Wrestlers headed to regionals

The Lovell Bulldogs visited the Bobcat matmen Thursday and had a longer than usual trip home as the Bobcats handed them a 45-30 trimming on 5 pins, 2 forfeits and a decision.

Louie Castle, Chandler Maddock and Jon Hagen earned first period falls in impressive fashion while Koy Myers and Colter Hansen took a little longer, but just as emphatically claimed their pins in the second period.

The most anticipated match of the dual was at 132 pitting Ethan Becher, #4 in 2A, against the Bulldogs Joey Mickelson, #5 in 3A. The match started well for the Bobcat as he was successful in capturing a leg in preparation for a takedown. But from that point on, the match belonged to the Lovell wrestler as he ended it in the third period by way of a tough cradle.

The 2A Bobcats have moved into the top 6 of Wyowrestling's ratings with five Bobcats, Hagen, Ethan Becher, Castle, Cullen Becher and Peden, moving into the top seven individual rankings.

Traveling to Glenrock on Saturday, the Bobcats were brought back to Earth by the #5 ranked 3A Herders who have eight of their wrestlers in the top six. The final score looks worse on paper, 54-18, than it looked on the mat reflecting some 24 forfeiture points on Glenrock's side of the ledger, but it was still a spanking reminding the Bobcats that there's still a long way to go for these young wrestlers.

The Bobcats' 18 points were earned via pins by three veterans, Myers, Cullen Becher, and Hansen.

Hansen, one of only two seniors on the team, has shown marked improvement in the practice room as well as in action. Hansen's handling of both opponents this week left little doubt that if he continues to develop wrestling toughness, he will fulfill Coach Scholl's prediction that he will be a factor at the state tourney in two weeks.

Myers, a sophomore, has become a tough match for whomever he faces evidenced by his pin at Glenrock. As his efforts have become more successful, he has demonstrated a firmer resolve in the practice room to also be a factor at the regional and state tournaments.

Along with his fellow sophomore, Cullen Becher has demonstrated that he will be more than just a factor in Wyoming wrestling in the future. Those who would be champions in his weight class will have to go through Becher to reach that plateau. His emphatic pin in Glenrock proved that the upcoming challenges at the regional and state tournaments are within his ability to overcome.

Friday will see the Bobcats at Rocky Mountain High School for the West 2A regional tournament. The top eight qualifiers at each weight will be seeded into the state tourney the following week. If the expected happens, at least 10 Bobcats will see action in Casper at that time.