Grizzlies show growth and grit at Battle in the Big Horns in Worland

Rocky Mountain boys and girls wrestlers traveled to Worland last Friday and Saturday to compete in the Battle in the Big Horns, a unique dual-style tournament that brought together teams from across Wyoming. Schools from all classifications were represented, including most Big Horn Basin programs and teams from as far away as Newcastle, Rock Springs and Wheatland.

Unlike a traditional individual tournament, the Battle in the Big Horns featured a full day of duals, with only a select group of wrestlers qualifying for the end-of-day Best of the Best finals on Saturday. Rocky Mountain/Burlington finished 10th out of 18 teams in the overall standings.

Head coach Eddie Whiting said the Grizzlies showed noticeable improvement from the opening week of the season.

“There was a battle on the Big Horns, and our Grizzly-Husky team came to fight,” Whiting said. “The team looked better than week one. You can see the growth in them but also the salty grit that we have.”

Several Rocky Mountain wrestlers stood out during the weekend. Masen Twomey had a strong tournament, finishing second overall and qualifying for the Best of the Best finals. Emmilee Wambeke and Charlee Anderson also earned spots in the semi-finals, each placing fourth.

“These two young women really showed up and just wrestled with grit and determination,” Whiting said.

Whiting also pointed to freshman Lucas Undem and newcomer Sky Olsen as two of the most outstanding performers of the tournament.

“I got to see two different sides of growth in them, not just on the mat, but in their ability to adapt and adjust to wins and losses,” Whiting said. “Lucas hit a nasty assassin in his first match and got a fall. That’s a move most new wrestlers don’t pick up, and he hit it great.”

Olsen picked up 2 wins on Friday before suffering an injury that forced her out of the tournament.

“Sky is one of those girls who is just gritty, but athletic enough to get things done,” Whiting said. “She looks like a natural out here.”

Assistant coach Travis Lytle highlighted the effort of several wrestlers in the dual format. Zack Unruh wrestled up a weight class to help fill out the lineup and earned key wins against strong opponents. Twomey went undefeated in dual competition, while freshman Benson Jolley was asked to wrestle for Glenrock to help complete their lineup.

“He rose to the occasion and made the most out of wrestling for another team,” Lytle said.

Assistant coach Kyler Marchant also praised the toughness and effort shown by Unruh and Undem.

“Zachary Unruh showed great effort and toughness throughout his matches, never backing down and continuing to push the pace,” Marchant said. “Lucas Undem continues to push himself and make improvements as a JV wrestler. His work ethic and preparation have translated into his performance on the mat.”

In girls individual results, Wambeke and Anderson each placed fourth in the Best of the Best tournament. Olsen finished with 2 wins before being sidelined by injury, while Grace McAlhany suffered two losses on Friday and was eliminated from the tournament.

On the boys side, Twomey led the way with a second-place finish. Gabe Whiting recorded five wins over the weekend, Triffen Jolley finished with four wins, Sam Loyning and Alex Walker each earned three wins, Colten Bitton and Nathan Undem recorded two wins and Zack Unruh added 1 win. 

Several wrestlers were unable to compete due to injury or illness, including Lyle Montanez, Michael Broederlow, Dalan Wambeke, James Laffin and Austin Weller.

Whiting said he was pleased with the team’s progress as they head into the holiday break.

“In all, I couldn’t be more proud of how our team looked as a whole unit,” he said. “Each time they step on the mat, they get better and better.”

The Grizzlies will use the winter break to focus on core drills while maintaining strength and conditioning.

“The winter break is the best time to sharpen your skills and build confidence,” Whiting said. “That prepares us for the busy stretch of the season from January through the end of February.”

Several athletes who missed the Worland meet due to injury are expected to return to the lineup in time for Rocky Mountain’s next competition following the holiday break at Thermopolis on January 9-10.