The Star Valley Braves capped off a strong State tournament with three individual state champions and a third place finish in the 4A classification and a team total of 181.5 points. Thunder Basin repeated as the team champion with 248 points. Natrona was second with 190 points. The Braves, who finished fourth at the 4A West Regionals last weekend, climbed the podium and finished 13.5 points in front of fourth place Green River and 43.5 points in front of Kelly Walsh, two teams who finished in front of them the weekend before.

Individually, history was made as Tel Parry became the school’s first four-time state champion as he capped his high school career with a major decision over Santiago Cruz of Rock Springs (10-2) at 144 pounds. In his three other matches, Parry won by fall in 90 seconds, recorded a 13-1 major decision and a 19-1 technical fall. He finished his quest for four titles with a senior season record of 47-1. 

Younger brother Kimball, will be in the same shoes next season after battling through the 132-pound bracket and won his third state title as a junior over Lincoln Young of Rock Springs. The final was a 6-2 decision. After never having a four-time state champion, the Star Valley program will have the opportunity to have them in back-to-back seasons. Kimball finished his junior season with a record of 35-4. 

One of the most difficult parts of even having the opportunity to try and win four titles is the elusive freshman state championship. Tel and Kimball Parry both accomplished this feat and so did another newcomer this season as Caleb Lawrence won the 120 pound title with an 11-10 decision over Thunder Basin’s Lucas Stirling. Lawrence finished his first high school season with a record of 39-7. 

In all, the Braves had eight placers and nine team members who added to their point total. Cooper Sessions (113) and Cael Hoopes (165) both fought their way back through the other side of the bracket to finish third. Senior Kolbe Merritt (150) finished fourth and Owen Parry (138) finished sixth. 

Of the qualifying members of the team, those that are eligible to return next season include Sessions (113), Lawrence (120), Kimball Parry (132), Maxwell Jirak (132), Owen Parry (138),  Bridger Putnam (138),  Boone Foreman (144), Calvin Green (150), Hazen Hess (157), Hoopes (165), Tucker Hendricks (175) and Carson Clapp (190).

With yet another Top-3 finish at the State tournament, the Braves have now finished in the top three spots in their classification of competition 24 times in the last 28 seasons. That includes nine state championships and eight runner-up finishes. Since 1999 the program has never finished lower than fifth including both 3A and 4A classifications. 

4A Boys Final Team Scores
Thunder Basin 248
Natrona County 190
Star Valley 181.5
Green River 168
Cheyenne East 166
Kelly Walsh 138.5
Sheridan 127
Laramie 88
Central 82
Evanston 77
Campbell County 53
Riverton 52
Rock Springs 51.5
Jackson 28
South 7

Star Valley Placers
113 Cooper Sessions (3rd)
120 Caleb Lawrence (1st)
132 Kimball Parry (1st)
138 Owen Parry (6th)
144 Tel Parry (1st)
150 Kolbe Merritt (4th)
165 Cael Hoopes (3rd)
215 Elijah Matautia (4th)