The Mountain View High School wrestling teams were in Casper over the weekend for the 3A State Wrestling Championships, with the Buffalos finishing eighth overall; the Lady Buffs contingent finished 39th.

For the boys, Levi Jones reached the championship semifinals at 175 pounds; Mountain View came up just short in its quest for an individual title, but finished eighth as a team, returning home with four medals.

The Lady Buffs only qualified three for the tournament; though none of the three reached the podium, two of them — Abby Turner at 135 pounds and Lila Callister at 140 pounds — won matches and scored team points.

Buffalos

MVHS junior Levi Jones ended his first season in Wyoming with a third-place finish at 175 pounds; senior Landon Solaas finished fifth at 165 pounds. Junior Colter Tims (157 pounds) and freshman Mason Tims (285 pounds) rounded out the MV placers with 6th-place finishes.

After pins over Lucas Chandler (Lyman) and Preston Sorensen (Glenrock) to open the tournament, Jones squared off against Mitchel Wainscott (Powell) in the semifinals, losing to the eventual 175-pound runner-up by technical fall.

Jones rebounded with a pin over Rudy Hall (Lovell) in the consolation semifinals, then pinned Preston Sorensen (Glenrock) to claim third place.

At 165 pounds, Solaas opened the tournament strong, with a pin over Bryken Kelly (Pinedale). A loss in the quarterfinals to Kaden Romig (Torrington) dropped Solaas to the consolation rounds, where he posted back-to-back wins — a tech fall over Traeton Paquette (Douglas) and a pin over Riggs Reeves (Mountain View) — to advance to the consolation semifinals. A loss to Alex Sitz (Cody) dropped Solaas to the 5th-place match, though he ended the weekend on a high note – a pin over Kaden Romig (Torrington) – to finish fifth.

After a loss at 157 pounds to open the tournament, Colter Tims rattled off three straight pins — over Owen Hill (Lovell), Brayden Dykes (Torrington) and Dane Crabtree (Newcastle) — to advance to the consolation semis. Losses to Brendan Woodard (Torrington) and Cody Seifert (Powell) rounded out Solaas’ tournament, through he earned a spot on the podium with a 6th-place finish.

Mason Tims pinned Xakery Aleman (Lyman) at 285 pounds to open the tournament, though a loss to Lucas Peterson (Rawlins) in the quarterfinals dropped the freshman to the consolation rounds. Tims recorded back-to-back pins over James Emmett (Powell) and Jared Taylor (Rawlins) to advance to the consolation semis; losses to Wyatt Barton (Cody) and Xakery Aleman (Lyman) ended Tims’ tournament, but not before he earned a 6th-place medal for his efforts.

Other Buffalo wrestlers who won matches at state included Clayton Sawyer at 150 pounds (1-2) and Riggs Reeves at 165 pounds.

Lady Buffs

The Lady Buffalos qualified three for the state tournament — Jessi Lamoreaux at 115 pounds, Abby Turner at 135 pounds and Lila Callister at 140 pounds — and while there were no visits to the podium, all three wrestled with pride and heart.

After an opening-round loss, Turner won back-to-back matches — a pin over Kyera Gustafson (Hulett) and an 8-0 major decision over Lina Rodriguez (Cheyenne Central) — before a loss to Nalani Jordan (Powell) ended her tournament.

At 140 pounds, Callister pinned Nadia Harding (Moorcroft) for her one win of the tournament.