TORRINGTON – WyoWrestling has released its top-seven wrestlers at each weight in each class twice so far in this early season, with 16 local grapplers reaching the rankings.
The preseason rankings were released and 15 Goshen County wrestlers made the list, but after the first weekend of action, the local number grew. The Week 1 rankings were released on Dec. 14 before last weekend’s wrestling. The Week 2 rankings were released Thursday after the press deadline. For the most up-to-date rankings, check out wyowrestling.com.
Torrington
Preseason: Eight ranked
Week 1: Seven ranked
Among the seven Torrington Trailblazers ranked after the first weekend of action, Austin Fox and Jacob Polkowske are ranked the highest, with both sitting fourth in their respective weight class.
At 138 pounds, Fox sits fourth in the rankings behind Reese Karst (Powell), Hunter Elmer (Buffalo) and Jonathan Sanchez (Cody). The Blazer is coming off of a fifth-place finish at 132 pounds at the state tournament a year ago, a season in which he went 23-20. After the first week of this season, Fox sat with a 1-2 record.
Polkowske ranked fourth in the preseason rankings at 145 pounds but with his move in weight class, he now sits fourth at 152 pounds. He has started the season solid, taking second at the Charlie Lake Invite during the first week and reaching the sixth round of the consolation bracket at the Northern Colorado Christmas Tournament. A season ago, Polkowske went 2-2 at the state tournament, finishing the year at 23-20.
Torrington freshman Nycholas Melchor is the next highest ranked Blazer, sitting fifth at 106 pounds. He is one of six freshmen ranked in the top seven at 106 pounds, with senior Brady Carey (Lander) sitting atop the rankings. Melchor is 3-4 this young season after facing stiff competition in both invitationals this season.
Heavyweight Brandon Bennick ranks sixth in the heavyweight division as a junior, sitting behind five seniors. He went 1-2 in both early-season tournaments this year. At 220 pounds last season, Bennick posted a 1-2 record at the state tournament with a 17-25 record overall.
A trio of Blazers in Tristen Kingsley (145), Casey Britton (160) and Chase Dominguez (170) sit seventh in their weight classes. Kingsley placed at the state tournament as a freshman, before going 2-2 at the state tournament last year on his way to finishing 19-12. Britton went 1-2 at state, finishing the year 20-25, while Dominguez went 18-30 a season ago, including a 1-2 mark at the state tournament.
So far this season, Kingsley is 4-4, while Britton is 6-4 and Dominguez sits at 1-2.
Southeast
Preseason: Five ranked
Week 1: Seven ranked
Greg Logsdon has the highest ranking among the Southeast Cyclones, sitting first at 106 pounds. He is followed closely by fellow teammate Kaden Brothwell, who ranks fourth. In the first weekend of action, Logsdon took third at the Lusk Invite, followed by a second-place finish in Harrisburg, Neb. In the same events, Brothwell took fourth in both the Banner County Invite and the Lusk Invite.
A season ago, Logsdon went 1-2 at the state tournament to finish the year 15-13, while Brothwell was held winless at state, ending the 2016-17 season with a 9-28 record.
Freshman Brock Blevins splashed onto the scene this year, ranking second at 113 pounds. During the first week of action, Blevins took first at both the Banner County Invite and the Lusk Invite. During his first weekend as a high school wrestler, Blevins posted an 8-0.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, senior Chase Lovercheck ranks second at 152 pounds. The three-time state placer went 3-2 at the state tournament last year, finishing fourth. He ended the year with a 40-12 record. During the first weekend of competition this season, Lovercheck went 8-1, including a first-place finish in Lusk and a second-place finish in Harrisburg. He picked up the 100th win of his career in Lusk.
Fellow senior Hunter Woodruff ranks third in the heavyweight division. Woodruff, who took fifth as a sophomore at the state tournament, finished fourth as a heavyweight last season. He finished the year with a 29-11 record. During the first weekend of action this winter, Woodruff has a second-place finish in Harrisburg, where he went 1-1, and a first-place finish in Lusk, where he went 5-0.
A pair of Cyclones rank sixth and seventh at 182 pounds. Carson edged out his teammate for the sixth slot. Last year, he finished 1-2 in Casper and finished the year 19-13. So far this season, Carson finished third in Lusk at 195 pounds (2-2) and second in Harrisburg (3-1).
Tosh also went 1-2 at the state tournament last year, finishing the 2016-17 season with a 23-21 record. With a 3-1 record, Tosh snagged third at 182 pounds at the Lusk Invite, followed by a 1-3 performance at the Banner County Invite, with one of his losses coming to Carson.
Lingle-Fort Laramie
Preseason: Two ranked
Week 1: Two ranked
Gaven Niles is the highest ranked Dogger after the first weekend of action, sitting second at 126 pounds, only behind Kemmerer’s Dawson Schramm. A year ago, Niles went 2-2 at the state tournament, finishing the year with a 33-19 record. During the first weekend of the season, Niles went 5-0 to win the Lusk Invite, followed by a second-place finish in Harrisburg, with a 4-1 record.
Zane Rising is the second L-FL wrestler to be ranked, taking the fifth slot at 145 pounds. In Lusk, Rising went 2-1 to finish third, followed by a sixth-place finish at the Banner County Invite. Rising is coming off of a 1-2 outing at the state tournament to finish his freshman year with a 21-20 record.
