The Worland High School Boys’ Wrestling Team headed to Casper on Wednesday to get ahead of the weather.
The Warriors will send 18 wrestlers in 11 weight classes to the Wyoming 3A State Wrestling Championships at the Wyoming Ford Center in Casper.
Worland finished 2nd at the East Regionals last week in Douglas with 11 wrestlers finishing in the top 4.
The Warriors are open at the 106 weight class.
At 113 the Warriors will have 2 wrestlers Jacob Jewell and Nate Johnson.
The 113 lb weight class is topped by Cody’s Ty Peterson the 2023 Ron Thon Champion, followed by Coaltyn Laird from Lander who was the 2022 106 lb weight class State Champion.
Worland Sophomore Jacob Jewell (11-6) will face Junior Ty Peterson (37-6) in the opening round.
Nate Johnson (13-11) Sophomore grapples Kaleb Gunter (8-5) a Sophomore from Green River.
At 120 lb the Warriors send Junior Wyatt Dickenson.
The 120 lb weight class is led in the rankings by Junior Axel Mackinnon from Green River, followed by Sophomore Trey Smith from Cody the 2022 113 lb 3A State Champion.
Wyatt (23-11) and Battle In The Big Horns “Best of the Best” Finalist goes against Rawlins Freshman Gabriel Trujillo (9-14).
The Warriors have 2 wrestlers in the 126 lb weight class Senior Kobe Swain and Sophomore Trey Wagner.
The number 1 ranked wrestler in the 126 class is Zach Covolo Junior from Rawlins (46-6), and Mele Ryker Senior from Green River (31-10) is ranked number 2.
Kobe (10-14) will face teammate Wagner (22-10) in the first round the winner will face the winner between Ryker and Landon Jones Sophomore from Lander (19-20).
Sophomore Tillman Burns will represent Worland in the 132 lb weight class, and Tillman is a ranked wrestler in the 152 lb weight class at number 7.
The 132 class has Pinedale’s, Junior Jake Hammer (39-4) ranked number 1 and Green River’s Senior Todd Connor (30-8).
Tillman (21-18) will face Joeseph Connors, a Sophomore from Buffalo (21-7).
Senior Creedon Newell, Wyoming 3A ranked number 5 in the 138 lb weight class and 2023 Battle of the Big Horns “Best of the Best” Finalist, and 2023 East Conference Runner-Up.
The top-ranked wrestler in the 138 lb class is Junior Kale Knezovich (31-10) from Green River, Kale is the 2022 3A State Champion at 120 as a Sophomore, and the 2021 3A State Champion at 106 as a Freshman.
Ranked number 2 is Junior from Evanston Kyson Hamilton (37-13)
Newell will face Sophomore Mitchel Wainscott (15-15) from Powell in the first round.
The 2023 East Regional Champion and number 2 ranked wrestler at the 145 lb weight class Warrior Senior Ross Goncalves (24-6).
The top-ranked wrestler in the 145 class is the 2020 106 lb 4A State Champion, 2022 132 lb 3A State Champion and the 2023 Ron Thon Champion, Senior from Green River Tommy Dalton (34-4).
Ross will wrestle Junior Mauriccio Grimaldo from Wheatland (12-14) in the opening round.
The Warrior send 2 wrestlers at the 152 lb weight class, Senior Ivan Keuntjes and Junior Oan Vega.
The number one ranked wrestler in the 152 lb weight class is Cody’s Senior Jackson Wood (34-13) followed by Senior Christian Johnson(29-13) from Douglas.
In the opening round Keuntjes (8-6) grapples Senior Reece Overy (24-22) from Evanston and Oan (7-4) will bout 152 lb class number 3 ranked Sage Lonn (43-10) from Rawlins.
Worland has 2 wrestlers representing the 160 lb weight class Junior Dawson Utterback and Sophomore Levi Fincher.
The 160 lb weight class is topped by 3-time State Champion Senior Lane Ewing from Douglas, Ewing has won 2020 the 132 lb weight class, 2021 the 145 lb weight class, and 2022 the 160 lb weight class. Ewing is going for a 4 time State Champion at this tournament.
Utterback (15-14) will wrestle Senior Landon Cook (15-21) from Mountain View in the first round, Fincher (11-5) will face Junior Bryce Hager (27-18) from Torrington the number 5 ranked Wyoming 3A wrestler.
Sophomore Bronson Newell will represent Worland Wrestling in the 170 lb weight class.
The number 1 ranked wrestler in the 170 class is Junior Morgan Hatch (43-2) from Lyman, and Cody’s Senior Dylan Campbell (32-9) is ranked number 2.
Bronson (17-13) will begin the State Tournament against Mountain View Sophomore Boone Aimone (27-15).
Two wrestlers in the 182 lb weight class will represent Worland, Senior Bryce Woffinden, and Sophomore Ethan Burns, 2023 East Conference Runner-Up.
The top wrestler in the 182 lb class is defending State Champion Cody’s, Senior Grayson Beaudrie (8-1).
Burns (22-12) will see Powell’s number 5 ranked Senior Dillon Melton (22-15) in the 1st round, Woffinden (14-7) and ranked 6th, will face the 182 lb number 2 ranked wrestler Aiden Leichty (38-11) Senior from Evanston.
Worland’s Senior Nathan Harper is the 195 lb State Qualified wrestler, Harper is the Wyoming 3A number 2 ranked wrestler.
The number 1 ranked wrestler in the 195 lb weight class is Junior Jimmy Dees (37-9) from Powell, followed by Worland’s Nathan Harper (28-7).
Harper will start the 1st round against Sophomore Jakor Lloyd (8-16) from Green River.
Senior Noa Vega represents Worland in the 220 lb weight class, Vega is the number 5 ranked wrestler in the Wyoming 3A 220 lb weight class.
The 220 lb weight class in Wyoming 3A is topped by 2023 Ron Thon Champion, Powell’s Senior Stetson Davis (37-2), followed by (39-7) Jace Grant from Cody, the 2022 220 lb Runner-Up.
In the opening round for Vega(24-9) he will face Rawlins Sophomore Christophe Tyndall (1-12).
At the 285 lb class, Freshman Ray Rice holds the spot for the Warriors.
Cody Cunningham (25-4) a Senior from Lander is the number 1 ranked wrestler, followed by Douglas Senior Kenai Bergguist (19-2).
Rice (9-8) will grapple Sophomore Doug Bettger (22-14) from Powell.
Listen to our interview with Head Wrestling Coach Josh Garcia and talk about the team’s preparation for State.
Wyo-Wresting Rankings for Wyoming 3A
View the Brackets and follow along here.
