Flathead qualifies 19 wrestlers for state, Glacier 14

HELENA – With 19 wrestlers qualifying for state, Flathead coach Jeff Thompson couldn’t be much happier about how the Western AA seeding tournament went Saturday at Helena High.

“Overall, we looked good today and put ourselves in the hunt for state,” he said after three of his Brave Brawlers won their weight classes, and another eight finished in the top three. “We wrestled about our seeds in most weight classes.”

Butte tied Flathead with the most qualifiers with 19, while Glacier had the third-most, with 14. Cade Troupe (126), Brendan Barnes (138) and Fin Nadeau (145) were champions for Flathead.

“Fin Nadeau is just wrestling on a completely different level right now,” Thompson said. “He just seems to get better every time he steps on the mat. And Cade pinned everybody in his bracket this weekend.”

Asher Kemppainen (132), Andrew Russell (170) and Paxton Boyce (182) lost their championship matches, each by decision.

Glacier had two champions in Josh Melton (103) and Teegan Vasquez (113). Camryn Vergeront also finished third at heavyweight for the Wolfpack.

“Overall a solid day for the Pack,” Glacier coach Ross Dankers said. “It was really exciting to see two of our freshmen (Melton and Vasquez) come out and win their first seeding tournament – especially Josh flipping two matches from earlier in the year.

“We had several gritty performances that helped us set up for state.”

The all-class state wrestling meet runs Friday and Saturday at the Metra in Billings.

Western AA Seeding

Tourney

Saturday

Helena High

103

Championship – Josh Melton (Glacier) dec. over Hunter Rahn (Capital) 9-6.

3rd Place – Trey Whitlock (Butte), pinned Dylan Kratofil (Flathead), 1:00.

5th Place – Keagan Crosby (Sentinel) maj. dec. Jason Mandy (Helena), 13-0.

7th Place – Connor Johnson (Glacier) dec. Reid Whitlock (Butte), 8-4.

Consolation semis – Kratofil (Flathead) maj. dec. Mandy (Helena), 13-3.

Semifinals – Rahn (Capital) maj. dec. Kratofil (Flathead), 8-0; Melton (Glacier) dec. Whitlock (Butte) 4-2 OT.

Wrestlebacks – Mandy (Helena) maj. dec. Johnson (Glacier), 11-2. Johnson (Glacier (Kalispell)) pinned Zander (Hellgate), 2:53. Keagan Crosby (Sentinel) pinned Anna Morrison (Flathead), 1:26.

Quarterfinals – Kratofil (Flathead) pinned Whitlock (Butte),, 3:34; Melton (Glacier) pinned Mandy (Helena), :44.

First round – Crosby (Sentinel) maj. dec. Johnson (Glacier), 15-5; Zander (Hellgate) pinned Morrison (Flathead), 1:23.

113

Championship – Teegan Vasquez (Glacier) pinned Kyler Raiha (Butte), 3:11.

3rd Place – Cade Gardner (Flathead) pinned Nathon Elmose (Helena), :45.

5th Place – Thomas Putnam (Glacier) inj. default over Nolan Cate (Flathead).

7th Place – Cowhen Houchin (Butte) dec. Nathaniel Yargo (Helena), 7-2.

Consolation semis – Gardner (Flathead) pinned Putnam (Glacier), 2:18; Elmose (Helena) inj. default over Cate (Flathead).

Semifinals – Vasquez (Glacier) pinned Gardner (Flathead), 1:06; Raiha (Butte) inj. default over Cate (Flathead), 2:12.

Wrestlebacks – Putnam (Glacier) dec. Yargo (Helena), 5-0. Putnam (Glacier) dec. Knigge (Big Sky), 5-0.

Quarterfinals – Vasquez (Glacier) pinned Houchin (Butte), :45. Gardner (Flathead) pinned Elmose, (Helena), 2:42. Raiha (Butte) pinned Putnam (Glacier), 3:41.

First round – Gardner (Flathead) pinned Zander (Hellgate), :45.

120

Championship – Israel Moreno (Big Skyh) maj. dec. Keagan Gransbery (Butte), 12-3.

3rd Place – Isaac Ayers (Big Sky) dec. Kip Pumnea (Butte), 3-2.

5th Place – Cody Frost (Glacier) won by forfeit over Bryson Danzinger (Sentinel).

