East's Sammy Sanchez adding to family legacy
Feb. 18—CHEYENNE — Like most wrestlers, Sammy Sanchez is carrying on a familial tradition in the sport.
"I didn't start wrestling for real until I was probably in first grade, but I've been wrestling practically since I could walk," the Cheyenne East freshman said. "It's always been wrestling for me. I never really tried other sports.
"My dad was a big wrestler, my grandpa was a huge wrestler, and my whole family pretty much wrestled."
Sanchez's father, Scott Sanchez, was a standout on the mat and later was a high school head coach. His grandfather, Ray Sanchez, is one of the most decorated prep wrestlers to ever pull on a singlet in Cheyenne.
Ray Sanchez — a member of both the University of Wyoming athletics hall of fame and the Wyoming Sports Hall of Fame — was undefeated during his Cheyenne Central career. He also was a two-time AAU freestyle national champion. He earned All-American honors as a sophomore at UW, but a back injury derailed his career.
Ray's older brother, Gil, won AAU national titles in both freestyle and Greco-Roman. Another of Ray's older brothers, Art, was a letterman at UW.
Sammy Sanchez is doing his best to add to his family's storied grappling history.
The 106-pounder is 31-13 this season. On Friday, Sanchez picked up a 7-3 decision over Sheridan freshman Cache Wood to win the Class 4A East Regional championship. He is No. 4 in WyoWrestling.com's latest 4A rankings.
Although he comes from a storied lineage, Sanchez wasn't thrust into wrestling. He developed a love for the sport naturally.
"I love going out to wrestle in big matches. I always have," he said with a wide smile.
Sanchez came into this season with lofty expectations. He has been strong in the USA Wrestling ranks growing up and beat many of this season's sophomores when he was wrestling for Carey Junior High.
"I had a lot of confidence coming into this season, and I've only gotten more confident," Sanchez said. "There have been a few kids who have handled me and been all over my butt. But I've still done pretty well, and am hoping to get back at them at state.
"It's going to be really hard, but I just have to keep working hard, and I'll get through it."
East coach Thad Trujillo has coached Sanchez with the Cheyenne Wrestling Club and at Carey. Sanchez has always had a strong work ethic but has elevated his effort during practice to match what he thought was expected at the high school level.
"He's made a lot of growth in the past 12 months and is really bought in," Trujillo said. "He's found a new gear, and had gotten a lot of confidence. It's nice to have a freshman who's not afraid to take chances and loves to compete."
Sanchez said his biggest weakness right now is getting off bottom. Trujillo would like to see Sanchez be more aggressive on his feet.
"He's already pretty aggressive, but he's got a lot of really solid leg attacks, and he just needs to get confident enough to use those in matches," Trujillo said. "He's pretty tough on top. He's taller for a 106-pounder and had giant hands, so he can get a lot of leverage.
"He's got a lot of turns up there, which has helped him get a lot of pins. He spent a good amount of the season up at 113, which has helped make him stronger once he dropped down to 106."
BOYS WRESTLING
Cheyenne athletes win regional titles
CHEYENNE — Three Cheyenne wrestlers won Class 4A East Regional titles on Friday at Storey Gym.
Cheyenne East freshman Sammy Sanchez took top honors at 106 pounds, posting two pins and a decision. Sophomore Liam Fox won the 145-pound title with three pins and a technical fall.
Cheyenne Central senior Keagan Bartlett posted three pins and a decision to win the 220-pound championship. Central's Andrew Gonzalez (126) placed second.
East's Colby Olson (182 pounds), Trevor Eldridge (195) and Charlie Green (285) were all second.
Cheyenne South had Layne Warburton (152) and Dontae Dixson (285) both place third.
Sheridan won the meet, while East was third. Central took fourth, and South was sixth.
CLASS 4A EAST REGIONAL
Cheyenne Central results
106 pounds: Smith, third, 3-1; Grimm 0-2; 113: Beal, third, 3-1; 120: Weiss, third, 4-1; Smith 0-2; 126: A. Gonzales, second, 2-1; Vigil 3-2; 132: R. Gonzales, third, 3-1; Ackerman 0-2; 138: Herget 1-2; Medina 1-2; 145: Harpstreith 0-2; Bazinet 0-2; 152: Rodriguez, fourth, 2-2; 152: West 1-2; 160: Pauley 0-2; Jones 1-2; 170: Fernandez 1-2; Young, fourth, 2-2; 182: Miller, fourth, 3-2; 195: Berta, third, 3-1; 220: K. Bartlett, first, 4-0; 285: Da. Mattimoe, fourth, 2-2.
