Dogies/Bobcats see mixed result

Sonja Karp
NLJ Sports Reporter
 
The Dogie/Bobcat grapplers opened up the new decade competing in the Shane Shatto Tournament in Douglas last Friday and Saturday which drew 26 teams from all classes in Wyoming, Nebraska and Colorado. 
“It was a tough tournament like always,” head coach Lee McCoy began. “We wrestled five kids in the varsity bracket and 12 in the JV division, both of which gave our guys some great competition.” 
Of the five kids competing in the varsity division, only Blake Durfee (106) and Jory McFarland (120) lived to compete on Saturday, the second day of the tournament.
Durfee finished fifth and had a great tournament, according to McCoy. His first loss came in the quarterfinals when a Sheridan athlete got the better of him. However, Durfee turned the tables and exacted sweet revenge by beating the same kid for the fifth place spot. His only other loss was against another 4A opponent from Kelly Walsh. 
McFarland was defeated in the consolation quarterfinal round, so was just one match away from  placing. Though he went home empty handed, he was able to best a Wheatland wrestler who had beaten him in Worland before the Christmas break.
Unfortunately, the other varsity competitors fell short on Friday which McCoy admitted was a little disappointing given their losses happened because of a lack of aggressiveness on their part. 
“It was disappointing because the guys are just not really believing in themselves,” he frowned. “They are hesitating and missing out on opportunities that are being presented and not creating their own opportunities so they aren’t having very much success right now.”
McCoy attributes this to his wrestlers hesitating to take action because they are afraid to fail, which inevitably ends up costing them their matches in the end.
“They just need to get over that mind-set, because the pain of losing is so much worse when you don’t give it all you’ve got,” he nodded. 
While the competitors in the varsity bracket struggled, McCoy was very pleased with how his athletes performed in the JV division.
“The younger kids are really coming along and I was just really happy with how they wrestled last weekend,” he smiled. “There were only three who didn’t win a match and they were going up against some pretty tough competition which is awesome.” 
Aidan Coberly (138) took first and went undefeated on the weekend. Dillan Wornkey (132) also took first and was perfect as well. 
Jacob Rhoades (152) finished third in his first weekend of competition this season losing only one match in the semifinals. 
Though Weston Simianer (195) did not place, he would have been an in for fifth and sixth but they only wrestled to four places in the JV division. 
Kyah Miller (113), one of the squad’s two female wrestlers, lost both her matches over the weekend, but she made it to the second period before she got pinned in her first match and wrestled the full three periods in her second loss which was by a 9-1 decision.
“One of Kyah’s goals was to make it a full match and she did that, so that was pretty awesome,” McCoy exclaimed. “With some of the kids we have to redefine what success looks like, and this was certainly a success for her. Her goal is also to score points with a take down or a reversal or something like that.”
Miller did score a point last weekend, however it was from an escape which McCoy admitted was essentially given to her by her competitor. It’s still a point, but McCoy stressed that she wants to earn a legitimate one.
“Both she and Isabella [Spencer] are excited about going to Moorcroft in two weeks because they have a girls’ tournament,” McCoy added. “We are starting to see more and more girls out for wrestling. It’s becoming more popular and it’s a great idea because you can add another girls’ sport without having to add another coach or another program.”
Kale Corley had to sit out the weekend due to sustaining an injury to his knee during practice last week. He is currently waiting on a doctor’s prognosis regarding the rest of the season.
“It’s pretty disappointing,” McCoy frowned. “It’s a torn meniscus, so it could be worse for sure but we don’t know yet whether they will let him wait until the end of the season or if they want him to have surgery now.”
“He’s getting stronger and he says it doesn’t hurt quite as bad, but you can tell he still has some pain. He’s not telling the whole story though, because he really wants to get back as soon as he can because he’s on a mission. It’s a setback but good competitors find a way to be successful despite that.”
The Dogies will be in action at home this Friday as they host the Newcastle Invitational. McCoy expects to see 14 or 15 teams in attendance. Weigh ins begin at 8 with wrestling commencing at 10 a.m.