Dogie wrestler takes first at tournament
Kyah Miller, a senior wrestler at Newcastle High School, recently competed and took first place in her division at the annual Shane Shatto Memorial Tournament in Douglas on Jan. 6-7. This marked the first time the award has been won by a wrestler from Newcastle or Upton in over 20 years.
The tournament was named after 19-year-old Shane Shatto, one of the “Wyoming Eight,” a group of University of Wyoming cross country team members killed by a drunk driver in September 2001. This year, the meet hosted wrestlers from nearly 30 schools, including Newcastle, Gillette, Torrington, Cheyenne and student-athletes from Colorado and Nebraska schools.
Miller competed in the varsity girls 120-pound weight division and won all four of her designated matches. Miller said that her biggest competitor at the meet was Andraya Conchola, of Natrona County, whom she defeated in the round 4 semifinals. She said that she has faced off against Conchola numerous times over the past few years.
Fourteen other wrestlers were in Miller’s bracket at the tournament. She defeated Kaiana Garlough from Cheyenne Central in round 1, Brooklyn Hoffman from Chadron in the round 2 quarter finals, and Conchola in round 4 semifinals before she took first place in the finals after overthrowing Aspen Henry, of Thunder Basin High School in Gillette.
Miller has been wrestling for over 10 years. The senior says that she is both nervous and excited because this will mark the first year that female wrestlers will be able to compete in state wrestling. Her goal is to compete and win the state tournament this year.
She credits her wrestling success to her parents, Robert and Natasha Miller, and her aunt and uncle, Bryan and Kellie Taylor, and said she is thankful for her family’s support through the years. Although Miller said she doesn’t like to compare herself to others, she watches her competition closely to make sure she trains harder and is doing what she needs to reach her goals.
After graduation, Miller plans to attend Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, where she has already been accepted. She will be majoring in environmental science and technology, with plans to also gain a commission as an officer in the U.S. Air Force and ultimately be a park ranger with the National Park Service. She plans to wrestle while at college.
In her free time, Miller likes to work out at the high school gym and enjoys playing soccer, rock climbing and hiking in the Black Hills and the Big Horns. She and her father recently climbed the seven tallest peaks in the Black Hills in a single day. She said it was a challenge but a terrific accomplishment. She has also logged a total of over 30 miles of backpacking with her father in the Big Horns. She said that she loves any type of activity that keeps her outdoors.
Miller also enjoys being able to volunteer her time to help others. For the past few years, Miller and her father volunteer their time with the Ski for Light organization, based in Minneapolis. Ski for Light hosts cross-country skiing events around the country, to enhance the quality of life and independence of visually or mobility-impaired adults. Miller will be helping at the upcoming Ski for Light event, Jan. 22-26, at Terry Peak Ski Area in the Black Hills of South Dakota. More information on volunteering for Ski for Light is available at bhsfl.org.
