Havre wrestling, Bear Paw style

Junior high wrestlers Carlos Clayton, from left, and Aidan DeBrae of Great Falls, face off during drills under the big tent at the annual Havre Bear Paw Wrestling Camp at the Kiwanis Camp Ground in Beaver Creek Park. More than 100 grapplers from all over the state have converged for the annual camp that began Tuesday and will run through Friday afternoon.

Havre High head wrestling coach Scott Filius walks through the “rec hall” as the more-than 50 high school-aged wrestlers work on several different drills at the annual Havre Bear Paw wrestling camp at Camp Kiwanis in Beaver Creek Park Tuesday afternoon. More than 100 total grapplers from across the state will attend camp this week, which started Tuesday and will run though Friday afternoon. Filius puts on the special wrestling camp, which attracts many youth wrestlers from the area and around Montana, as well as attracting a a large number of coaches who work with Filius and the grapplers during the week.

The elementary-aged wrestlers attending the Bear Paw wrestling camp work on live wrestling technique and drills on the outdoor mat during the camp’s first session Tuesday afternoon. This year, the camp includes 15 elementary-aged grapplers.