Ponies dominate Class A Duals again

The Havre High wrestling team was back in action this past weekend in the Class A Duals, where the Blue Ponies once again proved to be head and shoulders above the competition.

Not to mince words, Havre dominated the two-day dual tournament hosted by Belgrade. With second-ranked Sidney and third-ranked Columbia Falls not in attendance, there was just no other team that had the horses to compete with the No. 1 Blue Ponies.

Friday, the first day of the tournament, Havre simply out-classed the competition. In three duals, the Ponies lost just three matches and knocked off Whitefish 72-0, before dispatching of Hamilton 59-6 and Laurel 61-12.

Saturday, the Ponies didn't skip a beat. HHS defeated Frenchtown 67-6 and Hardin 64-12. Those wins got Havre into the championship match, where the Ponies would have squared off against Laurel for the second time, but instead the two teams decided to just go off of Havre's 61-12 win Friday to settle the title.

"I thought the kids wrestled lights out," HHS head coach Scott Filius said. "We only ended up losing six matches all weekend. So yeah, they wrestled lights out, and I was really pleased with it."

Havre had a number of wrestlers who did not lose a match over the course of the weekend, including Ryan Stewart at 103 pounds, Dylan Stewart at 120 pounds, Logan Pleninger at 126 pounds, Grayson Brenna at 132 pounds and Dane Flammond at 138 pounds. Gunner Aageson, who wrestled at 145 pounds lost just one match.

Others who made it through the two-day meet unbeaten were Kody Pribyl at 152 pounds, Jase Stokes at 160 pounds, Jordan Schroeder at 182 pounds, Jace Billy at 205 pounds and Travis Adams in the heavyweight division.

While the Ponies won the tournament running away, Filius also used it as an opportunity to get some of his wrestlers who are not mainstays in the lineup matches as they prepare for the Central A divisional meet and the Class A state meet, which is now just three weeks away.

"You are going to take a lot of those kids to state," Filius said. "And they are going to wrestle a lot of kids that they saw this weekend, so you want to get them exposed to that."

With just a few weeks of preparation left before the Ponies are set to defend their state championship, Filius said he likes where his team is at right now and that they just need to keep working and getting better to get where they want to go.

"We just need to keep working hard," Filius said. "We need to keep doing what we have been doing, going to practice and getting better."

Havre will be back in action this Saturday when the Ponies will travel to Malta for the Malta Invitational.

Class A Duals

Friday

Havre 72, Whitefish 0

103: Ryan Stewart, Hav., p. Parker McWhirter, :32; 113: Open; 120: Keegan Kennelly, Hav., p. James Buckley, 3:37; 126: Logan Pleninger, Hav., p. Dillon Thorsteinson, :45; 132: Grayson Brenna, Hav., p. Garrett Rice, 1:07; 138: Dane Flammend, Hav., p. Brooks Krause, :23; 145: Gunnar Hanson, Hav., p. Malik Hayden, :30; 152: Kody Pribyl, Hav., p. Matt Sampson, 1:28; 160: Jose Stokes, Hav., p. Judah Prestegaard, :58; 170: Tyler Schaub, Hav., won by forfeit; 182: Jordan Schroeder, Hav., p. Matt Carr, :32: 205: Jace Billy, Hav., p. :26, Travis Catina; 285: Travis Adams, Hav., p. Steven Quimby, 1:58.

Havre 59, Hamilton 6

103: Open; 113: Ryan Stewart, Hav, p. Garret Passey, :58; 120: Dylan Stewart, Hav, t.f. Steven Banks, NA; 126: Logan Plenmger, Hav, p. James Bess, :26; 132: Grayson Brenna, Hav, p. Kris Anderson, :45; 138: Dane Flammand, Hav, p. Dustin Copeland :28; 145: Robert Few, Hami, d. Gunnar Aageson, 9-7; 152: Kody Pribyl, Hav, p. Manny Rivera, 2:48; 160: Jase Stokes, Hav, p. Kyle Anderson, :22; 170: Justin Hinson, Hami, d. Tyler Schaub, 11-7; 182: Jordan Schroeder, H, p. Philip Whitney, :33; 205: Jace Billy, Hav, p. Michael Bumgarner, 5:40; 285: Travis Adams, Hav., p. Ryan Thomas, :26.

Havre 61, Laurel 12

103: Ryan Stewart, H, d. Kaleb Ripley, 6-3; 113: Payten Batalden, L, won by forfeit; 120: Keegan Kennelly, H, p. Jordan Shovar, 1:24; 126: Logan Pleninger, H, p. Colter Craig, :41; 132: Grayson Brenna, H, p. Jared Woody, 1:42; 138: Dane Flammond, H, p. Connor Ludwig, 5:03; 145: Gunnar Aageson, H, p. Brett McBurney, 1:55; 152: Kody Pribyl, H, m.d. Kyle Cannon 8-0; 160: Jase Stokes, H, won by forfeit; 170: John Preller, L, p. Tyler Schaub, 1:42; 182: Jordan Schroeder, H, p. Kyle Howe, :21; 205: Jace Billy, H, p. Cody Bernell, :32; 285: Travis Adams, H, p. Brandon Connolly, 3:29.

Notes: Havre and Laurel did not wrestle the championship dual. Also, no match results were made available from Saturday's competition.