" I find it amazing that you would print a comment from a wrestler who did not wrestle whom she was suppose to, but chickened out and wrestled a new wrestler. Natrona had other wrestlers, males who wrestled awesome and you chose to use comments of one who didn't even wrestle who she was suppose to. That match would have been much better if she would have wrestled who she faced off with. In 40 years of wrestling I have never seen such a fiasco. A young man would never have been able to back out of a match. I feel if girls want to wrestle they should have to wrestle were they match up. As my daughters say "Cowboy UP! "

" I agree with the first comment written. If that girl did not want to wrestle who she was suppose to wrestle then she should have forfetied or buck up. She weighed in at 112, the young man that wrestled 112 for Natrona weighed in at 119. The wrestlers weighed in and were introduced the they weighed in. Just before the match of 112, the coaches switched the line up. What is this saying to our children, that coaches and teams will do what ever it takes to win. You should have the whole truth before printing your story. I don't agree with girls wrestling young men in the first place as we teach our young men not to touch in inappropriate places. What kind of parents let their daughters wrestle and be touched when they have hit the maturity level. "

" Now let me get this straight...the girl weighed in at 112 and moved UP one weight class and still pinned the Gillette kid? Amazing! Hats off to her! It is nice to see the 5x Powerhouse State Champ fans all rattled about a 112 pound Freshman Girl. GIllette Reader...what Varisty boys sports do your daughters do? You must mean Cowgirl up! "

" As a mother raising two teenage boys and who are also friends of the young man, that lost to an unfair act of trickery during the match last Friday @ Natrona. This young man has been taught by his parents to have a high standard of morals, this lifetime of parental guidence had to be set aside last Friday night when at the last moment (much to his coachs and his surprise) as he walked out on the mat he was faced wrestling a young lady, not the young man that he had been matched with. From what I understand the only way to get out of the pinning head and arm move is for the opponent (in this case, the young man) being pinned is to wrap his legs around the opponent from behind and try to roll on top and all of this is ok because that is the name of the game. I don't think so! Are we to raise this "New Millennium" generation of young men to think it is ok to throw, wrench, "man" handle women all in the name of competition? None of that is or will ever be ok with this mom! As a women of very strong opinions on women having non-discriminatory treatment, I am terrified of the ramifications if a young man was to "throw some moves" on a young lady any where else in public. I know there are a lot of "old fashioned" readers who feel the same way. Speak up people; this world is forcing us upstanding moral parents into a corner! If young ladies want to play physical contact sports, build them their own program. This would further allow our young men and young ladies to treat each other with the respect they all deserve! "

" What trickery? Those boys know that there is a girl on the team. That boy did not lose to trickery, he lost to a head and arm. Both the boy that wrestled at 112 (Neil) and Jessica weighed in at 112. Have you ever wrestled KW? You never know who you are going to wrestle...they switch everyone around to win. I think that is the point!
Girls do not have other girls to wrestle in Wyoming at this level. Have you seen the olympics and college girl's wrestling? How do you think they get to that point? Jessica is an upstanding young lady with very high morals herself. I refuse to believe that this is a moral issue at all. Some people say she wrestles good for a girl. Actually, she wrestles good for a boy, too. There is a Lusk girl that placed at State last year, as well as a Rawlins girl that is pretty good. Watch out...they are coming. As you say... you need to get into the "New Millennium" and GET OVER IT!!!! "

" It's trickery when at the last minute you aren't wrestling who you faced off with at the start of the match, and that trickery comes from the coach. Where are HIS morals when he takes a "win at all cost" attitude?? I agree we're in the new millennium, but does that mean we have to quit modeling good morals and ethics for our kids? No! It means we should be diligent in teaching them to be outstanding citizens, and that includes teaching them not to treat girls and women degradingly. I, too, believe that girls should have their own program built in wrestling. That in itself would probably lead to MORE girls wrestling. It's not a matter of "getting over it" either.... I'm sure Jessica is an upstanding you lady, but Trey is also an upstanding young MAN, and has very supportive and respectable parents who have given him the upbringing many of our youngsters lack in today's society. Because he has been taught proper morals he wasn't able to wrestle to his full potential with Jessica, and I don't see Friday night's fiasco as being very fair. "