7th Place – Ian Mehrens (Helena) pinned JT Gehring (Helena), 1:47.

Consolation semifinals – Pumnea (Butte) pinned Frost (Glacier) , 3:31.

Wrestlebacks – Frost (Glacier) pinned Gehring (Helena), 1:38; Gehring (Helena) pinned Emma Gambino (Flathead), 2:09; Frost (Glacier) pinned Curtis Wiley (Glacier), 1:21; Wiley (Glacier) pinned Zander (Hellgate), 1:13.

Quarterfinals – Gransbery (Butte) pinned Frost (Glacier), 2:00.

First round – Ayers (Big Sky) pinned Gambino (Flathead), 1:0; Pumnea (Butte) pinned Wiley (Glacier), :26; Gransbery (Butte) pinned Kayden Chuey (Flathead), :43; Frost (Glacier) pinned Mitchell Renk= (Capital), 1:22.

126

Championship – Cade Troupe (Flathead) pinned Gavin Vetter (Butte), 2:17.

3rd Place – Novik Thomas (Sentinel) pinned Bridger Beach (Glacier), 3:14.

5th Place – Hunter Magness (Glacier) inj. default over Dillon Yeadon (Flathead).

7th Place – Aidan Pezdark (Butte) pinned Cole Wines (Capital). 2:31.

Consolation semifinals – Beach (Glacier) pinned Yeadon (Flathead), 4:02; Thomas (Sentinel) pinned Magness (Glacier), :17.

Semifinals – Troupe (Flathead) pinned Beach (Glacier), 2:23.

Wrestlebacks – Yeadon (Flathead) pinned Wines (Capital), :51; Magness (Glacier) pinned Pezdark (Butte), 4:07; Magness (Glacier) dec. Hensen (Capital), 2-1.

Quarterfinals – Troupe (Flathead) pinned Pezdark (Butte), :52; Beach (Glacier) pinned Hensen (Ca;pital), 2:16; Vetter (Butte) pinned Yeadon (Flathead), 1:04.

First round – Yeadon (Flathead) pinned Magness (Glacier), :44.

132

Championship – Carson DesRosier (Capital) dec. Asher Kemppainen (Flathead), 6-2.

3rd Place – Jackson Bakken (Sentinel) dec. Connor Konda (Butte), 9-4.

5th Place – Lance Fretwell (Glacier) dec. Carter Johnson (Big Sky), 2-0.

7th Place – Cameron Wyant (Helena) dec. Andrew Cotton (Helena), 2-1.

Consolation Semifinals – Bakken (Sentinel) pinned Fretwell (Glacier), 4;49.

Semifinals – DesRosier (a Capital) pinned Fretwell (Glacier), 3:16; Kemppainen (Flathead) dec. Konda (Butte), 30.

Wrestlebacks – Cotton (Helena) maj. dec. Seth Doolan (Glacier), 10-0; Wyant (Helena) pinned Doolan (Glacier), 4:29.

Quarterfinals – Fretwell (Glacier) dec. Johnson (Big Sky), 2-0; Kemppainen (Flathead) pinned Wyant (Helena), 4:47.

138

Championship – Brendan Barnes (Flathead) dec. Scout Allen (Butte), 7-2.

3rd Place – Blake Jolma (Sentinel) dec. Conner Kovick (Capital), 7-5.

5th Place – Casey Nuckolls (Big Sky) pinned Aaron Gaitan (Flathead), 3:30.

7th Place – Traeton Duty (Capital) pinned David Kemp (Helena), 2:28.

Consolation semifinals – Jolma (Sentinel) pinned Gaitan (Flathead), 2:10.

Semifinals – Barnes (Flathead) dec. Jolma (Sentinel), 8-4.

Wrestlebacks – Gaitan (Flathead) dec. Duty (Capital), 6-2; Nuckolls (Big Sky) pinned Kyle McCollam (Glacier), 3:26; Gaitan,(Flathead) dec. Ricardo Hewitt (Glacier), 1-0.

Quarterfinals – Allen (Butte) pinned Gaitan (Flathead), 3:36; Barnes (Flathead) tech. fall Nuckolls (Big Sky), 18-2.

First round – Gaitan (Flathead) pinned McCollam (Glacier), 1:37; Nuckolls (Big Sky) dec. Hewitt (Glacier), 4-2.

