State Wrestling 2014: Sugarbeeters, Wildcats have big goals in Billings

When the Class B-C state wrestling tournament begins Friday morning, the tourney will have two major players from the Hi-Line. And by the end of the weekend, both Hi-Line teams hope to walk out of the Rimrock Auto Arena with plenty of hardware.

The Harlem Wildcats and Chinook Sugarbeeters will both be a factor in the Class B-C tournament, which runs Friday and Saturday in Billings. Harlem is gunning for an elusive team trophy and has a trio of returning state turner-ups from last season looking to get one win farther this weekend. Meanwhile, the Sugarbeeters want their Class C title back. Chinook has won five of the seven Class C trophies since the award started being handed out in 2007, but the Sugarbeeters missed out on the title a year ago.

“These kids’ goal at the beginning of the season was to go back down there and get that Class C trophy,” longtime Chinook head coach Perry Miller said. “But our goal has also been to always finish in the top 10 in the B-C standings. For a Class C school, that is usually a pretty good accomplishment, and that’s going to be our goal again this weekend. There are some Class C schools who just can’t get there, but I think we can.”

The Beeters definitely can. They lost the C title to Fort Benton a season ago, and though Chinook is still a relatively young team, it has more depth and firepower this season. Chinook qualified eight grapplers for the state tourney, including Northern B-C champions Donovan Moon (113), Tate Niederegger (120) and Jesse Dannels (170). Kevin Young (182) finished second at divisionals last weekend in Harlem, while Jake Norby (126), Alexander Rimkus (132), Anthony Hoag (138) and Ken Pruttis (152) are all expected to score points for the Beeters.

“We feel really good about where we’re at,” Miller said. “All eight guys we have going in can score points for us. Our three divisional champs and even our second-place guys, they are set up pretty good in the brackets. So we’re very excited about how we’re wrestling going into the state tournament.”

While many Beeters have a chance to land on the podium come Saturday night, Moon, Niederegger and Dannels have finals aspirations as No. 1 seeds. Both Moon and Niederegger have Colstrip’s Currier brothers to worry about. At 113, Clayton Currier is a power, while Gage Currier is a returning state champion in Niederegger’s bracket. Dannels bracket is wide open, though Steeler French of Forsyth is probably the favorite going in.

But where Chinook has always made hay at state is the loser-out brackets. And Miller says that’s where his team can do damage in the Class C race, which will probably come down the Beeters, Cascade-Simms and Superior.

“We have some guys who are set up well in their brackets,” Miller said. “But you also have to look at getting those backside points. And getting the bonus points in those matches. Those can be the big difference, and we have a group of guys who can get those this weekend.”

Like Chinook, Harlem has also hung around the B-C top 10 in recent years, but the Wildcats, coached by veteran Lyle Faulkinberry, have big goals and plenty of firepower.

Harlem qualified nine solid wrestlers for this weekend’s state tourney, but all eyes will be on seniors Shay Snider (120), Teague Jones (132) and Seth Adams (220). All three grapplers reached the finals a year ago, but all three came up short in their bid for a state championship, while the Wildcats wound up finishing ninth. Now, all three return with hopes of state championships and a much higher finish in the team race.

Snider, who has just three losses this season, has the toughest road, as he would have to face returning state champion and unbeaten Matt Weber of Forsyth in the final. Jones’ bracket is a little more wide open. The three-time state placer is expected to battle it out with Colstrip’s Seth Currier, while Adams has owned the 220-pound class all season long, but could get a push from Jake Session of Colstrip or Denver Crone of Choteau.

Like Chinook, Harlem can score points from all over its lineup. Brendan Johnson (145) and Trent Noel (HWT) have state tournament experience and could be dark horses in their respective brackets this weekend. Denton Cornell (170) also has state tourney experience on his side, while the Wildcats are doubled up at 120 pounds with both Challance Jackson and Franki Taylor. Kevin Hawley (152) rounds out the Wildcat lineup this weekend in Billings.

As for the B-C race, the Wildcats will have to score big, and get bonus points to keep up with the deeper teams in the field. Choteau is top-heavy once again, while defending champion Forsyth, which has three straight titles, including beating Choteau by one point a year ago, is loaded again. 2014 could be the year of the Colstrip Colts. With all of the Currier brothers, and senior heavyweight Tucker Yates coming in unbeaten, the Colts have a real chance at the state championship after finishing third the last two seasons. Northern B-C champion Conrad and runner-up Cut Bank, along with Harlem and Eureka figure to all be in the hunt for a trophy as well.

“It’s going to be a great state tournament,” Miller said. “There are a lot of good teams and a lot of really good wrestlers. It’s going to be very close in all of the team races. We feel good about where we’re at. Our kids have worked really hard and they are very confident in how they’re wrestling right now. I know the same goes for Harlem just down the road from us. It’s going to be an exciting weekend.”

The Hi-Line will also be represented by Chester/J-I and Big Sandy. The Hawks qualified Sam Deffinbaugh (182), Wyatt Wickum (195) and Jack Fritz (220), while Big Sandy’s Adrian Gasvoda (170) is making his third straight trip to the state tourney.

The Class B-C state tournament gets underway at 10 a.m. Friday and will run through the finals, which are set for 4 p.m. Saturday at the Rimrock Auto Arena at Metra Park in Billings.