Setbacks helped Cheyenne East junior Liam Fox roll through Top of the Rockies

Jan. 24—CHEYENNE — The saying "you either win or you learn" has become overused to the point of cliché.

However, it's also true because of athletes like Liam Fox. The Cheyenne East junior loses wrestling matches so infrequently he can't help but learn from the defeats.

Fox used what he gleaned from two setbacks at an elite tournament in California to win this past weekend's Top of the Rockies Invitational, which is one of the toughest tournaments on the Thunderbirds' schedule.

Fox went 4-0 with a pin and a technical fall to win the 150-pound bracket at Top of the Rockies in Lafayette, Colorado. He also picked up dual wins against Kelly Walsh and Eaton, Colorado, to finish the week 6-0.

Those efforts earned Fox Prep Athlete of the Week honors from WyoSports' Cheyenne staff.

Coach Thad Trujillo said this was the most complete week of wrestling he's seen from Fox during his East career. That's no small feat considering Fox already has two Wyoming Class 4A state championships to his name.

"He didn't really make any mistakes, and the ones he did he wrestled hard and recovered from," Trujillo said. "He stayed in position and was pretty tactical with what attacks he was shooting. He was reading what guys were doing in the early part of the match and finding holes and ways to get to their legs."

Fox agrees.

"After some of my harder matches, I went into the stands and talked to my dad and told him I felt like I was wrestling the best I ever have," he said. "I felt like I was in a zone. I was using my technique and everything felt really good. I was figuring out how to put two and two together and keep things going.

"I felt good in my stance and with my cardio. Everything came together."

Fox is hesitant to describe himself as being in a hurry to make things happen previously, but he admits to sometimes diving for a leg instead of setting up a higher-percentage shot.

"It's always been go, go, go and trying to score without always having the most thoughtful attacks," Fox said. "Sometimes, that's a little sloppy. This weekend, I was being thoughtful, kind of patient and taking really solid shots."

Fox has been able to make a fearless approach work throughout his career, but it got him in trouble at the Doc Buchanan Invitational in Clovis, California. That tournament features wrestlers with résumés every bit as decorated as Fox's. He went 1-2 in that event. He gave up a takedown with 37 seconds remaining in his opening bout against Henry Dillingham of West Linn, Oregon, and lost 3-1. Dillingham eventually finished sixth.

Fox rebounded with a 17-1 technical fall against Wiley Eicher of Brush, Colorado. He scored 11 points in the second period, including six points from three near-falls. Fox closed the tournament by being pinned by Marcus Caro of Rancho Bernardo, California, in 2 minutes, 18 seconds.

"It was an eye-opening experience," Fox said. "I realized the stuff that works here doesn't work at that level. It put in perspective where I needed to be and what I needed to do to get to the next level. I used that in my wrestling this weekend trying to keep it smart and thoughtful, and that helped."

Fox has had his sights set on competing at the Doc Buchanan Invite since his freshman season at East. However, Trujillo thought it was best to wait a few years to try to earn a spot in that event. Unlike some national tournaments that divide into grade levels, Buchanan is an all-class event that could be especially difficult for underclassmen.

Fox has always been mature beyond his years on the mat, but waiting until this season was particularly beneficial because he's able to better digest the losses and find teaching points in them.

"I'm glad I got that experience," Fox said. "I learned what it's like to get destroyed by an elite level wrestler, but I also had a close match that went down to the wire. I'm only going to be better for having that experience."

Others recognized for their efforts include:

n Brady Benne, boys diving, Cheyenne Central: The freshman won the 1-meter diving competition at Tuesday's quadrangular at Cheyenne East and during a dual win over East.

n Carsten Freeburg, boys basketball, Pine Bluffs: The sophomore averaged 21 points to help the Hornets go 1-1 on the week, losing to Mitchell, Nebraska, before beating Burns.

n Gracin Goff and Kaelyn Ronnau, girls wrestling, Cheyenne East: Goff, a senior, was 5-1 with three pins to place third in the 190-pound bracket at the Tiara Challenge in Castle Rock, Colorado.

Ronnau, a sophomore, placed second in the 155-pound weight class at the same tournament by going 5-1 with five pins. She also tallied a pin during the Lady Thunderbirds' dual win over visiting Kelly Walsh.

n Jordan Griess, girls basketball, Burns: The senior guard averaged 15 points per game to help the Lady Broncs beat Lusk and Pine Bluffs.

n Kaiana Garlough and Abby Vroman, girls wrestling, Central: Garlough, a senior, was 5-1 with four pins in the 115-pound bracket at the Tiara Challenge in Castle Rock, Colorado.

Vroman, a junior, was 6-1 with four pins in the 110-pound weight class.

n Cashlynn Haws, girls basketball, East: The sophomore averaged 17 points to help the Lady Thunderbirds pick up wins over Laramie and Cheyenne South.

n Cam Hayes, boys basketball, East: The senior averaged 17 points to help the Thunderbirds go 1-1 on the week, losing at Laramie and beating Cheyenne South. He scored 24 points and pulled down 11 rebounds against South.

n CharleMarie Jackson, Kinzley Nusbaum and Nichole Sumare, girls wrestling, Burns-Pine Bluffs: Jackson, a senior, was 2-1 with two pins to place second in the 155-pound bracket at the Lander Invitational.

Nusbaum, a junior, was 3-1 with two pins to place third in the 140-pound division.

Sumare, a freshman, was 3-0 with three pins to claim the championship in the 145-pound weight class.

n Joe Sawyer and Sammy Shumway, boys basketball, Central: Sawyer, a senior, averaged 17 points per game to help the Indians pick up wins over Cheyenne South and Laramie.

Shumway, also a senior, averaged 15 points in those contests.

n Karson Tempel, girls basketball, Central: The junior averaged 20.5 points to help the Lady Indians go 1-1 on the week, beating Cheyenne South and losing to Laramie.

Jeremiah Johnke is the WyoSports editor. He can be reached at jjohnke@wyosports.net or 307-633-3137. Follow him on X at @jjohnke.