After a quick pit stop in Worland on Thursday for a 74-3 dual win against the Warriors the Powell Panther boys’ wrestling team continued on to the Ron Thon Memorial in Riverton, finishing fourth as a team with senior Doug Bettger claiming the title at 285 pounds.

RON THON MEMORIAL

At the Ron Thon Memorial, the Panthers battled against every team in the state regardless of classification, and Bettger was dominant throughout the tournament.

He started with two pins after a first round bye, before a 9-3 decision over Thunder Basin’s Kingston Hanson in the semifinal.

In the championship bout, Bettger earned an 11-3 win over Big Piney’s Zef Zuniga.

“I’m awfully excited for Doug, he’s been placing really high in every tournament we went to and having him earn that Ron Thon title and do so in dominant fashion. He really wrestled well and put together a nice tournament,” coach Nick Fulton said. “Just pleased with his performance and happy for his success there.”

Powell had one more finalist, as Jonathan Hine finished runner up at 106 pounds.

He pinned his first opponent, earned 20-10 and 13-3 major decisions in the quarterfinals and semifinals, before being pinned in the championship match by Thunder Basin’s Lucas Sterling in 3:58.

Powell had an additional top four finisher, as Tyler Wenzel went 5-2 and took home fourth at 132 pounds.

Wenzel bounced back from a quarterfinal loss, and won three straight before losing by pin in the third place match.

“Tyler put together a tremendous tournament,” Fulton said. “Beat some really quality opponents, he’s still not 100% healthy and went out, earning himself fourth place in a loaded weight.”

Powell had two more placers, as Dusty Carter went 5-2 and took fifth at 190 pounds, and Jacob Eaton went 4-3 and took sixth at 215 pounds.

Additional wrestlers for the Panthers included Chevy Hill going 3-2 at 120 pounds; McKale Foley going 3-2 at 165 pounds; Mitchel Wainscott going 2-2 at 175 pounds; Denton Wainscott going 2-2 at 215 pounds; Wyatt Nicholson going 1-2 at 113 pounds; Chase Visocky going 1-2 at 144 pounds; Kash Brazelton going 0-2 at 138 pounds; Reese Lowe going 0-2 at 150 pounds; Cody Seifert going 0-2 at 157 pounds and Michael Legerski going 0-2 at 165 pounds.

Overall the Panthers placed fourth as a team with 142.5 points, as Thunder Basin ran away with the team title by over 70 points with 245.5, as Powell was the second 3A team just behind Pinedale, which was third with 156.5.

“The bigger tournament favors Pinedale. They have five or six top end kids,” Fulton said. “That’s not worrying me at all at this juncture. As far as what I’m looking at is, is I’ve got to make every athlete better. Every single kid on my team is important.”

POWELL 74, WORLAND 3

Prior to heading to Riverton the Panthers made a quick stop in Worland, taking on the Warriors in a quick dual.

The dual started at 132 pounds, as Wenzel got a forfeit win to give Powell a 6-0 lead.

At 138 pounds, Broc Frank earned a pin early in the third period and made it a 12-0 scoreline.

Visocky kept things rolling at 144 pounds, earning a 17-11 decision to make it 15-0.

Powell’s lone loss came at 150 pounds as Lowe came up short in a 10-3 decision to make it 15-3.

Getting back on track at 157 pounds, Seifert got a 15-0 tech fall in the first period to make it 20-3.

Foley followed things up with a pin late in the second period at 165 pounds, and Mitchel Wainscott followed up with another second period pin at 175 pounds to make it 32-3.

Carter got a pin at 190 before Worland was open at 215, 285, 106 and 113 to make it 62-3 in favor of the Panthers.

At 120 pounds Hill earned a first period pin, before Sean Lowe rallied from an early deficit and eventually earned a third period pin.

“He (Lowe) showed a lot of maturity for a freshman wrestling a senior kid that’s been in their lineup for three or four years. I was pretty proud of him,” Fulton said.

HOME DUAL THURSDAY

The Panthers will return home for the first time since their tournament to open the season, hosting a dual against one of the top teams in 2A in Thermopolis at 6 p.m. on Thursday.

“It’s exciting to be able to wrestle in Panther gymnasium,” Fulton said. “There’s going to be some matches in that dual that you might want to get your popcorn for. There should be some really good matches, they match up well with us so that’s going to be fun.”

Powell will take some kids to Greybull on Saturday for a tournament, before the regular season wraps up next week with a home dual against Cody.