A strong contingency of Wyoming high school wrestlers traveled north to Fargo, North Dakota, this week for the annual United States Marine Corps Junior Nationals and just one from the Equality State remains in the freestyle.
Moorcroft’s Charmayne DeLong, wrestling in the 138-pound division of the women’s freestyle is into the consolation round of 16 following a 6-0 decision win in the consolation round. She received a first-round bye and then fell by an 8-4 decision that sent her into the consolation bracket.
Twenty-four other Wyomingites competed in the freestyle division of the junior nationals and were eliminated. Douglas’ Cody Pinkerton notched the best record in the freestyle division by finishing with a 3-2 record throughout the tournament.
Hayden Walker (Kemmerer), Jace Palmer (Kelly Walsh), Parker Schlater (Moorcroft), Payton Tucker (Green River) and Reese Osborne (Sheridan) all tallied even 2-2 records since competition started on Saturday. Analu Benabise (Kelly Walsh), Kevin Anderson (Kelly Walsh), Luke Goncalves (Worland), Rowdy Pfeil (Moorcroft), Seth Dewitt (Wheatland) and Yahav Shraiber (Natrona County) scored one victory in the tournament before being eliminated and finishing with 1-2 overall records. Boe Clayson (Burns), Cash Christensen (Rock Springs), Coy Trainor (Lovell), Josh Kraus (Kelly Walsh), Kendall Cummings (0-2), Kole Kraus (Kelly Walsh), Lane Jackson (Kelly Walsh), Mica Herrera (Moorcroft), Parker Seeley (Moorcroft), Quinton Hecker (Lovell), Seth Horton (Powell) and Tonka Lytle (Rocky Mountain) all finished the freestyle portion of the tournament with 0-2 records. Some received byes, either in the championship or consolation bracket, which did not count toward their record in the tournament.
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Also in Fargo, technically separate from the UMSC Junior Nationals, is the United States Marine Corps Under-16 Nationals. Just like their older counterparts, no Wyoming wrestler was left on the mat after Tuesday’s session.
Sefton Douglass of Lyman scored the best tournament outing for Wyomingites by notching four wins before suffering his second loss. Cody Phelps of Pinedale tallied three wins of his own before elimination and Cole Wirtz of Natrona County notched one victory in the tournament. Charlee Thomson (Wright), Connor Vickrey (Kemmerer), Garrett Marker (Kelly Walsh), Hayden Crow (Sheridan), Jessie Smith (Natrona County), Keegan Gehlhausen (Pinedale), Lane Ewing (Douglas), Logan Branigan (Burns), Nathaniel Boreen (Riverside), Randy Peters (Moorcroft), Stetson Davis (Powell) and Wyatt McDermott (Thermopolis) all went 0-2 during the freestyle portion.
Some Wyoming natives will compete in the Greco-Roman division that begins Wednesday for the Under-16 Nationals and on Thursday for the older Junior Nationals.