145

Championship – Fin Nadeau (Flathead) dec. Trevin Welzien (Big Sky), 8-3.

3rd Place – Justin Kovalicky (Sentinel) dec. Brody Skillicorn (Big Sky), 5-0.

5th Place – Jesse Horner (Sentinel) pinned Wyatt Schneider (Capital), 6:25.

7th Place – Eric Gardner (Flathead) pinned Joey Lauerman (Helena Capital), :26.

Semifinals – Nadeau (Flathead) maj. dec. Kovalicky (Sentinel), 12-0.

Wrestlebacks – Schneider (Capital) pinned Gardner (Flathead), 1:53; Gardner (Flathead) pinned Brok Viau (Glacier), 1:27; Skillicorn (Big Sky) pinned Jayden Sandford (Glacier), 1:44;

Quarterfinals – Nadeau (Flathead) pinned Lauerman (Capital), 1:21; Welzien (Big Sky) pinned Gardner (Flathead), 3:48.

First round – Lauerman (Capital) dec. Viau (Glacier), 14-13; Horner (Sentinel) pinned Sandford (Glacier)k, 2:47; Gardner (Flathead) pinned Dalbec (Helena), 1:16.

152

Championship – Hunter Meinzen (Big Sky) pinned Dylan Graham (Capital), 2:38.

3rd Place – Noah Poe-Hatten (Flathead) dec. Anthony Liva (Butte), 4-2.

5th Place – Jace Mannix (Sentinel) dec. Gabe Riley (Sentinel), 4-0.

7th Place – Jacob Williams (Big Sky) dec. Royce Conklin (Glacier), 6-5.

Consolation semifnals – Poe-Hatten (Flathead) pinned Riley (Sentinel), 2:39.

Semifinals – Graham (Capital) dec. Poe-Hatten (Flathead), 5-3.

Wrestlebacks – Riley (Sentinel) dec. Conklin (Glacier), 7-3; Mannix (Sentinel) pinned Asher Baines (Glacier ), 4:37; Conklin (Glacier) maj. dec. Zarek Lee (Flathead), 9-0;

Quarterfinals – Liva (Butte) dec. Lee (Flathead), 8-4; Poe-Hatten (Flathead) pinned Mannix (Sentinel), 3:44.

First round – Nealey (Hellgate) pinned Baines (Glacier), 5;06; Lee (Flathead) pinned LeProwse (Butte), 3:56; Williams (Big Sky) dec. Conklin (Glacier), 18-12; Poe-Hatten (Flathead) pibnned Riley (Sentinel), 4:48.

160

Championship – Dougie Swanson (Big Sky) won by forfeit over Quinn Sullivan (Butte).

3rd Place – Chase Youso (Flathead) pinned Caden Gilmond (Glacier), 3:32.

5th Place – Jase Lewis (Hellgate) inj. default over Justice Seamons (Helena), 2:27.

7th Place – Dylan Averyt (Butte) dec. Ian Isaacson (Capital), 9-2.

Consolation semifinals – Gilmond (Glacier) pinned Lewis (Hellgate), :28; Youso (Flathead) dec. Seamons (Helena), 6-3.

Semifinals – Swanson (Big Sky) dec. Gilmond (Glacier), 10-8; Sullivan (Butte), dec. Youso (Flathead), 4-1.

Wrestlebacks – Isaacson (Capital) dec. Doran (Flathead), 3-1; Doran (Flathead) tech. fall Petersen (Capital), 16-1; Kaldor (Sentinel) maj. dec. Vlad Voitav (Glacier), 19-5.

Quarterfinals – Gilmond (Glacier) maj. dec. Seamons (Helena), 14-5; Youso (Flathead) dec. Isaacson (Capital), 17-10.

First round – Seamons (Helena) pinned Doran (Flathead), 3:20; Gilmond (Glacier) pinned Petersen (Capital), 1:09; Youso (Flathead) pinned Thompson (Sentinel), :43; Sullivan (Butte) pinned Vlad Voitav (Glacier), 2:54.

170

Championship – Bridger Hall (Big Sky) dec. Tanner Russell (Flathead), 4-2.

3rd Place – Garrett Rieke (Flathead) forfeit over Dominick Scown (Butte).

5th Place – Kael Willis (Glacier) pinned Thomas Crofts (Glacier), 2:35.

