Bobcat wrestlers struggle in Greybull

Hot Springs County High School's wrestling team spent Saturday in Greybull at their Memorial Invitational.

Unfortunately, it was a rough weekend for the Bobcat matmen with much of the team nursing injuries or absent with the nasty strain of flu running rampant through the district.

The Cats came away Saturday with an eighth place finish and just 39 team points.

At 106 lbs., Josh Lackey (3-14) scored four points for the Cats, making it all the way to the consolation semi-final where he was pinned by Quinton Hecker of Lovell. The fall came at the 1:39 mark in the match.

Two team points were scored by 113 lb. Blake Williams, winning by decision in his first round before falling in his second match to James Knigge of Shoshoni and a final pin in his consolation round, falling to Malachi Garro of Rawlins.

Chase White added another three points to the scoreboard in the 126 lb. category despite getting pinned his first round. He wrestled back to pin Sydney Stewart of Moorcroft in the consolation round, then lost by fall to Malachi Cook of Rocky Mountain 52 seconds into the first period.

Jeffery VanAntwerp, at 138 lbs., chalked up another four points for the team, pinning Kadon Dewitt of Shoshoni in the first round before losing by fall to Gabriel Munoz of Rawlins in the quarterfinal and Caleb Botton from Greybull-Riverside in the consolation round.

One hundred forty-five pound Koy Myers racked up six points for the Cats, pinning Cole Cash of Shoshoni in the quarterfinal match before losing by major decision to Lander's William Atnip in the semi-final. Myers lost by injury default to Joseph Mickelson of Lovell in the consolation semi-final.

Also bringing in six points for the team was Riley Shaffer at 152 lbs. Shaffer pinned Colby Rodrigues of Rawlins in the quarterfinal round then lost two in a row – the first to Moorcroft's Rowdy Phiel in the semi-final, by pin, and the second, by major decision, to Nathan Motherway of Lander.

Michael Harvey was the only Bobcat to place at the meet and brought 11 points to the total in his 170 lb. class.

On his way to his fourth place finish, Harvey had two "byes" along with two wins, the first, pinning Matthew Underwood of Wyoming Indian and another pin of Nathan Hatch of Rocky Mountain.

His two losses came at the hands of Brody Dempster of Lander and his final loss, by major decision, to Dempster again, in the third place-fourth place match, putting Harvey in fourth place for the tournament.

The final three of the team's 39 points came from 182 lb. Tyson Tobar. His 2-2 record for the day included a win by decision over Matthew Seckman of Powell and Desmond Martinez of Rawlins.

Tobar fell to Logan Husted or Moorcroft before losing in the consolation round to Austin Bennett of Lander.

Other wrestlers for the weekend included 132 lb. Hunter Mounts with one "bye" and two losses, Aiden Ozmon at 138 pounds had one "bye" and two losses and Jon Harvey had two "byes" and two losses.