-place medals in the A division and four in the B division.

Competing against many much larger schools, the Grizz placed seventh out of 10 teams with 54.5 points, ahead of Lovell, Shoshoni and Greybull and just behind sixth-place Worland. Powell won the meet going away, amassing 263 points, followed by Thermopolis, Lander, Cody and Riverton.

Seventh grader Wyatt Blank won the Boys 91-pound A Division with a 3-0 record, plus a bye. He pinned Cody McCabe of Lander in 2:24 and won a decision over Kyland Kienlen of Worland 8-3 before beating Fischer Lewis of Thermopolis for the title.

Eighth grader Benson Jolley won the Boys 126-pound A Divison at 3-0, pinning Gavin Whitlock of Cody in 59 seconds and Jonny Cox of Riverton in 17 seconds, then winning the title with a 17-0 technical fall over Riley Wiggins of Greybull.

Sixth grader Tripp Hopkin won the Boys 70-pound B Division with a 3-0 record, and seventh grader Brooks Brost went 4-0 at Boys 98-pound B to capture the medal. Riggin Harris won the Boys 105-pound B Division at 5-0, and eighth grader Rowan Hanusa captured the Boys 110-pound B Division at 3-0.

Other Rocky Mountain placers were:

Second place – Maddox Ward, Boys 70-pound B, 2-1, Jason Unruh, Boys 98-pound B, 4-1;

Third place – Hudson Moore, Boys 84-pound A, 3-1;

Fourth place – Chase Allen, Boys 120-pound B, 2-2.

Also competing in the boys divisions were Michael Broederlow, Mason Haslem, Gabe Walker, Henry Pincoskie, Xavier Hetland and Tejeo Scheeler.

Competing in the Girls A Division was Harper Griffin.