7th Place – Tucker Zanto (Capital) dec. Riley Downey (Butte), 7-4.

Consolation semifinals – Rieke (Flathead) pinned Crofts (Glacier) , 1:36; Scown (Butte) pinned Willis (Glacier) , 2:34.

Semifinals – Hall (Big Sky) tech. fall Rieke (Flathead), 15-0; Russell (Flathead) pinned Willis (Glacier), 3:13.

Wrestlebacks – Crofts (Glacier) pinned Downey (Butte), :33; Crofts (Glacier) pinned McKay (Helena), 3:25; Crofts (Glacier) pinned Rhodes (Sentinel), 4:37.

Quarterfinals – Rieke (Flathead) pinned Scown (Butte), 2:12; Willis (Glacier) dec. McKay (Helena), 8-4; Russell (Flathead) pinned Downey (Butte), 3:00.

First round – Rieke (Flathead) pinned Crofts (Glacier), 2:45.

182

Championship – Noah Kovick (Capital) dec. Paxton Boyce (Flathead), 6-0.

3rd Place – Myles McClernan (Butte) dec. Ethan Eppard (Hellgate), 7-3.

5th Place – Gaige Winter (Flathead) pinned Chayton Winkle (Capital), 1:38.

7th Place – Kristopher Musick (Sentinel) pinned Jake Sweatland (Hellgate), 2:30.

Consolation semifinals – Eppard (Hellgate) pinned Winter (Flathead), 4:06.

Semifinals – Kovick (Capital) pinned Winter (Flathead), 2:36; Boyce (Flathead) pinned McClernan (Butte), 5:11.

Quarterfinals – Winter (Flathead) pinned Winkle (Capital), 6:29; Boyce (Flathead) maj. dec. Musick (Sentinel), 15-3.

First round – Winter (Flathead) maj. dec. Christian (Butte), 10-0.

205

Championship – Zane McCormick (Capital) dec. Kameron Moreno (Butte), 5-2.

3rd Place – Zaybin Stewart (Flathead) pinned Caedon Seymour (Glacier), 1:51.

5th Place – Josh Gunter (Sentinel) pinned Layne Cooney (Hellgate), 1:17.

7th Place – Titan Purdom (Capital) pinned Tommy Williams (Flathead), 1:27.

Consolation semifinals – Stewart (Flathead) pinned Gunter (Sentinel), :40; Seymour (Glacier) pinned Cooney (Hellgate), 4:42.

Semifinals – McCormick (Capital) dec. Stewart (Flathead), 6-1; Moreno (Butte) dec. Seymour (Glacier), 9-4.

Wrestlebacks – Cooney (Hellgate) pinned Williams (Flathead) , :34; Williams (Flathead) pinned Vtio Moriana (Big Sky), 2:39; Luby (Helena) pinned Ethan Dimaio (Glacier), 4:08.

Quarterfinals – Stewart (Flathead) pinned Cooney (Hellgate), 1:20; Seymour (Glacier) pinned Purdom (Capital), 4:21.

First round – Stewart (Flathead) pinned Dimaio (Glacier), :40; Gunter (Sentinel) pinned Williams (Flathead), 2:59.

285

Championship – Kobe Moreno (Butte) pinned Josh Lee (Capital), 3:54.

3rd Place – Camryn Vergeront (Glacier) pinned Tommy Leonard (Big Sky), 1:59.

5th Place – Zach Tierney (Butte) pinned Dakota Friesen (Hellgate), 2:04.

7th Place – Tyler Little (Capital) dec. Timber Richberg (Flathead), 7-6.

Consolation semifinals – Vergeront (Glacier) pinned Friesen (Hellgate), 1:30.

Semifinals – Lee (Capital) maj. dec. Vergeront (Glacier), 16-5.

Wrestlebacks – Leonard (Big Sky) pinned Richberg (Flathead), 1:40; Leonard (Big Sky) pinned Aydan Prieto (Flathead), 4:24; Richberg (Flathead) pinned Rocco Beccari (Glacier), 4:25.

Quarterfinals – Vergeront (Glacier) pinned Richberg (Flathead), 1:46.

First round – Richberg (Flathead) pinned Smith (Sentinel), :35; Little (Capital) dec. Prieto (Flathead), 10-9; Friesen (Hellgate) pinned Beccari (Glacier).,1:36.