Spiering, Irene take second

Saratoga Panther, Thatcher Spiering, and Hanna-Elk Mountain- Medicine Bow (HEM) Miner, Justin Irene, both wrestled their way into the finals this past weekend. Both wrestlers earned second place in their weight classes at the state wrestling tournament. Saratoga took 11th out of 21 teams in class 2A.

“This year was an exciting one,” Mason said. “We had five medals at state and the most I’ve seen while coaching Saratoga is six. It’s an exciting bunch of kids.”

Bradley Bifano and Daynon Mowry both at 106 pounds, wrestled into the second and third round consolation matches respectively. Bifano lost his first match and then won his second. His second loss of the tournament was to Mowry in the second round of the consolations and that put Bifano out.

Mowry won his first, then dropped into the consolation bracket with a second round loss. Mowry then defeated his teammate, but lost his next match.

Chaze Wiant won his first match at 113 pounds, but dropped his next two matches to wrestle out of the tournament.

“I need to get into the weight room,” Wiant said on Saturday. “I was just out-strengthed in my weight class.”

Hunter Mason wrestled his way to a fifth-place finish in the tournament in the 120-pound weight class.

Senior Lionzo Escobedo finished sixth in a close 132-pound semifinal consolation round.

“This weight class could have gone any direction,” coach Jared Mason said. “Escobedo couldn’t catch a break in a few tournaments this season and this was one of them.”

Tate Stinson and Marshal Hill could not find a win at the 138-pound weight class.

Levi Weatherd and Jacob Wells both wrestled at 220 pounds in the tournament.

Senior Weatherd had a fourth place finish in the final tournament of his high school career.

Wells wrestled his way to a sixth place finish.

Hazer Hinkle wrestled in the heavyweight class. A freshman, this was Hinkle’s first time in the state meet. Hinkle was unable to find a win in the tournament.

The HEM team also had three finishers in the State Meet. Riley Richardson wrestled at 152 pounds, and brought home a fourth place finish.

R.J. Seaman at 170 pounds also took a fourth place finish.