By Mike Armstrong
Reporter, Carbon County Comet
Two schools from Carbon School District No. 2 went to the Don Runner Memorial Wrestling Tournament and there was reason for both to celebrate when the day ended. The weather did not hamper the two teams from Carbon County getting there, but several teams had to cancel. The tournament is to honor and remember a Wind River wrestler named Don Runner who sadly was killed in a car accident not long after graduating in 1977.
Saratoga Panther Tuker Carricato wrestling at 126 beat Aidan Ruby from Wind River in a 10-8 decision to take first
Another Saratoga Panther won his weight class. Wrestling at 152 Slayd Daley took on Siler Hess from Dubois winning in a 12-0 decision.
The Panther wrestling team won 126 points and came in eighth out of 13 teams.
The smaller boys wrestling team of Hanna, Elk Mountain, Medicine Bow (HEM) did not fare as well as the Panthers but head coach Ranelle Hindman saw good things from her boy wrestlers.
“Samuel Ramirez wrestled at 150 and placed fourth,” Hindman said and “Jared (Nelsen) got his first pin. He wrestled at 150 also. Both saw some really good wrestlers.”
She said freshman Miner Jacob Nelsen got more experience and there was improvement. He wrestled at 113.
“Anthony (Solaas) did fine wrestling 106, and Wes Clark wrestled at 113 and did well also given we don’t get as much mat time as other teams,” Hindman said. “That puts us lower and means we usually wrestle the higher seeds, which is hard. They will get better with more mat time.”
The girls time not only had a placer, but a champion.
“Alaina not only placed first, but she took down a state champion,” Hindman said. “Now she has a pretty good idea of what to expect which is good.”
McNees took first last year as a freshman at Don Runner, but Hindman said there is real growth in the year.
“She has more confidence, which comes from winning,” Hindman said. “And maturity as well.”
Sam Tylka pleased her coach too. She wrestles at 110.
“She went out there and was awesome,” Hindman said. “She made a few mistakes, but that was fine because she was so aggressive. She didn’t win, but there was a lot of good going on.”
Elizabeth Chaffin wrestled at 155 and again Hindman said her Lady Miner wrestler did well, but did not win. Chaffin is looking to drop down to 145.
“We are continuing to get better and we are hoping the weather allows us to travel,” Hindman said. “More mat time really is key”
