Rocky Mountain Champs, again

Ahead of the Jug Beck Rocky Mountain Classic, Havre High head coach Scott Filius said that it was the best wrestling tournament in the state of Montana. And after his team captured the tournament for the second straight year this past weekend, it's not hard to see why the Blue Ponies are the best the state of Montana has to offer.

With essentially all the top teams from Montana in attendance, as well as some from Idaho, Washington and Wyoming, the Ponies flexed their muscle again on the mats, winning the first-place prize with 193 points. Missoula Sentinel was second with 165 and Powell, Wyoming was third with 161.

It's hard enough to win a tournament like the Jug Beck with a full lineup, but the fact that the Ponies did it with wrestlers at 11 of the 13 weights makes it even more impressive. In all, eight of Havre's wrestlers wound up placing, with three individuals, Parker Filius, Jase Stokes and Travis Adams coming away with individual titles. And all three did so in dominating fashion.

"It's a great accomplishment for these kids," Filius said. "It's so interesting when you have the AA schools and the other big schools because they are a little deeper and so we always have some ground to make up. But the kids did a great job, it was a fun weekend."

First, Parker Filius was able to take home the title at 152 pounds after he earned a major decision over Chase Short of Great Falls High, 9-0. Then Stokes did something similar in the 182-pound final, as he won a 8-0 major decision over Caiden Crawford of Helena High. And finally, Adams locked down the individual title in the heavyweight class with a pin of Bryce Blumenschein of Belgrade in 3:36.

Yet, in addition to the outstanding efforts put forth by Filius, Stokes and Adams, all of whom fell short of individual titles at the tournament a year ago, five other Havre wrestlers placed in the event, including Logan Pleninger and Dane Flammond, who were third at 132 and 160 pounds, respectively.

Freshman Martin Wilkie continued his impressive campaign as he walked away with a fourth-place showing at 120 pounds, while Ryan Stewart finished fifth at 113 pounds, and in the 205-pound weight class, Tyler Schaub came in seventh.

"Last year we had a bunch of kids in the finals and only one won one," Filius said. "This year we had three kids in the finals and won all three of them. The kids really did a great job of getting a lot of wins in those matches at the end."

What makes Havre's win even more impressive is that over the two-day meet, the Ponies held the lead for the majority of the time. After the first day of action, in which HHS advanced six wrestlers into the semifinals, it finished the day leading with 107.5 points, well ahead of Missoula Sentinel, which trailed with 91 and Great Falls High, which had 89.

"We really have a great group of kids," FIlius said. "They have set really high standards for themselves and they worked really hard to achieve so that makes it fun."

The win at the Jug Beck was the perfect ending to a pretty good week for the Ponies, who also made a trip to Great Falls last Thursday to dual Class AA rival CMR.

And Havre, which has lost just one dual all season, made sure it didn't lose another, knocking off the Rustlers in dominating fashion by the score of 45-15.

The Ponies gave up six points to CMR thanks to an open spot at 103 pounds, but then won the next three matches, getting a win by way of 8-1 decision by Ryan Stewart at 113, followed by three consecutive pins by Lane Paulson at 120, Wilkie at 126 and Pleninger at 132.

CMR added to its point total with wins at 138 pounds and 145 pounds, but after Filius pinned Trevor LeBrun, HHS led 33-12. Havre would then close the match by winning at four of the next five weights as Flammond (160), Stokes (182). Schaub (205) and Adams (HWT) all notched victories.

"CMR is a young team and they were pretty banged up," Filius said. "The kids wrestled well down there and I thought it was good for us to get some matches before (Jug Beck). I don't think winning or losing necessarily helps but getting those matches before seems to help us."

The Ponies will be back in action this Friday and Saturday when they will be in Lewistown to defend their title at the Class A Duals. And with just a few weeks remaining before divisionals and state, coach Filius said he likes his wrestlers and where they currently stand.

"We have to individualize with each one of our kids," Filius said. "We will spend a lot of on getting sharper and getting in better shape but I like where we're at."

