Kumelos makes history

CASPER – Wheatland Bulldog wrestlers brought home three state placers and are part of Wyoming history.

The end of high school wrestling took place this past weekend in Casper with the state championships.

Lady Bulldog wrestler Alex Kumelos was a part of Wyoming history winning the state title in the 125-pound weight class, in the first sanctioned girls’ championship. Wheatland High School joins just 12 other schools in an elite group to be home to a Wyoming girl state champ.

Kumelos had a tough fought match against Natrona’s Andraya Canchola where Kumelos dominated her opponent by points, and it came down to a nail-biting finish in the third period. Canchola couldn’t gain the momentum needed to defeat Kumelos.

Two seniors Barak Bertoch and Maxx Meyer brought home fifth-place medals. Barak would breeze through the winners’ side of the 220-pound bracket winning his first three matches before losing to Powell’s Stetson Davis to secure himself the championship match.

Meyer then lost to Worland’s Noa Vega putting him in the fifth-place match against Green River’s Deylin Miller which he won giving him a spot on the podium. Meyer didn't have it so easy winning just his first two before losing to Cody’s Greyson Beaudrie, who ended up with the state title. Meyer then won two more on the consolation side of the bracket before falling to Aiden Liechty of Evanston.

Matching him up with Douglas’ TK Stinson, Meyer controlled the match ending his high school wrestling career with a fifth-place state finish.

“Even though I broke my leg back in October and couldn't walk until January, placing fifth at state is a big accomplishment,” Meyer said. “Little did I know, the person who broke my leg got third in my bracket.”

The younger wrestlers on the team cannot be overlooked. The state wrestling competition can be a bit intimidating, it's a big space, a lot of people and added pressure that they might not experience in the regular season. The Bulldogs won some tough matches, hopefully these matches contribute to growth and Wheatland can come back next year better and stronger.

WHSAA Boys State Championships Results for Wheatland 3A-106 Cooper Meyer (36-15) place is unknown and scored 3.0 team points.

• Champ. Round 1 - Wyatt Nicholson (Powell) 21-15 won by fall over Cooper Meyer (Wheatland) 36-15 (Fall 1:32)
• Cons. Round 1 - Cooper Meyer (Wheatland) 36-15 won by fall over Kaden Walter (Buffalo) 15-24 (Fall 2:23)
• Cons. Round 2 - Lance Baggs (Cody) 20-12 won by fall over Cooper Meyer (Wheatland) 36-15 (Fall 2:51) 3A-113 Kael Gudahl (25-23) place is unknown and scored 4.0 team points.
• Champ. Round 1 - Kael Gudahl (Wheatland) 25-23 won by fall over Lukus Heflebower (Evanston) 1-9 (Fall 0:34)
• Quarterfinal - Ty Peterson (Cody) 40-7 won by fall over Kael Gudahl (Wheatland) 25-23 (Fall 1:13)
• Cons. Round 2 - Nate Johnson (Worland) 15-20 won by decision over Kael Gudahl (Wheatland) 25-23 (Dec 5-3) 3A-120 Waylon Milnes (33-16) place is unknown and scored 7.0 team points.
• Champ. Round 1 - Waylon Milnes (Wheatland) 33-16 won by forfeit over Trey Smith (Cody) 5-5 (For.)
• Quarterfinal - Axel Mackinnon (Green River) 36-9 won by decision over Waylon Milnes (Wheatland) 33-16 (Dec 12-5)
• Cons. Round 2 - Waylon Milnes (Wheatland) 33-16 won by fall over Troy Moe (Buffalo) 14-19 (Fall 1:26)
• Cons. Round 3 - Wyatt Dickinson (Worland) 26-14 won by decision over Waylon Milnes (Wheatland) 33-16 (Dec 4-3) 3A-132 Hayden Hocker (18-24) place is unknown and scored 3.0 team points.
• Champ. Round 1 - Brayden Torstenbo (Rawlins) 38-11 won by fall over Hayden Hocker (Wheatland) 18-24 (Fall 1:32)
• Cons. Round 1 - Hayden Hocker (Wheatland) 18-24 won by forfeit over Eric Nelson (Lyman) 40-21 (For.)
• Cons. Round 2 - Joeseph Connors (Buffalo) 24-20 won by decision over Hayden Hocker (Wheatland) 18-24 (Dec 6-4) 3A-145 Mauriccio Grimaldo (12-16) place is unknown and scored 0.0 team points.
• Champ. Round 1 - Ross Goncalves (Worland) 27-7 won by fall over Mauriccio Grimaldo (Wheatland) 12-16 (Fall 0:54)
• Cons. Round 1 - Kash Lenzen (Douglas) 25-25 won by decision over Mauriccio Grimaldo (Wheatland) 12-16 (Dec 5-2) 3A-160 Tyrell Weber (21-25) place is unknown and scored 3.0 team points.
• Champ. Round 1 - James Herwaldt (Green River) 20-13 won by fall over Tyrell Weber (Wheatland) 21-25 (Fall 0:27)
• Cons. Round 1 - Tyrell Weber (Wheatland) 21-25 won by fall over Levi Fincher (Worland) 11-7 (Fall 4:29)
• Cons. Round 2 - Lannon Brazelton (Powell) 18-24 won by fall over Tyrell Weber (Wheatland) 21-25 (Fall 0:17) 3A-170 Caleb Fredricks (3-8) place is unknown and scored 0.0 team points.
• Champ. Round 1 - Tyson Muir (Mountain View) 22-15 won by fall over Caleb Fredricks (Wheatland) 3-8 (Fall 0:15)
• Cons. Round 1 - Ayden Underwood (Douglas) 10-21 won by decision over Caleb Fredricks (Wheatland) 3-8 (Dec 7-4) 3A-182 Maxx Meyer (26-12) placed fifth and scored 15.0 team points.
• Champ. Round 1 - Maxx Meyer (Wheatland) 26-12 won by fall over Denton Wainscott (Powell) 11-12 (Fall 1:04)
• Quarterfinal - Grayson Beaudrie (Cody) 12-1 won by fall over Maxx Meyer (Wheatland) 26-12 (Fall 2:28)
• Cons. Round 2 - Maxx Meyer (Wheatland) 26-12 won by major decision over Lucas Loran (Cody) 2-4 (MD 15-3)
• Cons. Round 3 - Maxx Meyer (Wheatland) 26-12 won by fall over Matthew Hellus (Torrington) 24-23 (Fall 2:53)
• Cons. Semi - Aiden Liechty (Evanston) 41-13 won by fall over Maxx Meyer (Wheatland) 26-12 (Fall 4:49)
• fifth Place Match - Maxx Meyer (Wheatland) 26-12 won by major decision over TK Stinson (Douglas) 22-10 (MD 14-1) 3A-220 Barak Bertoch (30-14) placed fifth and scored 15.0 team points.
• Champ. Round 1 - Barak Bertoch (Wheatland) 30-14 won by fall over Kadence Haines (Evanston) 4-10 (Fall 0:48)
• Quarterfinal - Barak Bertoch (Wheatland) 30-14 won by fall over Deylin Miller (Green River) 22-17 (Fall 2:32)
• Semifinal - Stetson Davis (Powell) 41-2 won by tech fall over Barak Bertoch (Wheatland) 30-14 (TF-1.5 5:33 (21-6))
• Cons. Semi - Noa Vega (Worland) 28-11 won by fall over Barak Bertoch (Wheatland) 30-14 (Fall 1:41)
• fifth Place Match - Barak Bertoch (Wheatland) 30-14 won by fall over Deylin Miller (Green River) 22-17 (Fall 4:13)