" Just to let eveyone know, we are over it, if there was anything to GET OVER, and that is because we have a tremendous coaching staff, we have a heck of wrestling team, and we have the support of so many people within our community in and out of wrestling, but everyone has their own opinion on any matter. That is what makes this country so great. I dont think it is all about the wrestling mat. It is also about girls playing football or any other sport that doesnt have a girls team to compete at. Both of these children have been caught in a war that should never have been. I am sure Jessica is a fine young lady, but my son is a very fine young man. What happened at Natrona should have never had happened, but since it did people have the right to speak their opinion. Natrona fans calll it competing at the edge. Gillette fans call it trickery or having no morals. I want everyone to know, that I am very proud of my son, for going out and wrestling, maybe not to his ability, maybe it was, but he did not forfeit and he wrestled in the weight class he was suppose to. You cant win for losing in a situation like this. If he would have forfeited because of the morals he has been taught on how to treat ladys, he would have been called a chicken or probably worse than that by Natrona fans and the newspaper. If he would have won, it would have been, oh she is only a girl, she is lighter than you, maybe, as we dont know what the actual weights were. But, since he got pinned by her, she has been made the hero because she is a girl. I am sure she is a very good wrestler. So, my question is why didn't she wrestle where she weighed in at and my other question is, would this have happened if both of Natrona's wrestlers were boys? Maybe next time everyone should get credit, such as all the young men that did wrestle hard and have 1 and 2 point matches to win or even if they lost. Sometimes we need to look past the winning and losing, and we need to look at what we are teaching our children because as we all know, winning is not what it is all about. "

" Let's talk trickery and "win at all cost" attitude. Trey has wrestled the WHOLE season at 112 and for the NC match, moved up to 119 because they knew he could not beat her, not because of his morals. How stupid. That is bologna that he didn't wrestle to his full potential. There is not much you can do when you are stuck in a head and arm position like he was...watch the tape...he tried everything from punching her in the face (she has the bruises to prove it) to wrapping around. She had him stuck big time. Most boys wrestle twice as hard against her because they do not want to be beat "by a girl". If it is such a moral issue, he should have forfeited then...He had the choice... GET OVER IT because she is not going away!!!!!! "

" To "Whatever": Can you just GET OVER IT when someone badmouths Jessica???? Moving Trey up to 119 was not a decision that was made minutes before the match.....he was wrestling AT THE WEIGHT HE WEIGHED IN AT AND WHERE HE FACED OFF and that's mostly what this whole conversation is about. The decision to move Jessica to another weight class was made AFTER the face off, and that's where the issue of "trickery" comes into play in the first place. In regards to morals: Trey does have good morals, and it's not YOUR place to say he should be able to wrestle her like a boy just because there are others who can. We know she's not "going away", nor do any of us expect that. What we do expect however, is the newspaper, the coaches and the fans to be fair and honest. Trey and Jessica were not the only wrestlers that night: there were MANY others, on both teams, who wrestled very well, and I think we need to be supportive of all of them. As RESPONSIBLE adults, we need to be modeling this for the kids.
So "whatever"......how about you just GET OVER IT????? "

" If this is true, why are you hiding behind "whatever" and not putting your real name to the letter. Just for your information, from what I understand Trey has not wrestled 112 for the WHOLE season. This is suppose to be comments, not a bashing war with the use of children. You "whatever" have just bashed a 15 year old boy, I hope you are proud of yourself. From what I can read noone on these comments has bashed Jessica like you just did Trey, you my friend has stepped over the line. How about lets everybody get over it including you "whatever." I hope that the newspaper will take this off soon as I can tell right now this could get very ugly and the only ones that are going to get hurt by this is Trey and Jessica. Hopefully they will not read what is being written and the accusations that is written by some people. "

