I was really pleased with the way we battled this weekend at a tough tournament with tough competition. I know we wanted to come away with a couple championships, but we fell short of that goal. There are some situations and areas where we have to find ways to score and win those positions. If we can do that moving forward, we will win those close matches.”

Coach Brandon Gifford

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The LFL/SE wrestling teams host Burns on Thursday, Jan. 16 at 6 p.m.

DOUGLAS – The Lingle-Fort Laramie/Southeast (LFL/SE) combined girls and boys wrestling teams returned from the annual Shane Shatto Memorial Tournament in Douglas on January 10-11 with a bag full of hardware.

LFL/SE joined 35 other teams from Wyoming and Nebraska at the bracket-style tournament, one of the largest wrestling events in Wyoming.

The LFL/SE boys garnered 12th place overall with 83.5 team points. 

“I was really pleased with the way we battled this weekend at a tough tournament with tough competition,” coach Brandon Gifford said. “I know we wanted to come away with a couple championships, but we fell short of that goal. There are some situations and areas where we have to find ways to score and win those positions. If we can do that moving forward, we will win those close matches.”

A smaller girls squad consisting of only five wrestlers this week placed 28th as a team with eight points.

“Our girls also did well,” Gifford added. “We had a tough tournament as far as placings go and it is a matter of winning specific positions. Once we correct that, our girls will be medaling and winning those close matches.”

At 120 pounds, senior Nathan Fish garnered silver and reached a huge milestone in his high school wrestling career, posting his 100th pin at Shane Shatto.

“Nathan getting his 100th varsity pin was an amazing accomplishment,” Gifford remarked. “That is a testament to Nathan’s commitment to excellence on the wrestling mat.”

Fish won the quarterfinals by pinning Shoshoni’s Branson Thompson 1 minute, 40 seconds into the match. In the semifinals, Fish defeated Finn Stalick of Sheridan by technical fall (17-0).

In the 165-pound bracket, senior Louden Bremer captured second place. Bremer found himself in the quarterfinal match against Torrington’s Kaden Romig. Bremer battled Romig into the third period and pinned his opponent with 1:35 remaining on the clock.

Bremer squared off against Thermopolis’ Samuel Skelton in a neck-and-neck semifinal match with Bremer triumphing by a 12-11 decision.

Junior Colter McFarlin also bagged hardware at Shane Shatto, taking fifth place at 285 pounds. McFarlin defeated Devlyn Cowan of Douglas by a 6-3 decision in the fifth-place match.

“I thought Colter McFarlin had a really great tournament,” Gifford stated. “He is getting better each week and is jumping levels consistently.”

Seniors Carter Blevins and Alec DeMarce each scored nine points for LFL/SE at 190- and 215-pounds, respectively.

In the girls’ tournament, junior Kennedi Blevins and freshman Abbey Boyd each tallied four points for LFL/SE. Blevins won the opening round and the second consolation round in the 110-pound bracket. Boyd defeated her opponent in the opening match and two consolation rounds at 100 pounds.