Wind River had a solid wrestling team in 1977 under head coach Robert Blackwell. The Cougars finished second to Saratoga with 97.5 team points. Seniors that year were Don Runner, who finished third at 138 pounds, Trent Blankenship, a state champion at 167, Nick Harris, the 155-pound state champion, and Gilbert Gaudern, who won the title at 185 pounds. Don Runner’s younger brother, Mark, was the runner-up at 112 pounds.
Tragically, Don Runner was killed in an automobile accident involving a drunk driver while on his way to work just after he graduated on May 31, 1977.
A year later, the longest-running small-school wrestling tournament in Wyoming began in his honor. The Don Runner Tournament was once the equivalent of the Ron Thon, though for smaller schools.
The tournament has dwindled in recent years with a revolving door of Activities Directors at Wind River High School, but will return with adjustments, dedication, and hard work by the present Cougar AD, Todd Ghormley.
This year, eight teams competed in a one-day tournament. Buffalo, Dubois, Glenrock, Hanna, Elk Mountain, Wind River, Lander, and Wyoming Indian all brought varsity squads, while Riverton brought a mixed group of junior varsity and varsity girls and their younger boys.
No team scores were taken.
Many weight classes were combined to create competitive brackets with both the boys and girls.
Wind River had four individual champions, with Aislynn Vroman winning the combined 100-105 class, Lily Hill taking gold in the 120-125 combined division, and Olivia Remacle winning 130. Isabel Musalem won the combined 190-235 division.
Lander had three champions in Jenna Simon at 135, Elizabeth Gribowskas at 155, and Harlie Velarde at 170.
On the boy’s side, host Wind River had a pair of champions with Talon Walker winning the combined 106-110 weight class and Camron Horn winning at 150
Lander also had a pair of gold medalists with Noah Irvine taking 126, and Billy Velarde winning at 157 pounds.
Wyoming Indian’s talented 285-pound wrestler Ben Niedo continued an outstanding season, beating teammate Roland Burton in the championship match.
Harlie Velarde takes first place for the Lady Tigers at the Don Runner Saturday in Pavilion. h/t Carl Cote Lander’s Elizabeth Gribowskas and Wyoming Indian’s Jaelah Blackburn take first and second at the Don Runner.h/t Carl Cote Scarlet Frude and Keeley Walker place first and second after close battle for the Don Runner title at 135. h/t Carl Cote Wind River’s Olivia Remacle and Riverton’s Kayleigh Tillman take first and second place at 130 Saturday, h/t Carl Cote 
Wind River’s Lilly Hill wins first place at 120lbs Saturday at the Don Runner. h/t Carl Cote Aislynn Vroman and Taylor Freeman place first and second at the Don Runner at 100-105lbs Saturday. h/t Carl Cote
Champions – h/t Carl Cote
Girls Individual Results
100-105: 1. Aislynn Vroman, WR, 2. Taylor Freeman, LAN, 4. Cassidy Shaffer, LAN
Championship – Aislynn Vroman, WR over Taylor Freeman, LAN Fall 3:30
Third Place – Daisy Butterfield, BUF over Cassidy Shaffer, LAN Dec 5-3
110-115: 1. Alaina McNees, HEM, 2. Kiera Big Knife, LAN
Championship – Alaina McNees, HEM over Kiera Big Knife, LAN Fall 5:29
120-125: 1. Lily Hill, WR, 3. Kendal Kostreva, LAN, 4. TyAnne Cooper, WR
Championship – Lily Hill, WR over Gillian Holman, GLN Fall :53
