Wrestlers win at Worland

Christmas came early for the Bobcat wrestlers this year at Worland's "Battle in the Big Horns" tournament when they won their way to the Silver Bracket Championship with three dual victories on Saturday after Friday's tough bracket draws against powerhouses Douglas and Sheridan.

This was a great finish for the week which started with a thrashing of Greybull on Thursday who could only furnish enough varsity wrestlers for six matches, and lost four of those. A Bobcat that had a memorable night was Cullen Becher who recorded his 100th victory for the Bobcats.

With Austin Ireland, Koy Myers, Becher, and Logan Cole all scoring pins, and Riley Shaffer delivering a major decision the score ended at an impressive 64-6 on the score board.

Then came Friday at Worland. The luck of the draw pitted the Bobcats against Douglas for their opening dual. After 5 weights the score stood at a dismal 0-28, and Thermopolis wrestlers responded by bringing the score to a respectable 24-28 as Hunter Mounts, Myers, Becher, and Shaffer provided the scoring, but that was the end of the Bobcat rally as the Bearcats went on to a comfortable 52-24 victory.

Rebounding from that disappointing outcome saw the Bobcats demonstrate their toughness against the composite team of Newcastle/Upton. Starting slowly and trailing after the 126 lb. class 0-17, Chase White, Mounts, Myers, and Becher combined to bring the Bobcats to their first lead at 18-17. Coles decision and forfeits made the final score a 45-28 victory.

Being blanked in a dual is a humbling experience. The Bobcats were very humble after their match with a very talented Sheridan squad. Only Jon Harvey, Cole, and Austin Weaver were able to avoid being pinned in a 69-0 thrashing.

Saturday brought a refreshed and more determined Bobcat team to the mat as they took on Lovell. Again, though starting in a hole at 0-12, the Bobcats fought back with Ireland's pin followed by a forfeit and White's pin made the score 18-18. From there wins by Jeffery VanAntwerp, Becher, Shaffer, and Cole plus a couple of forfeits gave Thermopolis a 48-24 victory.

Again, starting from behind against Pinedale, the Bobcats used pins by Ireland, VanAntwerp, Becher, and Shaffer, plus a major decision by Cole and a comeback victory by Blake Williams to eke out a 39-36 victory which took them to a showdown with Riverton for the Silver Bracket Championship.

Pins by Ireland and Williams kept the Bobcats in the match early, but then Riverton went on a run of pins to make the score 30-12, and the Bobcats were in trouble as they looked down the match list to forfeiture at heavy weight. Becher started the comeback, followed by Shaffer, and a forfeit to Harvey. Cole's decision made the score 34-30 Bobcats with a sure 6 points in the bank for Riverton. With the match and Championship on the line, Andrew Yarbrough had the resposibilty of securing a victory, and secure it he did with an impressive 39 second pin to make his birthday genuinely memorable as his teammates and coaches erupted in excitement at his victory.

In "Best of the Best" action, Cullen Becher decisioned Newcastle's tough Allan Baker and pinned Wheatland's Kyle Hicks to become the Best of the best.

Bobcat wrestling will resume on Jan. 5 as they journey to Douglas for the Shane Shatto Invitational.