Beeters, Cats shine at Harlem Invitational

The prep wrestling season is starting to hit the stretch run. And in just two weeks, grapplers from all over the Hi-Line will be locked in battle with spots at the All-Class State Tournament on the line.

And this past weekend’s Harlem Invitational was a good warm-up for the upcoming Northern B-C Divisional Meet.

In Harlem last Saturday, the Wildcats hosted a great field of teams which included Chinook, Glasgow, Malta, Shelby and even a junior varsity squad from Havre. The Scotties took home the team title with 115 points, while the Sugarbeeters were second with 114 points. Cut Bank was third at 81 points and the Wildcats were fourth with 78, one point ahead of Malta.

Individually, Chinook crowned four champions and had five grapplers reach the finals. Harlem also had one champion and three wrestlers get into the finals.

As expected, Chinook sophomore Tate Niederegger won the 135-pound weight class, as he defeated Harlem’s TeeJay Allen in the championship match. Jake Norby won at 145 pounds for the Beeters, as did Kenneth Pruttis at 170 and Jesse Dannels at 182. Kevin Young also placed second for the Beeters at 205 pounds. Chinook also had three more wrestlers finish fourth or better.

Harlem’s Brendan Johnson captured the 160-pound title, while Denton Cornell finished second in the heavyweight division. The Wildcats placed two more grapplers in the consolation finals.

Other Hi-Line teams fared well in Harlem, too. Chester/J-I placed four grapplers and finished eighth with 34 points. Big Sandy placed one wrestler and scored 16 points to finish 13th. Havre scored 21 points in the meet and got a third-place finish from John Chinadle at 170 pounds and a fourth-place finish by Jazz Schroeder at 138 pounds.

Area B-C teams, and the Blue Ponies will wrap up the regular season at this Saturday’s Malta Invitational.

Harlem Invitational

Team scores – 1. Glasgow 115; 2. Chinook 114; 3. Cut Bank 81; 4. Harlem 78; 5. Malta 77; 6. Wolf Point 56; 6. Shelby 56; 8. Chester/J-I 34; 8. Poplar 34; 10. Havre JV 21; 11. Fort Benton 19.5; 12. Highwood 18; 13. Big Sandy 16; 14. Circle 12.

Championship bouts

103 – Martinez, WP, d. Reyling GLS 7-1; 113 – Simanton, M. p. Whitmus, WP, 1:17; 120 – no bouts; 126 – Reyling, GLS, p. Boyd, POP, 3:59; 132 – Niederegger, CHN, p. Allen, HRL, 1:20; 138 – King, GLS, d. Anderson, CB, 14-8; 145 – Norby, CHN, d. Berkram, CB, 6-0; 152 – VandenBos, CB, p. Berger, POP, :39; 160 – Johnson, HRL, md. Ayers, HW, 10-2; 170 – Pruttis, CHN, p. Pederson, SHL, 3:20; 182 – Dannels, CHN, d. Roness, GLS, 12-7; 205 – Stirling, SHL, d. Young, CHN 6-2; 285 – Doney, GLS, p. Cornell, HRL 2:25.

Third place bouts

103 – Wortman, WP, p. Missildine, Malta, :58; 113 – Hallock, GLS, p. Horn, HRL, 1:46; 120 – no bouts; 126 – Paine, WP, p. R. Deffinbaugh, CJI 1:34; 132 – DeBruycker, FB, d. Mears, Malta, 4-2; 138 – Schipman, Malta, p. Schroeder, Havre, 3:36; 145 – Taylor, FB, tf. Colby, CHN 16-0; 152 – Allderdice, BSY, p. S. Deffinbaugh, CJI, 1:27; 160 – Bell, CHN, d. Evan Finstad, CB, 4-2; 170 – Chinadle, Havre, p. Henke, CJI, 1:51; 182 – Murray, Malta, p. Kelly, CJI, 2:58; 205 – Lopez, Malta, p. Little Dog, CB, 1:53; 285 – Kinyon, SHL, p. Stiffarm, HRL, 2:25.

Brad Bishop Memorial Most valuable wrestler – Brenden Johnson, Harlem

Tyler Faulkenberry Memorial Quick Pin Award – Reid VandenBos, Cut Bank