JUG BECK ROCKY MOUNTAIN CLASSIC

at Missoula

Saturday

Team scores – 1, Havre 193; 2, Missoula Sentinel 165; 3, Powell 161; 4, Central Valley 145; 5, Great Falls 137; 6, University 128.5; 7, Kalispell Flathead 123; 8, Helena 120.5; 9, Missoula Big Sky 118; 10, Butte 113; 11, Clarkston 108.5; 12, Mead 107; 13, Bozeman 100.5; 14, Polson 94; 15, Belgrade 82.5; 16, Helena Capital 75; 17, Coeur d'Alene 69.5; 18, Columbia Falls 68; t-19, Great Falls CMR 54.5; t-19, Ronan 54.5; 21, Lewiston 43; 22, Fergus 42; 23, Hamilton 39; 24, Ferris 36; 25, Kalispell Glacier 34.5; 26, Lake City 27; 27, Libby 25; 28, Missoula Hellgate 23; 29, Corvallis 21; 30, Frenchtown 15; 31, Superior 4; 32, Great Falls Central 0.

103 pounds

Championship – Dalton Port, CLK, pin Chance McLane, BOZ, :53.

Semifinals – Dalton Port, CLK, dec. Chase Tebbets, MED, 6-0; Chance McLane, BOZ, pin R.J. Pierre, POL, 1:45.

Third place – Tebbets, MED, dec. Pierre, POL, 8-3.

Fifth place – Tyler Casey, BUT, pin Dayton Evans, MBS, 1:45.

Seventh place – Tyrell Simms, CV, maj. dec. Blake Tellinghusen, UHI, 12-0.

113 pounds

Championship – Bjorn Schroeder, BOZ, maj. dec. Hunter Peterson, RON, 9-1.

Semifinals – Bjorn Schroeder, BOZ, pin Kaleb Macioseck, CDA, 3:02; Hunter Peterson, RON, pin. Ryan Stewart, HAV, 1:39.

Third place – Devin Crawford, HEL, dec. Macioseck, CDA, 7-5.

Fifth place – Terrell Sanders, UHI, dec. Stewart, HAV, 3-1.

Seventh place – Reece Eckley, MSN, dec. Bryce Shaffer, FLT, 7-3.

120 pounds

Championship – Trae Vasquez, FLT, dec. Nick Kunz, CAP, 8-5.

Semifinals – Nick Kunz, CAP, dec. Caleb Birdwell, FRG, 4-0; Trae Vasquez, FLT,maj. dec. Wyatt Gordon, MBS, 8-0.

Third place – Gordon, MBS, dec. Martin Wilkie, HAV, 15-14.

Fifth place – Birdwell, FRG, def. Kale Evanson, BOZ.

Seventh place – Spencer Clegg, CLK, dec. Bryce Gardner, CV, 6-2.

126 pounds

Championship – Bryson Beard, CV, dec. Sawyer Degen, BEL, 4-0.

Semifinals – Bryson Beard, CV, def. Ty Hendren, LEW; Sawyer Degen, BEL, dec. Ben Windauer, CF, 2-0.

Third place – Reese Karst, POW, pin Kyle Gordon, MBS, 2:12.

Fifth place – Windauer, CF, def. Hendren, LEW.

Seventh place – Max Clark, UHI, dec. Jake Freeman, CLK, 13-10.

132 pounds

Championship – Cam Sorenson, UHI, dec. Jake Hegel, MSN, 3-2.

Semifinals – Cam Sorenson, UHI, dec. Logan Pleninger, HAV, 3-0; Jake Hegel, MSN, pin Cameron Brown, POL, 1:43.

Third place – Pleninger, HAV, dec. Brown, POL, 8-2.

Fifth place – Braxton Henningsen, BUT, pin Kaden Lahti, MBS, 4:17.

Seventh place – Blade Massey, GFH, pin. Tanner Benton, CLK, :38.

138 pounds

Championship – Chance Karst, POW, dec. Payton Hume, FLT, 4-0.

Semifinals – Chance Karst, POW, pin. Kaleb Gravelin, CF, 3:23; Payton Hume, FLT, maj. dec. Dylan Lockwood, CDA; 11-2.

Third place – Jace Kovalicky, MSN, dec. Gage Connole, CV, 3-2.

Fifth place – Gravelin, CF, def. Lockwood, CDA.

Seventh place – Kai Stewart, CMR, dec. Shawn Olson, MHG, 5-3.

145 pounds

Championship –Jarrett Degen, BEL, tech Jordan Komac, GFH, 23-8.

Semifinals – Jarrett Degen, BEL, pin. Braedon Orrino, CV, 5:19; Jordan Komac, GFH, dec. Logan McGreevey, MBS, 5-3.

Third place – Orrino, CV, dec. Dylan Duffalo, MSN, 3-1.

Fifth place – McGreevey, MBS, dec. Nick Moreni, HEL, 2-1.

