We are excited to compete at home and look to get healthy moving forward.”

Coach Brandon Gifford

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The LFL/SE hosts the Southeast Duals Saturday at 9 a.m.

RIVERTON – Lingle-Fort Laramie senior Nathan Fish battled his way to the top of the 120-pound leaderboard to clinch the championship at the annual Ron Thon Memorial tournament hosted by Riverton from January 30-February 1.

Ron Thon is the largest high school wrestling event in Wyoming before state with approximately 40 teams of all classifications and sizes vying for a coveted spot on the podium. 

Fish helped propel the combined Lingle-Fort Laramie/Southeast (LFL/SE) boys to an 18th-place finish out of 41 teams with 44 points.

The LFL/SE girls’ team fielded eight athletes at Ron Thon and finished in 28th place out of 39 teams with 39.5 points.

“We are pretty beat up right now and it will be good for us to have some home events these next few weeks,” coach Brandon Gifford said. “We are getting to the correct positions but not winning those positions consistently – that will be an area we will focus on these last few weeks before postseason wrestling starts. We are excited to compete at home and look to get healthy moving forward.”

Fish also punched in his 150th career win at Ron Thon, Gifford pointed out.

“Nathan had an excellent tournament,” Gifford added. “He accomplished something that only two other wrestlers in LFL/SE have ever done in winning a Ron Thon title. His 150th career win is a testament to his commitment to the sport.”

Boys tournament

Fish began his journey to the top by pinning Kirklin Hay of Rock Springs in the second championship round at 120 pounds. Progressing to the quarterfinals, Fish fought Powell’s Chevy Hill into the third period before winning by fall at 4 minutes, 22 seconds.

The semifinals pitted Fish against Dylan Sorensen of Kelly Walsh, an opponent who beat Fish by an 11-6 decision the previous week at Moorcroft. Fish defeated Sorensen by pin 36 seconds into the third period.

Fish found himself squaring off against Rawlins’ Hudson Baker in a championship match that came down to the wire. Fish and his rival grappled to a 1-1 deadlock at the end of the third period. Digging deep, Fish took down Baker 37 seconds into the overtime period to snag gold at 120 pounds by sudden victory.

Senior Louden Bremer won two matches by fall and major decision at 165 pounds to secure seven team points for the LFL/SE boys.

At 175 pounds, fellow senior Carter Blevins collected six team points after winning the two opening rounds.

Senior Alec DeMarce rounded out scoring for the boys with a point at 190 pounds.

Girls tournament

Junior Kennedi Blevins and sophomore Trinity Martin both led the LFL/SE pack in the girls’ tournament, posting 10 team points apiece. Blevins competed in the 110-pound bracket and posted a win the opening round before securing two pins in the consolation rounds.

Martin picked up three wins at 145 pounds, including the first round and two pins in the consolation bracket.

At 115 pounds, senior Andrea Valenza tallied 6.5 team points for a 2-2 record.

Junior Avery VanGundy contributed six team points for winning two consolation rounds by fall.

At 135-pound bracket, junior Kaiten Schilreff scored four  points while fellow junior Lilley Lawrence collected three points.