" Why is it that you (what seems to be the same person) keep avoiding the issue of "what are we teaching our children"? I would like a good, rational, no chip on the shoulder and well thought out response from this person about how they think young men should treat young ladies on and off the mat. If a young lady was to get thrown around in any other situtation, is it ok because she ask for it? No it isn't! But by young ladies going out on the mat they are saying it is ok. Isn't this a mixed message? "

" The fact of the matter is Jessica did not wrestle who she faced off. That's the plain and simple truth that everyone in that gym witnessed. As "whatever" so blatantly states is "stupid", is in fact a not so good decision by the Natrona coach. What he was thinking we may never know, but it certainly doesn't look good on his part. So to the person who keeps saying we should just "get over it".... maybe you should practice what you preach. We know Jessica is here to stay. So what? Just because she will continue to wrestle doesn't mean a good decision was made on Friday night....a decision I'm sure she had nothing to do with. I hope she continues to wrestle and do well, as I wish for all the BOYS as well. "

" I, too, would like to hear a response from the one eluding the issue of "what are we teaching our children". Morals and ethics encompass many forms of our lives, both on and off the wrestling mat. We teach our young men to not hit or touch women inappropriately, but yet we ask them to forget these teachings when they wrestle with a girl. It's not a matter of girls wrestling, but how we can figure out how to let them (and boys) wrestle unconditionally without fear of retalliation. Additionally, those morals and ethics should be modeled by coaches and adults. We are entrusting our children to them, and personally, I don't want my child watching someone do something morally or ethically wrong and thinking it's okay. You, 'whatever" have no idea of the dynamics of Gillette's wrestling program. We were not idle over the holdiday break. We wrestled competitively, and there were wrestle-off's at practice. Trey wasn't moved to 119 because he couldn't beat Jessica...and he certainly didn't move to 119 after facing off at 112. THAT is the issue "whatever". Quit hiding and give us (to quote a recent response) a good, rational, no-chip-on-the-shoulder, well thought-out response. Enough bashing on Trey. No one has done that to Jessica. "

" The way I see it...there has been some major Jessica bashing...who called her a chicken? Who said Cowboy up? "Whatever" is right in that she is not going away. I agree, this is a great country we live in where we can say whatever we want. We should all be proud of Jessica and Trey for both wrestling at the Varsity level on two of the top schools in the state.

My husband and I have never considered this a moral issue because it has always just been natural. We have five boys and Jessica and that is how she has grown up. Briston has wrestled girls before so I understand to an extent some of your anguish. However, a wrestler is a wrestler. We do not want her to be treated differently. When she, as well as Briston, steps on the mat, it is wrestler against wrestler. Period.

Good luck to Gillette and Natrona for the rest of the season! "

" I wasn't bashing on Trey...give Jessica her due! She was the one being called a chicken...go back over your comments, folks and see what you have said about her. Get over it should be the team slogan! "

" to parents avoiding the real concern: Isn't wrestling a controlled environment? Don't we teach our young men to not hit or touch other young men inappropriately, too? There should be no different between wrestling, boxing, kick boxing and many others that are both boys and girls sports. Men or boys are taught that they are not supposed to hit other boys or "skin them out" off the mat. So, what is the difference? when you are on the mat, you have a referee. You play in a controlled environment to your potential. Once off the mat, you do not go do your wrestling moves. Boxers don't go boxing out of the ring...it seems this is a subject that goes on and on with no compromise. As long as there are women's rights, there is going to be these same issues. Let's just take them all away...wouldn't Hillary love that? "

" To Jessica's Mom: I commend you for supporting your daughter in her endeavors, even if it means being in a very controversial position with regards to girls wrestling against boys and the morals surrounding that issue. I think it's important to stand by our kids in the things they want to acheive, and still be able to instill in them the difference between right and wrong. I see both sides of the fence when it comes to a highly heated debate such as this as to whether girls should wrestle with boys, and obviously, there is no easy answer, although I tend to personally lean towards the side of having the sport separate.