Seventh place – Jared Niess, RON, pin Mason Fetters, CF, 2:25.

152 pounds

Championship – Parker Filius, HAV, maj. dec. Chase Short, GFH, 9-0.

Semifinals – Parker Filius, HAV, tech Noah Manibusan, HEL, 16-0; Chase Short, GFH, maj. dec. Nic Urbach, POW, 15-6.

Third place – Urbach, POW, dec. Manibusan, HEL, 9-6.

Fifth place – Christian Hunter, MED, dec. Alex Wickens, FRG, 3-0.

Seventh place – Chandler Paulson, MSN, dec. Kyle Neil, CV, 4-0.

160 pounds

Championship – Tommy McMillen, GFH, pin Zach Stratton, CV, 3:31.

Semifinals – Tommy McMillen, GFH, dec. Tucker Darrah, POW, 7-6; Zach Stratton, CV, dec. Dane Flammond, HAV, :26.

Third place – Flammond, HAV, dec. Braxten Wilcox, MBS, 7-5.

Fifth place – Darrah, POW, dec. Tucker Nadeau, FLT, 9-2.

Seventh place – Brandon Cooper, BOZ, dec. Chance Stack, MSN, 5-0.

170 pounds

Championship – Trevor Senn, MED, dec. Bryar Newbary, MSN, 9-4.

Semifinals – Bryar Newbary, MSN, pin Kadon Queer, BUT, 1:59; Trevor Senn, MED, dec. Hayden Schrull, HEL, 3-2.

Third place – Schrull, HEL, tech Queer, BUT, 18-2.

Fifth place – Teagen Cordes, POW, dec. Andrew Olvera, LCT, 5-2.

Seventh place – Matt Gash-Gilder, FLT, dec. Clayton Norman, FER, 4-1.

182 pounds

Championship – Jase Stokes, HAV, maj. dec. Caiden Crawford, HEL, 8-0.

Semifinals – Jase Stokes, HAV, maj. dec. Logan Wilson, FLT, 12-0; Caiden Crawford, HEL, dec. Levi Meinzinger, UHI, 6-4.

Third place – Meinzinger, UHI, def. Wilson, FLT.

Fifth place – Ty Dearcorn, POW, pin Hunter Sisemore, CLK, 2:15.

Seventh place – Cody Cromer, LEW, def. Kory Broussard, CAP.

205 pounds

Championship – Dylan Beeler, CLK, maj. dec. Zach Easum, POW, 8-0.

Semifinals – Dylan Beeler, CLK, pin Tyler Rickel, UHI, 3:05; Zach Easum, POW, pin Mike Corrigan, POL, 1:25.

Third place – Justin Hinson, HAM, dec. Corrigan, POL, 7-5.

Fifth place – Rickel, UHI, pin David Petersen, CAP, 3:30.

Seventh place – Tyler Schaub, HAV, dec. Rylan Moldenhauer, GFH, 5-3.

285 pounds

Championship – Travis Adams, HAV, pin Bryce Blumenschein, BEL, 3:36.

Semifinals – Travis Adams, HAV, pin Wyatt Wickham, CV, :42; Bryce Blumenschein, BEL, dec. Luke Channer, COR, 6-0.

Third place – Noah Danielson, CMR, dec. Jake Rebish, MSN, 4-2.

Fifth place – Channer, COR, pin. Wickham, CV, :19.

Seventh place – Sheldon Fladland, CAP, dec. Eli Horn, GLA, 4-3.

Havre 45, CMR 15

103 – Andrew Paradise (CMR) win by forfeit; 113 – Ryan Stewart (Havre) d. Carter Carroll (CMR) 8-1; 120 – Lane Paulson (Havre) p. Dillon DeJean (2:40); 126 – Martin Wilkie (Havre) p. Tyler Gentry (CMR) (1:30); 132 – Logan Pleninger (Havre) p. Tanner Tovson (CMR) (1:35); 138 – Kai Stewart (CMR) d. Kody Pribyl (Havre) 9-8; 145 – Tanner Farren (CMR) d. Jazz Schroeder (Havre) 4-0; 152 – Parker Filius (Havre) p. Trevor LeBrun; 160 – Havre win by forfeit; 170 – Max Sechena (CMR) d. Walter White (Havre) 5-4; 182 – Jace Stokes (Havre) p. Grayden Irish (0:10); 205 – Tyler Schaub (Havre) d. KC Buday (CMR) 14-4; 285 – Travis Adams (Havre) d. Noah Danielson (Havre) 2-0.