Cheyenne East results
106 pounds: Sanchez, first, 3-0; 113: Gonzalez 1-2; Atencio 2-2; 120: Williams 2-2; Rowland 0-2; 126: Be. Whitright, third, 3-1; Hall 0-2; 132: Mansur-Holaday 2-2; Briggs 2-2; 138: Sellnow 0-2; Hamilton 0-2; 145: Fox, first, 4-0; C. Zahm 0-2; 152: Mathews 1-2; Jonas 3-2; 160: Hames, third, 5-1; 170: J. Zahm, third, 3-1; Jo. Culver 3-2; 182: Olson, second, 2-1; Van Dell 0-2; 195: Eldridge, second, 2-1; Resendiz 0-2; 220: Davis 1-2; Anderegg 2-2; 285: Green, second, 3-1; Kirkbride 2-2.
Cheyenne South results
106 pounds: Gregory 2-2; 120: S. Trujillo, fourth, 3-2; 126: C. Trujillo 0-2; 145: Henderson 0-2; Bartow 1-2; 152: Warburton, third, 4-1; D. Muela 0-2; 160: Haws 0-2; Hedum 2-2; 170: E. Muela 0-2; 182: McColl 0-2; 195: Gitchel 0-2; 220: Fish 0-2; 285: Dixson, third, 3-1.
Burns-Pine seventh at 3A East
CHEYENNE — The Burns-Pine Bluffs wrestling team scored 88 points to place seventh at the Class 3A East Regional on Friday in Douglas.
Cale Haws went 2-0 with a major decision and a pin to win the 220-pound title.
Baylen Smith was third at 126 pounds. Colby Smith (138), Clay James (152) and Tagr Holmes (195) were all fourth in their respective weight classes.
CLASS 3A EAST REGIONAL
Burns-Pine Bluffs results
120 pounds: N. WallowingBull 1-2; Cassel 0-2; 126: Ba. Smith, third, 3-1; 132: Cathcart 1-2; L. Stockton 0-2; 138: C. Smith, fourth, 3-2; 145: Sanchez, fourth, 4-2; McLaughlin 2-2; 152: C. James, fourth, 2-2; McGinnis-Sparks 1-2; 160: Archer 0-2; 170: E. James 1-2; Nusbaum 1-2; 195: Holmes, fourth, 0-2; 220: Haws, first, 2-0; 285: Stoneking 0-2.
GIRLS WRESTLING
Three from Cheyenne win titles
CHEYENNE — Three Cheyenne wrestlers won their weight classes at the Cheyenne South Girls Festival, which was contested in conjunction with the boys 4A East Regional.
South senior Hannah Soden won all four of her bouts by pin to claim the 125-pound championship.
Cheyenne Central junior Meadow King won the 145-pound weight class, going 3-0 with two pins and a technical fall. Cheyenne East freshman Kaelyn Ronnau went 2-1 to place second at 145.
East senior Elizabeth Grube won all three of her bouts by pin to capture the 135-pound championship.
Central sophomore Abby Vroman was second at 115 pounds, going 2-1. Teammate Trona Bates was runner-up at 105, posting a 3-1 record.
SOUTH GIRLS FESTIVAL
Cheyenne Central results
105 pounds: Bates, second, 3-1; Rimmasch, fifth, 0-4; 115: Vroman, second, 2-1; Garlough, third, 1-2; 125: Kant, fifth, 0-4; 145: King, first, 3-0; Murray, fourth, 0-3.
Cheyenne East results
125 pounds: VanDell, fourth, 1-3; 135: Grube, first, 3-0; 145: K. Ronnau, second, 2-1.
Cheyenne South results
105 pounds: Warner, fourth, 1-3; 125: H. Soden, first, 4-0; 170: Hockenberger, second, 1-2.
Jeremiah Johnke is the WyoSports editor. He can be reached at jjohnke@wyosports.net or 307-633-3137. Follow him on Twitter at @jjohnke.
