All season long, Powell High School wrestling coach Nick Fulton’s mantra has been simple: getting slightly better each week. Last weekend, the Panthers’ steady improvement was on full …
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All season long, Powell High School wrestling coach Nick Fulton’s mantra has been simple: getting slightly better each week. Last weekend, the Panthers’ steady improvement was on full display.
PHS took first place at the 3A Northwest regional tournament in Riverton Friday. PHS wrestlers who won their weight classes were Nate Balderas (106 pounds), Logan Werner (120), Riley Bennett (145) and Seth Horton (152). Additionally, Weston Thomas (113 pounds), Emma Karhu (126) and Jimmy Dees (195) finished second in their respective brackets.
“It’s all coming together,” Fulton said. “We’re continuing to improve, and it’s nice to see that pay off in a tournament setting.”
In Riverton, Fulton noted the Panthers’ strength late in matches, winning several in the third round. From top to bottom, every member of Powell’s team wrestled hard at regionals, with 13 of Powell’s wrestlers qualifying for state. Seven of them will be seeded in the top eight.
“It’s hard to predict those type of things,” Fulton said. “Our mentality has been one match at a time, and more than that, one point at a time. You have to give a lot of credit to the kids.”
The coach admitted he was disappointed with his team’s showings in duals earlier this season, but since then, the team has steadily grown to an elite squad. Fulton said he’s been impressed with how his athletes have fought through adversity.
“There were numerous times where the wheels could’ve come off the bus,” he said. “I can’t say enough about how well these kids have hung in there. Every single one of them has competed and gotten better.”
After the dominant performance at regionals, the Panthers have one event remaining in the 2020-21 season: the 3A State Meet in Casper. The event begins at 8:30 a.m. Friday at the Ford Wyoming Center. Championship matches are set for 4:30 p.m.
All of the team’s development has led to this point, and Fulton hopes the PHS squad brings the same energy Friday as it did in Riverton.
“It would sure be nice to have that same mentality in Casper,” Fulton said. “We have immense maturity for a young team, and we’re going to try and go out and score.”
106: Nate Balderas 4-0, 1st place
Balderas def. Eian Smith (Pinedale)
Balderas def. Kolby Heil (Lander)
Balderas def. Ty Peterson (Cody)
Balderas def. Coaltyn Laird (Lander)
106: Trey Freeman 0-2
Taylor Baggs (Cody) def. Freeman
Talon Thoman (Riverton) def. Freeman
113: Weston Thomas 2-1, 2nd place
Thomas def. Keegan Stephenson (Lander)
Thomas def. Dustin Larsen (Pinedale)
Jake Hammer (Pinedale) def. Thomas
120: Logan Werner 3-0, 1st place
Werner def. Wyatt Griffin (Pinedale)
Werner def. Chad Snyder (Lander)
Werner def. Tristan Haley (Pinedale)
120: Hadley Mehling 1-2
Blaze Laird (Lander) def. Mehling
Mehling def. Ben Hogan (Cody)
Chad Snyder (Lander) def. Mehling
126: Emma Karhu 2-1, 2nd place
Karhu def. Taylorae Kuegeler (Riverton)
Karhu def. Micah Grant (Cody)
Charles Snyder (Lander) def. Karhu
126: Vincent Timmons 1-2, 4th place
Charles Snyder (Lander) def. Timmons
Timmons def. Micah Grant (Cody)
Ethan Kemp (Pinedale) def. Timmons
132: Brent Childers 1-2
Trenton Hubbs (Cody) def. Childers
Childers def. Hunter Smith-Velarde (Lander)
Dalton Leach (Riverton) def. Childers
132: Andrew Valdez 0-2
Dalton Leach (Riverton) def. Valdez
Kash Merritt (Cody) def. Valdez
138: Mikey Timmons 1-2
Gabe Harris (Lander) def. Timmons
Timmons def. Lakoda Officer (Riverton)
Rhett Stover (Riverton) def. Timmons
138: Caleb Cruz 0-2
Cody Phelps (Pinedale) def. Cruz
Rhett Stover (Riverton) def. Cruz
145: Riley Bennett 3-0, 1st place
Bennett def. Michael Munda (Riverton)
Bennett def. Conor Carey (Lander)
Bennett def. Taylor Richey (Pinedale)
145: Jack Van Norman 1-2
Taylor Richey (Pinedale) def. Van Norman
Van Norman def. Robert Peterson (Lander)
Conor Carey (Lander) def. Van Norman
152: Horton 3-0, 1st place
Horton def. Zayne McClain (Pinedale)
Horton def. Dylan Campbell (Cody)
Horton def. Brady Deming (Cody)
152: Merced Jordan-Silva 2-2, 4th place
Dylan Campbell (Cody) def. Jordan-Silva
Zayne McClain (Pinedale) def. Jordan-Silva
Jordan-Silva def. Donald Grosch (Riverton)
Dylan Campbell (Cody) def. Jordan-Silva
160: Lannon Brazelton 3-1, 3rd place
Brazelton def. Tucker Kelly (Pinedale)
Jackson Wood (Cody) def. Brazelton
Brazelton def. Kade Fitzgerald (Cody)
Brazelton def. Tucker Kelly (Pinedale)
160: Seston Shoopman 1-2
Shoopman def. Kadin Garcia (Lander)
Kaleb Bigelow (Pinedale) def. Shoopman
Tucker Kelly (Pinedale) def. Shoopman
170: Stetson Davis 2-2, 4th place
Davis def. Christian Moss (Lander)
Keegan Gehlhausen (Pinedale) def. Davis
Davis def. Dillon Melton (Powell)
Grayson Beaudrie (Cody) def. Davis
170: Dillon Melton 0-2
Grayson Beaudrie def. Melton
Stetson Davis (Powell) def. Melton
182: Karson Lamb 2-1, 3rd place
Keaton Stone (Cody) def. Lamb
Lamb def. Ryan Watson (Riverton)
Lamb def. Collin Lindemann (Cody)
195: Jimmy Dees 1-1, 2nd place
Dees def. Ian Cantu (Pinedale)
Kaden Gantenbein (Riverton) def. Dees
195: Jonathan Harms 1-1, 3rd place
Kaden Gantenbein (Riverton) def. Harms
Harms def. Ian Cantu (Pinedale)
220: Adam Flores 2-1, 3rd place
Flores def. Zaryc Prosser (Riverton)
Lyric Gordon (Riverton) def. Flores
Flores def. Zaryc Prosser (Riverton)
220: Clayton Emmett 0-2
Jonas Mickelson (Cody) def. Emmett
Zaryc Prosser (Riverton) def. Emmett
285: Nevan McDonald 0-1, 3rd place
Cody Cunningham (Lander) def. McDonald
Click here for more photos from the Panther's wrestling season.