Six advance to state — Christensen earns regional honors in Glenrock
Teigen Marchant’s Dogies weathered an emotional and physical grind at the 3A East Regional Tournament in Glenrock and are sending six wrestlers to the 3A State Championships in Casper on Feb. 26-28.
Asic Dawson, Micheal Coombs, TJ Harrington, Dane Crabtree, Noah Williams Gardner and Troy Christensen each secured state berths in a tournament Marchant described as a roller coaster.
“Coming into this week, I was genuinely excited — I felt like every one of our kids was on track,” Marchant said.
The opening rounds tested Newcastle’s younger wrestlers.
“The start of the day was a little bumpy. A few of our freshmen drew some really tough opening matches, but we settled in quickly and started gaining traction,” he said.
One of the early momentum shifts came from freshman Micheal Coombs. Seeded sixth entering the regional tournament, Coombs earned a critical win that energized the Dogies.
“Michael Coombs … got a much-needed win — and that moment really shifted the team’s attitude,” Marchant said. “I’ve never been more proud of a first-year wrestler’s willingness to learn — and his ability to fully trust his body and athleticism when he steps out on the mat. I’m super excited to see how his state journey plays out.”
Dawson, another freshman who has competed all season undersized against larger opponents, also punched his ticket to state.
Newcastle’s upperclassmen helped stabilize the lineup as the tournament unfolded.
Crabtree, still managing an injury from earlier this season, earned key victories at 165 pounds — including a technical fall over Glenrock’s A. Daniels — to guarantee his return trip to state.
Gardner received a first-round bye and fought through two difficult matches to secure his berth.
Christensen endured one of the weekend’s toughest paths. He dropped an overtime match to a Glenrock opponent but battled back to stay alive and later saw the same wrestler in the third- and fourth-place match. His placement earned regional honors and strengthened his seeding for state.
Harrington, a sophomore who recently dropped to 150 pounds, also navigated high-pressure “blood round” competition to claim his state spot.
Unfortunately, two Dogies met in a win-or-go-home situation. Christensen and Harrington advanced, while Nolan Gregory and Cayson Phillips saw their seasons conclude in Glenrock.
“Overall, our 2026 regional tournament was a roller coaster, but we’re grateful and proud to be sending six contestants to the state tournament, with one earning regional honors,” Marchant said.
With six qualifiers advancing, the Dogies now turn their focus to Casper and the final weekend of the season.
3A East Regional Tournament
Feb. 20-21, Glenrock
Newcastle results
106: Asic Dawson, state qualifier.
113: Micheal Coombs, state qualifier.
138: Troy Christensen, state qualifier, regional placer.
150: TJ Harrington, state qualifier.
165: Dane Crabtree, state qualifier.
190: Noah Williams Gardner, state qualifier.
Also competing:
150: Nolan Gregory.
138: Cayson Phillips.
144: Adam Butler.
157: Owen Evenson.