Brody is the Best: Herder freshman delivers upset in finale to win 2A state championship

     Glenrock High School wrestler Brody Allen just knew his chances of winning a state championship was slim as a freshman. Being the new kid on the block with no varsity experience in the 113-pound weight class against a lot of veteran talent and a two-time defending state champion, he just wanted a chance to place anywhere on the podium.

That chance turned into a dream Feb. 24 at the state tournament in Casper. Just one year after competing as an eighth grader, Allen shocked everyone  – including himself – by winning every match at the 2A finals and delivered a stunner in the title bout to win the state championship.

“I just wanted to place. Getting top six would have been awesome,” said Allen, who received a hero’s welcome back home with a police and fire escort through town. “Winning state is such a dream as a freshman.”

Allen’s clean sweep culminated in a David vs. Goliath match in the championship. He faced  Moorcroft’s Dayne Humes, who has the best record in Wyoming at 48-5 and had won state every year of high school. 

Allen had never defeated Humes but was not afraid of the challenge. He made that clear as the Glenrock faithful cheered him on to a thrilling 7-4 decision and state championship victory.

“I needed to be mentally tougher. Wrestling is mostly mental, and I had to be to mentally tougher to  win,” Allen explained. “I needed to be able to take the hits and give hits. He is a lot taller than me but I’m stronger, and I used that to my advantage.”

Allen, who finished his rookie season with a stunning 33-11 record, used previous defeats against Humes as tools and motivation to beat the defending champ when it mattered the most. 

“I knew I had a chance. He beat me during the season and two weeks ago for the regional championship, so we knew what to expect,” Allen said of the rematch. “My coaches told me it’s tough for a wrestler to beat someone every match in one season. I know I’m shorter than him but I believe that made me stronger and quicker so I relied on my strengths and stayed mentally tough to get him.”

He knew he struck gold before time ran out.

“I got up off of him with five seconds left and knew it was over, and so did he because he just laid there. I jumped up, yelled ‘Lets go!’ and the ref raised my arm as the winner,” Allen said. “I promised my teammates I would do something if I won so I did back flips on the mat and I went and jumped on my coaches. It was an incredible feeling to beat him and win a state championship as a freshman.”

This prize has been a decade in the making for Glenrock’s newest state champion. The road to the title included a win by fall over Tel Marchant of Sundance (1:38) and a 6-0 decision over Landon Rhyne of Wind River.

“I’ve wrestled a long time with the wrestling club and all those years was for this . . . to be ready for high school wrestling and have a chance to win state one day. I did it,” Allen said.

The big Herder weekend also included an impressive performance by Preston Sorensen at 175 pounds. He won four out of five matches to capture third place at state.

Sorensen’s run to the podium started with a forfeit against Malachi Litz of Shoshoni and a pin against Bridger Anderson from Kemmerer at 3:43 to reach the semifinals.

The only setback of the weekend followed against eventual champ Ty Strohschein of Greybull/Riverside. Sorensen stormed back be taking down  Spencer Cuthrell from Moorcroft via pin at 0:27 and took third by fall over Tiegen Thompson from Lingle-Ft. Laramie/Southeast (1:42).

At 138, Clayton Ailport added a state win to his resume after beating TJ Watkins of Tongue River by pin at 4:13. Lonnie Masopust also scored some state success at 157 by fall over Garrett Wiggins from Greybull/Riverside (2:34).

GHS standout JD Holman, who bounced back from a football injury, ended his career with another victory in 165s after he pinned Colton Cutter of Lingle-Ft. Laramie/Southeast at 0:15.

On the girls’ mat, the road is a little tougher as all athletes from every size school compete in the same brackets. That didn’t slow the Herders as three of the four qualifiers captured state victories.

Gillian Holman followed her stellar first year of high school with another run to state. The sophomore won four of her six matches to capture fifth place at 120 pounds.

Holman was all business right out of the gate and made quick work of Brie Dollick from Upton with a pin at 0:39.

Holman was denied in the second round. She bounced back and won by fall against Alexis Angell of Star Valley (4:05) and pinned Gillette’s LouAnn Bryant at 2:01.

The Herder fell short in her fifth match but met the challenge in the fifth-place showdown where she pinned Rhaychele Cole of Lyman at 2:21.

In a battle of 140s, Bailey Mueller collected two state wins. She won by fall over Abby Knopp from Central (4:30) and won by fall over Rachel Gertsch from Central (1:45).

Julia Skinner didn’t leave Casper without a victory. She came out on top against Kailey Allen from Thermopolis with a pin at 2:11.