HEM seeds four

The Hanna, Elk Mountain, Medicine Bow (HEM) wrestling team sent six wrestlers to the WHSAA (Wyoming High School Activities Association) 2A Southeast Quadrant and were able to place four grapplers to send to state.

The 106 weight class that had Anthony Solaas and McKaylee Widdison was tough according to HEM assistant wrestling coach McKean (Mac) Madsen. 

“McKaylee and Anthony drew the number one and two seed in the bracket,” Madsen said. “Even the number three and four seeds were tough as well, but it was okay, because they both wrestled well.”

“In McKaylee’s consolation round that could have decided a chance to go to State, she did well, but she made some mistakes that cost her,” Madsen said. “She lost to Cale Mowry from Saratoga.”

Overall, Madsen said the team had a good showing.

“Charlee (Solaas) pulled the number one seed and he ended up winning the region, so that means he was tough,” Madsen said. “But she won two and is going to state.”

C. Solaas was wrestling at 132. He said that she has improved this year from last year and it shows with how she moves and is able to score.

Madsen was very pleased with Tom Wagner’s performance. Wagner wrestled at 138.

“It was impressive to see Tom back to his old self,” Madsen said. “He was confident and he was aggressive on top and moving all the time. Tom was escaping and reversing and went 2-2. He placed 4th and ended up qualifying.”

Madsen was happy Joseph Borah was able to make state after being out for the season until about three weeks ago. Borah wrestled at 220.

“He had a tough draw the first match because he has only had two matches until we went there and he pulled the number one seed,” Madsen said. “That kid went on to win our quadrant.”

The next match Borah did better.

“He came back and wrestled a kid from Glenrock and he was physical,” Madsen said. “He took it to the kid and controlled him. The kid was tough but Joe pinned him. Then he wrestled a kid from Lingle who did win, but Joe took 4th and he will be going to state.”

Howard Bame wrestled at 120 and was able to also get a chance to go to state. Bame was another wrestler that was out for a bit of the season due to flu and coming back to earn a place in state made Madsen proud of the wrestler’s effort.

Madsen knows that his two wrestlers that didn’t place are disappointed, but he said 106 is very competitive.

“The two that didn’t make it doesn’t mean they didn’t wrestle well,” Madsen said. “All the quadrants at 106 are pretty loaded up, so that weight class is going to be a fun weight to watch even if we don’t have wrestlers participating in the matches.” 

The WHSAA State Wrestling Championships will be held February 25-27 in Casper at the Ford Wyoming Center.