Area grapplers shine at Northern B-C

CHINOOK — Anything that took place on the wrestling mats of the Chinook High School gymnasium at Saturday's Northern B-C divisional is insignifigant compared to what the entire Sugarbeeter family, the Chinook community, and for that matter, the entire Montana wrestling community is now enduring after the passing of Chinook senior wrestler Jesse Dannels.

Dannels, a star wrestler, who finished second at Saturday's B-C divisional at 182 pounds, was also a two-way standout on Chinook's 2015 state championship football team. His passing is a heartbreaking tragedy for the entire Hi-Line and the results of Saturday's tournament seem trivial at this point in time.

As for those results of Saturday's tourney in the Chinook High gymnasium, the Beeters finished third at the Northern B-C, scoring 143 points, crowning three individual champions and placing seven grapplers overall. However, the Beeters came up nine points shy in their bid to win the team title on their own mats. Defending B champion Choteau scored 152 points to win the team title, while Fairfield-Simms finished two points ahead of Chinook with 145. Malta was fourth at 101 points, while Fort Benton-Big Sandy was fifth, Harlem was seventh and Chester/J-I was 11th.

And while the Beeters didn’t get to win a team title at home, they did what they needed to in order to go forward and defend their state championship in Billings as five Chinook standouts reached the finals.

As expected, defending state champ Tate Niederegger dominated the 138-pound weight class as he improved to 42-0 this season with a pin of Fairfield-Simms’ Dawson Peterman in the championship match.

Chinook seniors Jake Norby and Kenny Pruttis also went on to victory. Norby, who has lost just once this season, beat J.R. Seewald of Cut Bank in the 152-pound final, while Pruttis bested Fairfield-Simms’ Kyle Snyder in the 170-pound championship, that, after beating Cut Bank star Jace Berkram in the semifinals.

Kevin Young also reached the finals. Young lost by fall to Conrad’s Hunter Mycke in the 205-pound title bout.

In the loaded 160-pound bracket, Derek Bell placed third, while Alexander Rimkus finished fifth for Chinook at 132 pounds. Rimkus beat Shelby’s Barrett Hansen in the fifth-sixth place match to advance to state.

Chinook wasn’t the only local team to have a strong showing Saturday either.

Despite not having the firepower they have in recent years, the Harlem Wildcats scored 71 points and advanced eight wrestlers to Billings. Harlem was especially good in the upper weights, as Reece Hutton placed third at 205 pounds, while Colten Stiffarm finished third at heavyweight, and teammate Curtis Humphreys finished fifth in the same bracket.

The Wildcats also advanced T’Jay Allen, who finished a solid third at 138 pounds, Kolten Bishop, who placed fourth at 126 pounds, Marcus Castillo, who finished fifth at 145 and Gavin Horn, who placed sixth at 120.

The Chester/J-I Hawks got two repeaters into the state tournament, and Sam Deffinbaugh was especially impressive at 145 pounds. He would eventually fall to Fort Benton’s Connor DeBruckyer in the championship match, but he was excellent throughout the day. Cory Kelly will also represent the Hawks in Billings after he placed fifth at 205 pounds.

Big Sandy is in its first year of co-oping with Fort Benton in wrestling, and Pioneers Josh Solf, who also made it to state a season ago, will be part of the co-op’s state tourney team. On Saturday, Solf placed fourth at 160 pounds, losing to Bell in the consolation final.

The Class B-C state tournament will run Friday and Saturday at the Rimrock Auto Arena in Billings.

Northern B-C

at Chinook

Team scores: Choteau 152, Fairfield-Simms 145, Chinook 143, Malta-Whitewater 101, Fort Benton-Big Sandy 86.5, Conrad 80, Harlem 71, Valier 66, Cut Bank 64.5, Shelby 57, Chester/J-I 20, Hays-Lodge Pole 0.

Individual order of finish

103: Chase DeBoo, Cho; Dylan Riphenberg, F-S; Dean Kellogg, Con.

113: Shane Willekes, Cho; Pete Henderson, Cho; Kyle Richter, Con; Darwyn Johnson, F-S; Mark Missildine, M-W.

120: Wyatt Brusven, She; Kolter Schipman, M-W; Tanner VandenBos, Val; Connor Schnabel, FB-BS; Ethan Mischler, F-S; Gavin Horn, Har.

126: Trey Simanton, M-W; Trevor Moore, Cho; Isaac Ramos, Val; Kolton Bishop, Har; Cole Staigmiller, F-S; Jesse Entz, F-S.

132: Cole Giles, F-S; Kaden Moore, M-W,; Ceaton Mears, M-W; Brodey White, She; Alexander Rimkus, Chi; Barrett Hansen, She.

138: Tate Niederegger, Chi; Dawson Peterman, F-S; T'Jay Allen, Har; Dillon Anderson, F-S; Wacey RunningCrane, Val; Cooper Dailey, Con.

145: Connor DeBruycker, FB-BS; Sam Deffinbaugh, CJI; Dawson Gentillon, F-S; Dylan Monroe, Val; Marcus Castillo, Har; Landon Taylor, FB-BS.

152: Jake Norby, Chi; JR Seewald, CB; Trever VandenBos, Val; Logan Taylor, FB-BS; Jacob Anderson, F-S; Andres Lopez, M-W.

160: Taner Stone, Cho; Ben Rauscher, COn; Derek Bell, CHi; Josh Solf, FB-BS; Travis Epperson, M-W; Derek Peigneux, M-W.

170: Ken Pruttis, Chi; Kyle Snyder, F-S; Jace Berkram, CB; Jordan Pierce, M-W; Colton Like, F-S; Alec Breding, Con.

182: Steeler French, Cho; Jesse Dannels, Chi; James Slaughter, F-S; Colt Pederson, She; Teagan Kelly, F-S; Dakota Daley, Cho.

205: Hunter Mycke, Con; Kevin Young, Chi; Reece Hutton, Har; Matt Blansett, FB-BS; Cory Kelly, CJI; Jacob McRea, F-S.

285: Justin Pfiefer, CB; Denver Krone, Cho; Colten Stiffarm, Har; Bradley Vanderbush, Con; Curtis Humphreys, Har.