Rocky Mountain wrestlers rested going into West Regional tournaments

Rocky Mountain wrestling had a rare quiet weekend on the competition calendar, using the bye week to focus on conditioning, sharpening technique and preparing mentally for the most important stretch of the season. With Regionals looming, practices centered on hard drilling, situational work and fine-tuning details that can make the difference in close matches.

Head coach Eddie Whiting said the downtime was valuable as the team shifts its attention to postseason wrestling.

“Excited would be an understatement to how I feel about Regionals,” Whiting said. “There is always a mixture of emotions that run through my mind and heart when it comes to the last two tournaments of our season.”

Rocky Mountain will send a deep group of wrestlers into regional competition across both the boys and girls divisions.

For the boys, freshmen competing at Regionals will be Benson Jolley at 138 pounds, James Laffin at 126, Michael Broederlow at 190 and Lucas Undem at 132. Sophomore qualifiers are Alexander Walker at 285, Zachary Unruh at 144, Nathan Undem at 138 and Austin Weller at 157. Juniors representing Rocky are Lyle Montanez at 138, Masen Twomey at 215 and Sam Loyning at 132. Seniors rounding out the lineup are Colten Bitton at 144, Gabriel Whiting at 120 and Triffen Jolley at 165.

On the girls side, Rocky Mountain will be represented by juniors Sky Olsen at 135, Grace McAlhany at 155 and Charlee Anderson at 190, along with senior Emmilee Wambeke at 140.

Whiting said he is confident in both the physical and mental preparation of his athletes, noting, “I feel like every boy and every girl has a chance to place and qualify for the state meet next week in Casper.”

Whiting was quick to praise programs across the state but gave his highest marks to Cokeville, which has dominated all season and should be the favorite this weekend in the 2A boys meet.

When asked if he felt mentally prepared to lead the team regardless of results, Whiting emphasized growth over placements. “That’s the easiest question you asked me all year,” he said. “Yes. Win or lose, it’s how much you grow along the process.”

This year’s regional tournaments will split sites. The 2A West boys regional will be hosted at Rocky Mountain High School on Friday, with wrestling beginning at 9:30 a.m. after 8 a.m. weigh-ins, giving local fans a chance to see postseason action at home. Teams expected to compete include Cokeville, Dubois, Big Piney, Greybull/Riverside, Kemmerer, Rocky Mountain, Shoshoni, Thermopolis, Wind River and Wyoming Indian.

The girls tournament will follow a different format, with all 2A, 3A and 4A West Region teams competing together in Powell on both Friday and Saturday. Brackets will be created regardless of class, with the top eight girls advancing to face the east at the state championships in Casper next week.

Teams attending the girls tournament include Evanston, Cody, Green River, Lander, Lyman, Mountain View, Pinedale, Powell, Riverton, Kemmerer, Big Piney, Star Valley, Jackson, Rock Springs, Dubois, Greybull, Kelly Walsh, Natrona, Lovell, Shoshoni, Thermopolis, Wind River, Worland, Cokeville, Saratoga, Wyoming Indian and Rocky Mountain.

Whiting acknowledged the challenge the format presents for smaller schools and said that if a Rocky Mountain wrestler finishes as the top 2A girl, he would view her as a 2A champion, even without an official title.

Girls weigh-ins will be held at noon Friday with wrestling beginning at 1:30 p.m. On Saturday, weigh-ins will be at 8:30 a.m. with wrestling starting at 10 a.m.

Because the WHSAA sponsors postseason tournaments, admission will be charged at both sites. Tickets are $9 for adults and $6 for students.

With the postseason now underway, the Grizzlies hope a week of focused preparation pays off as they take the mat in front of a home crowd and begin the push toward State. Matches can be viewed from both sites on NFHSnetwork.com, but Whiting hopes to see a strong contingent of Grizz fans in the stands.

“Our fans give us energy on the mat and make a much greater difference than they could imagine,” he said.