PHS wrestling powers way to first in Lander

Posted 1/27/15

Regardless, the Panthers look ready to take it.

Another dominating performance from PHS saw the three-time defending state champions earn five first-place finishes on its way to a team win at the Lander Invite on Friday and Saturday at Lander …

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PHS wrestling powers way to first in Lander

Posted

Five Panthers take first place

Nate Urbach isn’t ready to hand his Powell High School wrestling team the Class 3A state championship.

Regardless, the Panthers look ready to take it.

Another dominating performance from PHS saw the three-time defending state champions earn five first-place finishes on its way to a team win at the Lander Invite on Friday and Saturday at Lander Valley High School.

PHS notched 218 points to repeat as the invite champions, while Douglas placed second with 194.5 to edge Star Valley (193).

The Panthers’ most recent outing continued their season-long dominance, but Urbach downplayed any notion that the weekend’s results qualify his team as a favorite at the state tournament in February.

“We just need to keep working and doing the things I’ve always said in the first place,” Urbach said. “[The Lander Invite] was not the state tournament, and it’s important for the kids to know that we still have five weeks left in the season.”

While it wasn’t state, several PHS grapplers looked primed for state competition.

All four of Urbach’s defending state champs claimed first in their weight classes, while two-time state runner-up Jake Davis also claimed victory in his bracket.

The invite title wins started at 132 pounds, where defending state champ Chance Karst rolled through his division without ever being threatened. He picked up an 11-0 major decision in his first match, pins in 3:06 and 4:55, respectively, in his next two and then raced past teammate Colton Parham with an 18-3 technical fall in the championship bout.

Coach Urbach’s son and defending state champ, junior Nic Urbach, had no trouble on his way to a victory at 138. The standout earned pins in his first three matches, all before the 1:30 mark, and drubbed Star Valley’s Brandon Claye (29-5 heading into the title match) 16-0 for a technical fall in the second round.

“We had some good performances in the finals,” coach Urbach added. “All of our finalists wrestled really well.”

Kye Catlin, who recently returned from shoulder surgery, reinforced his coach’s comments with a 4-0 weekend at 145 pounds. Last season’s 145-pound state champ and 2013’s 138-pound champ, Catlin earned three pins before outlasting Kemmerer’s Taylor Chapin 9-5 in the title match Saturday.

Davis followed with a championship victory at 170 pounds, but it didn’t come easy. The senior brought a 25-3 record to Lander and appeared to be on a collision course with Douglas’ Colter Haman (24-2 heading into the weekend), and met the Bearcats’ star in the title match. Davis was down in the bout, but rallied for a 7-4 victory. Urbach said Davis’ no-nonsense approach on the mat propelled him to victory.

“Jake is a hard worker, and that shows on the mat,” Urbach said. “He gets better and he pushes the pace throughout the match. He’s able to wear a lot of kids down just through his work ethic out there.”

Senior Riley Stringer finished out the Panthers' title wins with four pins in four matches. Stringer’s first three pins came in the second round, but Laramie’s Colton Wostenberg (31-8 to start the invite), held on a little longer before Stringer pinned him at the 5:31 mark.

Urbach said he was happy with the final result, and said his wrestlers came out ready to go Saturday after a so-so day on Friday.

“We kind of came out flat on Friday, and we were down 12 or 13 points against Douglas going into Saturday,” Urbach said. “I told the kids to take ownership of their team, because this is their team, not my team or anyone else’s.”

Five Panthers finished sixth or better, led by Parham’s 3-1 day at 138 before running into Karst. Senior Noah Wozney finished 2-2 to finish fourth at 106 pounds and senior Bailey Atkinson posted a 3-2 record to finish fourth at 152 pounds. Sophomore Ty Dearcorn wrestled his way to a 3-2 weekend to finish fifth at 182. Tucker Darrah worked through the 160-pound bracket to take sixth with a 3-3 record.

Urbach said he was “impressed” with Dearcorn after the youngster suffered a hard slam at the hands of Dubois’ Rowan Hawk in the consolation quarterfinals. Dearcorn returned to the mat to pin Hawk after a brief pep talk from Urbach.

“He was hurting pretty good,” Urbach said. “But I just told him, ‘If you want to be a tough guy, you go out there and be a tough guy.’”

Several other Panthers must have been listening as well.

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