Harlem, Chinook shine at Northern B-C

The Northern B-C wrestling tournament was as tough as it gets. It was competitive and intense as state tournament berths were on the line in Harlem. And now that it’s in the books, it’s time to move on to Billings.

The Northern B-C was held Saturday in Harlem, where local competitors did very well. The host Wildcats missed out on claiming the team title, but they crowned three champions and placed 11 individual grapplers. Chinook also had a big day individually. The Sugarbeeters got three champions and moved nine wrestler into the state tournament.

Perrennial B-C power Conrad won the team title Saturday, scoring 203 points. Cut Bank, which has really come on strong this season, finished second with 164 points, while Harlem was third with 157 and Chinook was fourth at 144. Chester/J-I scored 30 points and Big Sandy tallied 18.

The Wildcats couldn’t catch the deep Cowboys, but they still dominated in the finals. As expected, stars Shay Snider (126), Teague Jones (132) and Seth Adams (220) all repeated as divisional champions. Snider beat Cut Bank rival Travis Vermulm 7-2 in the championship match, while Jones pinned Conrad’s Morgan Koenig in his final. Adams pinned Cut Bank’s Che’ Little Dig in just :44 in the 220-pound championship tilt.

The Wildcats were also bolstered by Brendan Johnson and Trent Noel reaching the finals. Johnson lost to Cut Bank’s Reed VandenBos, 9-8 in the 145-pound final, while Noel was pinned by Malta’s Kelin King in the 285-pound finale. Frankie Taylor beat teammate Challance Jackson in the third-place match for the Wildcats, while Kevin Hawley (152) and Denton Cornell (170) both finished fourth, T’Jay Allen (132) finished fifth and Colten Stiffarm (HWT) finished sixth.

Like Harlem, Chinook was strong in the finals as well. Donovan Moon (113), Tate Niederegger (120) and Jesse Dannels (170) all won individual titles Saturday. Moon pinned Shelby’s Brody White, while Niederegger pinned Conrad’s Caleb Mertz. Dannels got a major decision over Malta’s Chase Murray. Kevin Young also got to the finals for the Beeters before losing to Conrad’s Hunter Mycke in the 182-pound championship.

Jake Norby (126), Alex Rimkus (132) and Ken Pruttis (152) rallied to each finish third for the Beeters, while Anthony Hoag (145) finished fourth and Gage Haugen (185) finished fifth.

Chester/J-I placed four grapplers Saturday. Wyatt Wickum finished third at 195 pounds, Sam Deffinbaugh placed fourth at 182, Jack Fritz was fourth at 220 and Ryan Temple was fifth at 152. Big Sandy advanced Adrian Gasvoda to the state tournament for the second straight season. He placed third at 170 pounds.

Cut Bank’s Keaton Anderson (106) and Jace Berkram (138) joined VandenBos as champions Saturday, while Conrad’s Tyler Schultz won at 152 pounds and Malta’s Antonio Lopez (195) and Nolan Simonton (160) joined King with individual titles.

All wrestlers who advanced at Saturday’s Northern B-C will now get set for the Class B-C state tournament, which runs Friday and Saturday at the Billings Metra.

Northern B-C

At Harlem

Team scores - 1. Conrad 203.5; 2. Cut Bank 164; 3. Harlem 157; 4. Chinook 144; 5. Malta 111; 6. Shelby 58; 7. Chester/J-I 30; 8. Big Sandy 18; 9. Heart Butte 0.

Championship matches

98 - no matches; 106 - Keaton AndersoN, Cut Bank, bye; 113 - Donovan Moon, Chinook, p Brodey White, Shelby 1:05; 120 - Tate Niederegger, Chin, p Caleb Mertz, Conrad, 2:41; 126 - Shay Snider, Harlem d. Travis Vermulm, CB, 7-2; 132 - Teague Jones, Har, p Morgan Koenig, Con, 3:52; 138 - Jace Berkram, CB, p Blaine Berg, Con, 1:32; 145 - Reed VandenBos, CB, d. Brendon Johnson, HAR 9-8; 152 - Tyler Schultz, Con, d. Brandon French, Con, 12-10; 160 - Nolan Simanton, Malta d. Robert Jenning, CB, 5-0; 170 - Jesse Daniels, CHI, md. Chase Murray, Malta 17-3; 182 - Hunter Mycke, CON, md. Kevin Young, Chin, 12-3; 195 - Antonio Lopez, Malta, p/ Ron Kinyon, SLB, 3:55; 220 - Seth Adams, Har p. Che Little Dog, CB, 44; 285 - Kelin King, Malta, p. Trent Noel, Har, 5:48.

Third place matches

98 - no matches; 106 - no matches; 113 - Zach Lopez, Shelby, bye; 120 - Franki Taylor, Har, p Challance Jackson, Har, :14; 126 - Jake Norby, Chin, p. Keenan Schipman, Malta, 2:41; 132 -Alexander Rimkus, Chin, p Randon Anderson, CB, 1:34; 138 - Dakota Suta, Con, p Anthony Hoag, Chin, :46; 145 - Ben Rauscher, Con, d. Evan Finstad, CBN; 152 - Ken Pruttis, Chin, p Kevin Hawley Har, 2:06; 160 - Garrett Moritz, Con, p. Javan Carroll, Con, :59; 170 - Adrian Gasvoda, BSY, d. Denton Cornell, HAR, 1-0; 182 - Bradley Vanderbush, CON, p. Sam Deffinbaugh, CJI, 2:55; 195 - Wyatt Wickum, CJI, d. Jaiden Little Dog, CB, 8-1; 220 - Streeter Stirling, SLB, p Jack Fritz, CJI :34; 285 - Gerome Lamb, Malta, p. Justin Pfiefer, CB, 5:01.

Fifth place matches

98 - no matches; 106 - no matches; 113 - no matches; 120 - no matches; 126 - Cooper Daily, Con, bye; 132 - T'Jay Allen, Har, d. Tyrell Sylvester, CB; 138 - Josh Solf, BSY, d. Tyus Hammett, Har; 145 - Tyler Richter, CON, d. Carter Epperson, Malta; 152 - Ryan Tempel, CJI, d. Austin Taylor, SBY; 160 -Jordan Pierce, Malta, d. Kai Running Crane, HB; 170 -Jared Berkram, CB, dec. Marcus Irvin, SBY; 182 - no matches; 195 - no matches; 220 -Gage Haugen, CHin, bye; 285 - Logan Williamson, Heart Butte, d. Colten Stiffarm, Har.