Ponies set to go after Class A Duals title

Preparing for the state tournament continues to be the main goal for the Havre High wrestling team, but the next step in that direction comes in the form of the annual Class A Duals.

Havre High will spend another weekend on the road, this time in Lewistown. Friday, the Central A Blue Ponies will dual Hardin, Anaconda and Miles City. Depending on how the No. 1 Ponies do Friday determines whom they face Saturday. Hardin is also the No. 7 team in Class A according to the most recent coaches poll.

But the Ponies should be able to cruise through the weekend. The lineup will be at 100 percent, but as the weekend progresses head coach Scott Filius may adjust things to get certain kids extra matches, as well as get kids rest when necessary. Wrestling this weekend will be Tate Munyan (98), Keegan Kennelly (106), Logan Pleninger (113), Grayson Brenna (120), Dylan Stewart (126), Thomas Gruber (132), Parker Filius (138), Kody Pribyl (145), Jase Stokes (152), Jared Lauex (160), Jake Williams (170), Dustin Odegard (182), Jace Billy (195), Tyler Adams (220) and Travis Adams (285).

Kennelly, Billy and Tyler Adams are currently ranked No. 1 in their respective weight classes. And Brenna and Filius are ranked No. 2, while Pleninger, Stewart, Gruber and Pribyl are ranked No. 3.

“I would think that we are too deep for those teams,” Coach Scott Filius said. “But out of 20 some teams in Class A, we will get to see 16 of them down there, it is great from that perspective. We have gone down there in other years and faced teams that have had great depth, but this year that doesn’t happen to be that case. But we get to see almost everybody in the Class A, and we have three weeks before Billings (state), so we still have time to fix stuff and get better with these opportunities.”

But while the Ponies should be able to handle their own in the duals, some of the Pony wrestlers will be faced with some tough individual matchups.

Miles City is way down this year, but Hardin and Anaconda will throw some good talent at the Ponies. Both teams are very good from about 145 pounds to 285, and also have ranked talent.

At 145-pounds Pribyl could run into No. 1 ranked Bryan Armstrong of Anaconda. And at 152-pounds Stokes could run into No. 1 ranked Mason Mavinac of Anaconda, while No. 1 ranked Ethan Reich (170) of Anaconda could also cross paths with Williams. But Hardin also has some ranked grapplers. Stokes could run into a No. 2 in Shawn Purcell, while Billy may also see a No. 2 in Michael Bumgarner.

The Ponies are focused on resting up, staying healthy and continuing to get better. And with state just around the corner, they are looking forward to taking advantage of every opportunity.

“We are just going to take what we do and hopefully do it better,” Filius said. “Not only this weekend, but the next three weeks.”

Friday and Saturday the Ponies will be in Lewistown for the annual Class A Duals. Following the Class A Duals, Havre then has just three road duals left before the Central A Divisional Feb. 8 in Browning and All-Class State tournament .