Third Place: Kendall Kostreva, LAN over TyAnne Cooper, WR Fall 5:28
130: 1. Olivia Remacle, WR, 2. Kayleigh Tillman, RIV
Championship – Olivia Remacle, WR over Kayleigh Tillman, RIV Tech Fall 5:05 19-4
135: 1. Jenna Simon, LAN, 2. Keeley Walker, WR, 3. Scarlet Frude, LAN
Championship: Jenna Simon, LAN over Keeley Walker, WR Fall 5:44
155: 1. Elizabeth Gribowskas, LAN, 2. Jaelah Blackburn, WI
Championship – Elizabeth Gribowskas, LAN over Jaelah Blackburn, WI Fall :37
170: 1. Harlie Velarde, LAN, 3. Fiona Stahlbaum, RIV
Championship – Harlie Velarde, LAN over Kayden Light, BUF Fall 1:14
190-235: 1. Isabel Musalem, WR, 2. Juana Hines, WR
Championship – Isabel Musalem, WR over Juana Hines, WR Fall 1:49
Wyoming Indian’s Roland Burton and Lander’s Hayden St. Clair at 285 – Randy Tucker Fellow Lady Tigers Sofija Womack and Kiera Big Knife battled – Randy Tucker Lily Hill worked above Lander’s Kendall Kostreva – Randy Tucker Lander’s Hayden St. Clair battled Kaleb Evon of Riverton – Randy Tucker Wyoming Indian’s Jaleah Blackburn and Elizabeth Chaffin of Hanna Elk Mountain – Randy Tucker Elizabeth Gribowskas worked against Hanna’s Elizabeth Chaffin – Randy Tucker Wind River senior Aislynn Vroman about to pin Daisy Butterfield of Buffalo – Randy Tucker Riverton’s Gage Franceway tries to escape the control of Lander’s Trent Oakley at the Don Runner. h/t Carl Cote Fiona Stahlbaum wrestles in her final round for Riverton Saturday. h/t Carl Cote Lander freshman Avery Coffman eyes up his oponent in the afternoon rounds at the Don Runner. h/t Carl Cote Rayghin Harris tries to fend off Crimson Tarness of Dubois from the bottom Saturday at the Don Runner. h/t Carl Cote Wyoming Indian senior Roland Burton goes for the pin on Riverton’s Kaleb Evon. h/t Carl Cote Lander’s Kendal Kostreva battles from the bottom against Wind River’s Tyanne Cooper. h/t Carl Cote
Don Runner Action – h/t Carl Cote – Randy Tucker
Boys Individual Results
106-110: 1. Talon Walker, WR, 3. Collin Thompson, RIV
Championship – Talon Walker, WR over Tyrus Connors, BUF Fall 1:31
Third Place – Collin Thompson, RIV over Wyatt Rhamy, GLN Dec 7-4
120: 1. Rian Selby, GLN, 2. Dax Platt, LAN, 3. Braden Ghormley, LAN
Championship – Rian Selby, GLN over Dax Platt, LAN Fall :47
Third Place – Braden Ghormley, LAN over Wesley Morris, BUF Tech Fall 17-1 2:50
126: 1. Noah Irvine, LAN, 3. Ryan Small, LAN
Championship – Noah Irvine, LAN over Teague Duncan, BUF Fall 2:49
132-138: 1. Brody Allen, GLN
144: 1. Wes Holman, GLN, 3. Avery Coffman, LAN
Third Place – Avery Coffman, LAN over Jesus Garcia, GLN Fall :58
150: 1. Camron Horn, WR, 3. Trent Oakley, LAN
Championship – Camron Horn, WR over Carson Bergstreser, BUF Fall :35
157: 1. Billy Velarde, LAN, 2. Ben Synder, WR
Championship – Billy Velarde, LAN over Ben Snyder, WR Tech Fall 21-5 4:41
165: 1. Kelton Stewart, GLN, 4. Joe Duke, RIV, 5. Ryan Carver, RIV
Third place – Khanan Caston, GLN over Joe Duke, RIV Fall 1:03
175: 1. Joel Williams, GLN, 2. Michael Sparks, WR
Championship – Joel Williams, GLN over Michael Sparks, WR Fall :22
190: 1. Kyler Sorenson, GLN, 2. Logan Jensen, WR
Championship – Kyler Sorenson, GLN over Logan Jensen, WR Fall 2:47
215: 1. Brady Calmes, GLN
285: 1. Ben Niedo, WI, 2. Roland Burton, WI, 4. Kaleb Evon, RIV
Championship – Ben Niedo, WI over Roland Burton, WI Fall 2:29
Third Place: Gene Hersley, GLN over Kaleb Evon, RIV Fall 2:00