Wrestlers see tougher competition

With more big schools in the field than they saw in their opener, the second tournament of the season presented the Greybull-Riverside wrestlers an opportunity to see how they match up with a slightly higher level of competition.

Several of the young grapplers stepped up, a list headed by first-place finishers Tatum Triplett in the girls’ division and Noah Blakley who won his weight class in the B division.

Sophia Wilkinson, Emma Williams, Riley Wiggins, Kaysen Nyberg, Colby Thacker and Sawyer Triplett added second-place finishes for G-R.

Joining G-R in the tournament field were Big Horn, Lovell, Rocky Mountain, Sheridan, Thermopolis, Tongue River and Worland.

“We got to see some teams we hadn’t seen before — Sheridan came over with some tough kids, Thermop too,” Coach Mark Sanford said. “Some things were good, but I still see a lot of bad habits ... when you wrestle better kids, you don’t get away with the sloppier things that you can maybe get away with when you are wrestling someone who isn’t as good.”

Sanford said he was pleased with the number of kids who reached finals, but wants them all to walk onto the mat with greater confidence. “I have a rule — I got it from former (G-R) coach Tom Urbach, who used to say, ‘Don’t fear any man.’ I’m amending it to say, ‘Don’t fear any man or woman.’  Every time we go out, we need to wrestle to win.”

G-R entered four boys in the ‘A’ division, with Wiggins claiming the program’s best finish. 

G-R has three “home” events on the immediate horizon, starting today (Thursday, Nov. 14) at Buff Gym when it hosts Rocky Mountain and Lovell for the Big Horn County Dual Championships.  A tournament follows at the same venue Saturday with Riverton, Worland, Thermop and Rocky Mountain providing the opposition.

The Riverside gym will be the site of a Tuesday triangular with Thermopolis and Worland.

GIRLS DIVISION — Tatum Triplett went 3-0, placed first at 63-68; Ryan Whisenant went 1-2,  did not place at 95-100; Delta Craft went 2-1, placed third at 95-100; Sophia Wilkinson went 2-1, placed second at 103-113; Maythe Garay went 3-1, placed third at 118-127; Emma Williams went 1-1, placed second at 130-141; Harper Juneau went 1-2, did not place at 141-152; Jordan Potter went 0-2, did not place at 141-153.

A DIVISION — Marshall Brown went 0-4, placed fifth at 77; Braxten Link went 0-4, placed fifth at 84; Riley Wiggins went 2-1, placed second at 126; Hunter Craft went 0-4, placed fifth at 138-145.

B DIVISION — Trenton Lowe went 1-2, placed fourth at 73-78; Kaysen Nyberg went 1-1, placed second at 76-82; Jayden Winkler went 0-3, placed fourth at 98-100; Jason Torres went 1-3, placed third at 98-104; Colby Thacker went 2-1, placed second at 108-114; Sawyer Triplett went 2-1, placed second at 112-115; Haakan Craft went 0-3, placed fourth at 112-116; Noah Blakley went 3-0, placed first at 116-120; Jack Winkler went 0-3, placed fourth at 148-153.