Twomey ties school record for the fastest pin, RMHS girls place first at Thermop tournament

Coming back from winter break, Rocky Mountain wrestlers wasted no time getting back to work, putting in strong performances at the Thermopolis tournament on Friday.

Several wrestlers shared what they focused on during the break. Sophomore Zachary Unruh (144) said he worked on “getting in a Russian tie, being able to set it up and being more confident in my shots.”

Sophomore heavyweight Alex Walker (285) practiced nearly every day over Christmas break, “about all of them,” he said. “They helped me improve. I improved on my stance in motion. Mr. Whiting calls the drill we did ‘walking and chewing bubble gum.’”

Junior Masen Twomey (215) faced tough competition in Thermopolis and said preparation was key: “Making sure I’m on weight, staying active, keeping my head in a good headspace, making sure my body feels good and my mind feels right so I’m ready to roll.”

Senior Emmilee Wambeke (140) said the team has stayed mostly healthy. “Everyone has been pretty healthy and has been doing a good job taking care of their bodies,” she said. “We’ve had some small injuries, knee injuries and shoulders.”

Sky Olsen was positive about her wrestling experience, noting, “I’m really enjoying it. Everyone is super supportive and kind, and everyone on the team is willing to help me learn more and improve at wrestling.”

Performance-wise, the Rocky Mountain boys placed second as a team. Individual placers included Twomey, who tied the school record for fastest pin at seven seconds and placed first at 215. Other placers were James Laffin (126) second, Sam Loyning (132) second, Lucas Undem (132) sixth, Benson Jolley (138) second, Nathan Undem (138) fifth, Lyle Montanez (138) sixth, Unruh (144) third, Colten Bitton (144) fourth, Triffen Jolley (165) second, Michael Broederlow (190) third and Walker (285) third.

The Rocky Mountain girls placed first as a team. Individual placers were Olsen first at 135–145, Wambeke second at 135–145, Kaitlyn McAlhany third at 155 and Charlee Anderson first at 190.

“It was outstanding to see our girls take first at a tournament,” said head coach Eddie Whiting. “Those little victories are the ones that matter.”

Whiting said he saw noticeable improvement from the boys coming out of break.

“Our shots looked a lot better, and we were getting the fundamentals down,” he said. “Breakdowns looked more solid. I don’t believe in perfection. I believe in mastering skills. Our takedowns were really coming together.”

The girls also stood out, including “shot improvement and riding tough on top,” Whiting said, adding, “Pinning combinations are starting to come together. As a group, they’re clicking. We’ve got some blast doubles that are mean.”

Whiting highlighted several standout performances, including Loyning and Jolley setting the bar high, Twomey tying a 20-year-old school record for fastest pin and strong varsity performances from wrestlers who typically compete at the JV level. On the girls’ side, he pointed to Anderson and Olsen, noting a high-scoring match between Olsen and her own teammate that totaled 75 points.

“We also set another record,” Whiting added. “This was the first tournament our girls have ever won. It shows that anything is possible.”

Over the break, the team focused on extra drill time, “more drilling than usual,” Whiting said. “We’re doing new things, but we’re sticking to the basics.”

This week, RMHS will host its first home dual in several years on Thursday, with Greybull and Lovell coming to compete. Wrestling begins at 5 p.m. The team will then travel Friday and Saturday to compete at the Clash at the Crossroads Tournament in Shoshoni, with action set to begin at noon Friday and 9:30 a.m. Saturday.