Grit And Toughness: Four Herders place at largest Shane Shatto Memorial in its 23-year history

RJ Morgan photo

Defending State champ Brody Allen makes his victorious move during the first day of action at the Shane Shatto Memorial tourney.

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By RJ Morgan, sports editor

Wrestlers throughout Wyoming know that the start of every new calendar year will bring with it the second biggest test they will face all season when returning to the mats to tackle the Shane Shatto Memorial tournament invitational in Douglas. Not even the State tournament can match it in size and competition.,

This year was unlike any of the past, and Glenrock High School embraced the mountain of a challenge. 

A record 37 teams from three states battled for two full days and the Herders brought their share of talent ending the 887 grapplers in action. After a total of 1,950 matches were complete, it was a great trip for experience and even better for four GHS standouts who placed at the prestigious event. 

Defending State champion Brody Allen, Gillian Holman, Malorey Lawrence and Danika Harris proved they are among the best Wyoming has to offer by placing in their respective weight classes. With the massive amount of competition, every wrestler benefitted from the priceless experience gained from a tournament only second in size – by a small amount – to the Ron Thon tournament.

“I think we showed a lot of grit and toughness this weekend at the Shane Shatto. For both the girls and the boys, I feel like we fought hard in each match,” GHS head coach Coley Wondra said. “We are going to continue to grind and get better to finish the season where we want to. Kids are wrestling well and our conditioning is where we need to be, we just gotta fix a few things and continue to get better.”

 

 BOYS

Allen proved once again why he will be a problem for opponents for years to come. The defending State champion, now 17-1 on the season, won his first four matches to reach the title round in the 126-pound weight class where he captured second place.

The freshman kicked off his run through Douglas by pinning Brody Shepard of Shoshoni at 2:47 and later won by fall over Soren Swanson from Kelly Walsh in 1:51. Allen scored a technical fall against Isael Beal of Cheyenne Central and then beat  Breckin Henry of Thunder Basin in a thrilling 9-7 decision to reach the championship.

The only thing standing between Allen and a championship was Sammy Sanchez from Cheyenne East. Allen fell just shy of gold in another action-packed bout in a 10-4 decision.

At 138 pounds, Clayton Ailport notched a pair of wins at the huge event. He won by 10-3 decision against Jack Noblin of Douglas and via fall over Jacob Foster from Spearfish at 2:14.

At 150 pounds, Kelton Stewart was solid in a tough division and scored three wins beginning with pinning Caysen Robertson of Alliance at 5:13. He also won by fall over Cash Vollmer of Tongue River in 1:49 and later won by tech fall over Micah Blajszczak from Natrona County (21-4).

Preston Sorenson also pinned an impressive run at Shane Shatto with three wins in the 175 weight class. His successes included pinning Daniel Dickson of Campbell County at 1:12, an 11-5 decision against Jacob McDaniel of Wheatland and won by fall over Jordan May from Riverton in 2:48.

 

GIRLS

Glenrock’ girls team has been incredible since starting its program two short years ago. It doesn’t have the depth of some of the bigger programs yet the roster is filled with talent, experience and hungry athletes who give nothing but their best every trip. 

That’s why the Herders are always represented when it comes to medals and placers. They had three of the best grapplers in Douglas to continue that winning tradition of the growing program. 

Lawrence, new to the program, made her presence known and felt during her journey to third place at 120 pounds. She won four out of five matches beginning with pinning Karley Mason of Sheridan in  0:17.

Lawrence next won by an exciting 6-3 decision against Charlie Wilkinson from Natrona County just before suffering her only defeat. She bounced back to win by fall over Reagan Cooley of Wright) 10-4 at 2:36 and Kimberlie Ledford from Laramie at 2:45. In the medal match. 

At 125 pounds, Holman continues to shine at a statewide level and started her run to third place by pinning Hannah Lee of Wheatland in  2:19. She only dropped one match but steamrolled the rest of the way via fall against Viviana Soto of Cheyenne East at 3:14, pinning Harper Fenner from Scottsbluff in 0:42 and winning by tech fall against Rylie Heibult of Campbell County (1.5 3:19).

Harris has been state ranked often through her career and proved why in her run to fourth place. Her victories in the 190 division included a win by fall over Jesselee Jackson from Burns/Pine Bluffs I 1:34 and a pin of Ella Kalenberg of Campbell County at 2:40.

Lucy Ticknor pinned a pair of wins at Shane Shatto. She won by fall against Adyson Harcourt of Douglas in 1:57 and pinned River James from Powell at 2:09.

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