Two win conference wrestling titles

By: 
Nathan Oster

The girls got it done in Thermopolis.  Elli Holloway and Tawny Bertolini claimed Greybull-Riverside’s only conference titles at Saturday’s Big Horn Basin Conference Tournament in Thermopolis, going a combined 4-0 with four pins.

Holloway won the 138-145 division, Bertolini the 126-132 division.

They took different paths to get to the same place.

Holloway was dominant all season, but got a stiffer-than-expected test in the final from Harlie Velarde of Lander.   “That girl came to wrestle, intent on beating us,” said Coach Mark Sanford.  “Elli has been able to ‘woman-handle’ other girls, but (the Lander girl) stayed in good position and didn’t allow Ellie to do that.” Just one point separated the wrestlers after the first and second periods before Holloway eventually recorded a pin at the 3:59 mark of the match.

Bertolini provided “the upset story of the weekend,” according to Sanford.  One of the wrestlers she faced had beaten her “at least twice” during the regular season — and in neither of those matches was Bertolini able to mount much of an attack.  But when it mattered most, she “came out fired up, ready to go, determined not to lose … it was an impressive win.”

While they were the only champions, several other G-R athletes made strong runs.

In all, G-R entered nine wrestlers in the A division.  Bennett Sanford placed second at 120, Zack Kuntz and Elijah Rice captured third at 155 and 220 respectively and Connor Hoyt at 91 and Cord Edeler at 120 each claimed fourth place.

Hoyt went 2-2 at 91 pounds, losing a tough 7-4 decision in the third-place matchup.

Jesse Brown went 0-2 and didn’t place at 110.  He was very competitive in his first match, losing in the “sudden victory” period, which set him up for a tough second match against a Rocky Mountain wrestler.

Sy Schlattmann, at 115, had to face a No. 1 seed in the opening round and lost that one, but battled back to win his next one by pin before bowing out with a loss in the consolation semifinals. 

Sanford and Cord Edeler repped G-R well at 120 pounds, with Sanford placing second and Edeler fourth.  Both lost to the eventual champion, Cannon Boren of Thermopolis — Edeler in the semis (1:12), Sanford in the final (9-0).  Sanford went a combined 1-1, Edeler 1-2.

Carter Peasley “had kind of a tough draw,” losing both of his 132-pound matches by pin, but had a strong season overall.

Kuntz lost his first match at 155, but reeled off three straight wins to take third.  He capped his  weekend with a come-from-behind, 10-9 decision over Sergio Cardenas of Worland, with the decisive points coming at the buzzer.

At 220, Elijah Rice went 3-1, recording three pins along the way, and captured third place. William Harlow didn’t place, going 0-2 but battling deep into the match each time.

In the B division, Mason Cheatham placed second at 70, Riley Wiggins and Kenneth McClure placed third and fourth, respectively, at 91, Tell Edeler placed second at 98, Hunter Craft placed second at 110 and Clayton Didrickson placed third at 138.

Sanford said most members of his team had to battle through illness at some point during the season, making its finish even more impressive.

While the tournament was the focus, G-R had a lot to crow about after facing Rocky Mountain and Lovell on Tuesday, Nov. 29.  It was billed as a middle school version of the Big Horn County Duals and G-R got the better of its longtime rivals, winning roughly 30 of its roughly 45 matches.

“This was a great year and a lot of fun for me,” he said. “One of the things Coach (Harrington) and I said throughout is that the effort was always there.  We won matches we shouldn’t have … just because we kept wrestling and didn’t give up.”

 

A DIVISION

91 — Conner Hoyt placed fourth.

110 — Jesse Brown did not place.

115 — Sy Schlattmann did not place.

120 — Bennett Sanford placed second; Cord Edeler placed fourth.

132 — Carter Peasley did not place.

155 — Zack Kuntz placed third.

220 — Elijah Rice placed third; William  Harlow did not place.

 

B DIVISION

70 — Mason Cheatham placed second; Braxten Link placed fourth.

91 — Riley Wiggins placed third; Kenneth McClure placed fourth; Ben Jacobs and Shawn August did not place.

98 — Tell Edeler placed second.

110 — Hunter Craft placed second; Denton Nyberg did not place.

120 — Levi Cochrane did not place.

138 — Clayton Didrickson placed third.

 

 

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