On January 26 and 27, the Powell Panther wrestling team headed to Riverton where they competed in the Ron Thon Memorial wrestling tournament. The tournament brought in 46 schools and over 1,000 wrestlers in varsity, junior varsity, and a girl’s division. Ron Thon is what some call the “all-state” tournament due to the fact that almost every school comes to the tournament, and it is not split into classes like the state tournament is. 

Senior Jimmy Dees went in seeded as number 1 in the 215-weight bracket, claimed the top spot and secured a belt. This is the second year in a row that a Panther has won this prestigious tournament. Dees also got his 100th career varsity win. Which is an accomplishment because most high school wrestlers don’t even wrestle 100 varsity matches. 

“I didn’t expect to be the one seed, I thought I was probably going to be the three seed,” Dees said. “But they gave me the one seed and I thought I would take it and run with it.” 

In Dees’ championship match against Riverton High School senior Ryan Watson, he battled his way to the prominent “Ron Thon belt” that all Wyoming high school wrestlers dream of winning. 

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Abby Eaton

Gabriel Whiting winning a match

“Ryan Watson, I pinned him in a minute last weekend in the finals for Lander and at Ron Thon it ended up being a one-point match,” Dees said. “He definitely thought about doing everything that he could and wrestled really well.” 

Sophomore Allison Leblanc was the only girls placer off the team, at the “inaugural” girls division of the tournament. She placed third in the 110-weight bracket, placing one better than she did last year.

“Last year there were only like four girls in my bracket, it was kind of just a round robin,” Leblanc said. “I was definitely different and more spaced out. I feel like it was better this year.” 

Juniors McKale Foley and Doug Betttger placed sixth and fifth in their respective weight brackets. 

“After this last weekend, I am hoping to get better on my feet,” junior Mckale Foley said. “Be able to take down some kids I lost to at Ron Thon.” 

The Panthers will compete in their last duel of the season on Thursday at home. Regionals and State will follow soon after.