The Don Runner Memorial Wrestling Tournament is one of the longest-tenured small school tournaments in Wyoming.
Named in honor of Wind River wrestler Don Runner who died tragically in a car accident just a few weeks after graduating in 1977, the tournament brings in teams from all three wrestling classifications.
The tournament took a hit during COVID and last year was conducted as a dual tournament to lackluster reviews but was back this year with 13 teams and great competition as evidenced by eight of the 14 championship matches determined by decision.
This was the first year for a girl’s bracket. There weren’t enough entries in some weight divisions for the girls so officials combined 100 and 105, 115 and 120, and 125 and 130 for more competitive brackets.’
Riverton and Lander were late arrivals after poor road conditions sidelined the Tigers from a meet in Miles City, Montana, and the Wolverines from the Thoman/Jackman Duals in Green River.
Fremont County had a bevy of champions paced by three from host Wind River. Landon Rhyne won the 106-pound division for the Cougars, K.C. Gibson the 132-pound title, and undefeated, two-time state champion Tucker Jensen won his division.
Wyatt Trembly of Dubois moved to 18-0 on the season, easily marching through the 170-pound bracket for the title.
On the girls’ side, Molly Bornhoft of Wind River won the 105-pound division, Jordan Nielsen of Lander took the 125-pound championship and Wind River’s Maggie Jensen won at 145 pounds.
The girls didn’t wrestle through a bracket as the boys did, instead, they wrestled by rounds with each girl in a weight class wrestling all the others.
Wind River finished a strong second by champion Big Piney in the boys’ division, and Lander edged Shoshoni 40-39 for the girls’ team title.
Don Runner Boys Team Scores: 1. Big Piney 211, 2. Wind River 169, 3. Lovell 145, 4. Thermopolis 145, 5. Greybull-Riverside/Lander Valley 134, 7. Riverton 131, 8. Saratoga 126, 9. Shoshoni 107, 10. Dubois 81, 11. Wyoming Indian 47, 12. Rocky Mountain 37, 13. Hanna Elk Mountain 35
Don Runner Boys Individual Results
106: 1. Landon Rhyne, WR, 3. Sammie Cyrus, DUB
Championship match – Landon Rhyne, WR over Caleb Brown, BP Dec 8-6
Third place match – Sammie Cyrus, DUB over Dino Delacruz, LOV TF 15-0
113: 1. Dominic Sanchez, BP, 3. Ethan Tarango, SHO
Third place match – Ethan Tarango, over Josiah Stockwell, SAR Dec 2-1
120: 1. Loomis Alexander, GRS, 2. Ezra Hernandez, RIV
Championship match -Loomis Alexander, GRS over Ezra Hernandez, RIV Fall:47
126: 1. Tuker Carricato, SAR, 2. Aidan Ruby, WR
Championship match – Tuker Carricato, SAR over Aidan Ruby, WR Dec 10-8
132: 1. K.C. Gibson, WR, 3. Aidan Miller, WI
Championship match – K.C. Gibson, WR over Ethan Crow, THM Maj. Dec 17-9
Third place match – Aidan Miller, WI over Reece Whisenant, GRS Dec 11-7
138: 1. Jessen Basse, THM, 2. Wiley Philleo, SHO
Championship match – Jesse Basse, THM over Wiley Phileo, SHO OT Dec 10-8
145: 1. Caden Clifford, BP, 2. Talon Thoman, RIV
Championship match – Caden Clifford, BP over Talon Thoman, RIV MD 12-4
152: 1. Slayd Daley, SAR, 4. Siler Hess, DUB
Third place match – David Farrington, BP over Siler Hess, DUB Maj Dec 12-0
160: 1. Roedy Farrell, THM, 3. Jayden Bucholtz, RIV
Third place match – Jayden Bucholtz, RIV over Samuel Skelton, THM Fall 2:59
170: 1. Wyatt Trembly, DUB, 2. Gabe Harris, LAN
Championship match – Wyatt Trembly, DUB over Gabe Harris, LAN Fall 1:03
182: 1. Ty Strohschein, GRS, 3. Blake Snyder, WR, 4. Tres Pickerd, LAN
Third place match – Blake Snyder, WR over Tres Pickerd, LAN Fall 2:26
195: 1. Thomas Howard, BP, 3. Kaden Jones, WR, 4. Parker Devries, RIV
Third place match – Kaden Jones, WR over Parker Devries, RIV Dec 3-2
220: 1. Tucker Jensen, WR
Championship match – Tucker Jensen, WR over Zane Collins, LOV Fall:59
285: 1. James Love, LOV, 2. Cody Cunningham, LAN, 3. Kellen Linnan, SHO
Championship match – James Love, Lovell over Cody Cunningham, LAN Fall 4:23
Third place match – Kellen Linnan, SHO over Curtis Stroschein, GRS Fall :45
Don Runner Girls Team Scores: 1. Lander 40, 2. Shoshoni 39, 3. Lovell 29, 4. Hanna Elk Mountain 23, 5. Wind River 22, 6. Riverton 20, 7. Big Piney 18, 8. Wyoming Indian 15, 9. Rocky Mountain 7, 10. Dubois 4, 11. Thermopolis 3, 12. Greybull-Riverside/Saratoga 0
Don Runner Girls Individual Results
105: Molly Bornhoft, WR, 2. Charlotte Bair, LOV 3. Cora Remacle, WR
115: Alaina McNees, HEM, 2. Emily Skiba, LAN, 3. Catie Langlois, BP, 4. Lily Hill, WR
125: 1. Jordan Nielsen, LAN, 2. Isabel Kuegeler, RIV, 3. Jordan Black, WI, 4. Victoria Hatch, RIV, 5. Emmilee Wambeke, RM, 6. Destiny Demary, HEM
135: 1. Brueklyn Truempler, SHO, 2. Danika Crumrine, LOV, 3. Brynne Hoffman, BP, 4. Naomi Johnson, DUB
145: 1. Maggie Jensen, WR, 2. Lacoda Kiser, SHO, 3. Enna Coote, BP
170: 1. Charleigh Smith, BP, 2. Esther Van Grol, BP, 3. Abrianna Kiser, SHO, 4. Avery Layne, LOV, 5. Maecie Joy, LOV, 6. Kailey Allen, THM