To "Whatever": What concerns me more, however, is the issue of Jessica not wrestling who she faced off at the match Friday night. Why won't anyone from Natrona address that? I'd like to know the reasoning behind why you think it's fair in the way that it was done, Let me pose this question: If Jessica had originally faced off with Trey, and Tyler Cox walked out on the mat for the match instead, how would Natrona have handled that? My point is, there are a number of us that feel it wasn't fair or appropriate for Jessica to be switched from wrestling Tyler in the first place, simply because THAT''S WHO SHE FACED OFF WITH. Once the weigh-in's have been done, and the teams have met and shook hands on the mat, that's the way it should stand. I moved here 15 years ago from southern New Mexico, and I am thankful everyday for the opportunities that Gillette, and the state of Wyoming provide for my children, but I start seeing things taking place that cause bad reputations, and it makes me cringe to think my child is associated with that. Open your eyes....don't we ALL want our children to be known for their integrity and being a part of a solid, outstanding program??? I'm not saying Gillette is without it's own faults, but I often wish there were more people out there who would take a stand, and make coaches, parents and athletes/students accountable for their actions. "

" EXCUSE ME!!!! it is hilarious that the powerhouse 5x state champions are being rattled by a girl! the decision to move jessica (my teammate) to a weight-class above was not made minutes before the match. our coaching staff makes it very clear to us the weight we will wrestle in the dual hours before the match even starts. this is not trickery but strategy. our coaches did the smart thing and got our team points. jessica is a good wrestler and it pisses me off that everyone only thinks she is good because "guys can't touch her in the places needed to touch to counter her" that is crap and you know it. when she steps on the mat she is a wrestler not a girl. so everyone saying all this crap bashing jessica you are wrong. and you women should be happy she is "dominating" in a mens sports, she is living proof that women can do the same things and men can do but instead your putting her down and calling her names. grow up quit picking on a freshman girl when you are all grown adults. trey got beat fair and square if he wanted to win he should have got off his back! quit bashing her for doing something she loves to do. Grow up and act your ages.

Philip Young Natrona 135 "

" Wow. I really didn't think just from me beating a Gillette kid that would make everyone from Gillette hate me. Yeah i didn't wrestle Tyler, so what! We wanted to get six pionts on the score board instead of giving Gillette twelve points. It's not a matter of trickery. It's not even a big deal...Gillette won the duel. So please stop bashing me for winning a match. It's not like I was going to go out there and let him win. I dont want to be treated differenly just cause im a girl. Im not trying to offend or embarace anyone by wrestling. Im just doing what i love to do. If you have a probablem with me wrestling take it up on the mat. Dont just bash me. And leave my coach alone!
We didn't cheat and we weren't unfair in any way! Who cares? It's not like that match changed anything, except added six points to our side. GILLETTE WON! So just drop it.

Oh and this is to who ever was bashing on my parents: THEY ARE GREAT PARENTS! IT IS NOT YOUR PLACE TO TELL MY PARENTS HOW TO RAISE ME! Ok so im on a mature level... i dont even notice when guys are trying to "grab" me and if they do that, they are the ones who need to be a little bit more mature, this is wrestling not anything else! I still dont get why you have to tell my parents how they should raise me. It's NOT your place to tell me what i should and shouldn't do with my life! It's MY decision to wrestle! not yours or anyone else! And just like "whatever" said im not going anywhere.

Thanks.
Jessica Brenton "

" In an ideal situation girls would have their own team. This is not the case, so talented female high school wrestlers often end up on the mat with a boy. Wrestlers want to win, so do coaches. Wrestling is both an individual and a team sport. Rearranging the lineup to increase team points is not wrong as long as athletes are going up against an opponent in their own weight class or in a heavier class. Male wrestlers facing a female opponent are in an uncomfortable situation. If they win, they are beating up on a girl. If they lose, they are frequently subject to teasing. The possibility of losing to a female wrestler in front of an audience of parents, friends and teammates would fill the average teenaged boy with dread. The intimate body to body contact inherent in wrstlling only adds to the difficulty. Some teenaged boys locked in a struggle with a female opponent will be prone to losing focus. This too could lead to them winding up pinned. From the article, Jessica won her match fair and square. Would it make anyone feel better if she had been scheduled to wrestle Trey from the git-go? Would the result be any different? All parties would do well to put this situation behind them and concentrate on the rest of the season. "