Ponies top Class A at CMR Holiday Classic

There are times where it is nice to go back to some old classics, where nostalgia and memories are bound to return. With that, comes the new experiences those classics bring. In the case of the Havre High wrestling team, the CMR Holiday Classic last Friday and Saturday was a nice return to the past, along with some new results.

The Blue Ponies finished ninth-place overall with 114.5 points, including placing a champion, having a wrestler place fourth and an overall exciting weekend.

Out of 58 teams in Great Falls it said quite a lot when Havre took a Top 10 spot Saturday.For HHS head coach Beau LaSalle, he was glad to be back at the CMR Holiday Classic and see his team put in a great effort.

“It’s great,” said LaSalle. “I’ve always liked it. When I competed there, it was one of my favorite tournaments. It’s a high-quality tournament. We were the highest non-AA school, which is good, but it’s definitely not what we’re shooting for. We’re shooting to win those tournaments like we have in the past.”

With schools from all classes, including the cream of the crop in Class AA attending the meet, the competition spanned across the entire Montana class spectrum. Tough competition from Class A all the way down to Class C was present. Even so, quite a few Blue Pony wrestlers did well at the CMR Holiday Classic.

And many HHS matmen stood out at CMR. Senior Connor Harris, who suffered an unfortunate injury in the season opener in Havre, was crowned champion in the 145-pound weight class after beating Bozeman senior Brock Rodrigues in a 3-2 decision in the title bout

Sophomore Orion Thivierge pinned Miles City junior Brenan Hager to place fifth in the 160-pound weight class while Cameron Pleninger placed second in his weight. Pleninger reached the final at 126 pounds before falling to Drake Rhodes from Billings West.

Overall, great moments propelled the Ponies to place well, but LaSalle knows there is still some things that need to be done.

“As far as how we placed as a team, I thought we left a few points out there,” said LaSalle. “But, just with some technical mistakes. Kids are wrestling hard. There’s just things we need to clean up.”

To place as the top Class A school in the tournament, make the Top 10 out of 58 teams and place multiple wrestlers was a big accomplishment at a very tough CMR Holiday Classic. To come back after five years of absence, while at a big competition in Idaho, and do all that says a lot about what the Blue Pony grapplers are capable of as the season continues on.

HHS will travel to Sidney for the Sidney Duals Jan. 3 to wrestle against some big Class A competition, including the Class A defending state champs, the Sidney Eagles.

CMR Holiday Classic

Team Scores

1. Missoula Big Sky 204.5; 2. Great Falls High 193.5; 3. Billings Skyview 176.0; 4. Billings Senior 175.5; 5. Helena Capital 166.0; 6. Billings West 162.0; 7. Bozeman 161.0; 8. Butte 157.0; 9. Havre 114.5; 10. Dawson Co. (Glendive) 105.0; 11. CM Russell 102.0; 11. Glacier 102.0; 13. Glasgow 99.0; 14. Belgrade 91.0; 15. Fergus 90.5; 16. Broadwater (Townsend) 85.0; 16. Circle 85.0; 18. Colstrip 81.0; 19. Great Falls JV 80.0; 20. Miles City 79.0; 21. Laurel 72.0; 22. Columbia Falls 71.5; 23. Cut Bank 70.0; 24. Columbus/Absorkee 67.0; 25. Thompson Falls 61.5; 26. Whitehall 60.0; 27. Beaverhead Co. (Dillon) 59.0; 28. Conrad 51.5; 28. Park (Livingston, MT) 51.5; 30. Browning 46.0; 31. Malta 45.0; 32. Helena High 44.5; 33. Missoula Hellgate 44.0; 34. Simms 38.5; 35. Cascade 36.0; 35. Ronan 36.0; 37. Manhattan 34.0; 38. Shelby 33.5; 39. Anaconda 33.0; 39. Jefferson (Boulder) 33.0; 41. Hamilton 32.5; 41. Poplar 32.5; 43. Fort Benton 31.0; 44. Fairfield 30.0; 44. Whitefish 30.0; 46. Chinook 29.0; 47. Valier 28.0; 48. CM Russell JV 26.0; 49. Florence-Carlton 24.0; 50. Harlem 21.0; 51. Forsyth 20.0; 52. Great Falls High 3 13.0; 53. Great Falls Central 10.0; 54. Chester/Joplin/Inverness 8.0; 54. Wolf Point 8.0; 56. Highwood 7.0; 57. CM Russell 3 4.0.

7th Place

103

Nathan Blodnick (Anaconda) 13-2 won by decision over Leo Anderson (Jefferson (Boulder)) 3-3 (Dec 7-1)

113

Justin Windauer (Columbia Falls) 13-8 won by fall over Nate Preston (CM Russell JV) 3-3 (Fall 1:24)

120

Jesse Aarness (Billings West) 18-5 won by injury default over Dre Coles (Great Falls High) 3-3 (Inj. 1:35)

126

Dylan Emborg (Billings Skyview) 5-2 won by fall over Isaac Ayers (Missoula Big Sky) 12-8 (Fall 4:55)

132

Mike Wilkinson (Whitehall) 5-2 won by decision over Brady Ellison (Columbus/Absorkee) 3-3 (Dec 7-1)

138

Zach Valdez (Colstrip) 14-7 won by fall over Espyn Hostetler (Dawson Co. (Glendive)) 4-3 (Fall 1:35)

145

Wyatt Schneider (Helena Capital) 16-3 won by forfeit over Alex Kober (Park (Livingston, MT)) 9-6 (For.)

152

Tyler Emineth (Laurel) 16-7 won by fall over Brendan Gill (Belgrade) 11-6 (Fall 3:40)

160

Callan Mears (Malta) 17-6 won by forfeit over Jacoby Mattern (Dawson Co. (Glendive)) 4-3 (For.)

170

Keaton Potter (Fergus) 5-2 won by injury default over Josh Bertram (Columbia Falls) 13-7 (Inj. 0:00)

182

Charlie Bullcalf (Browning) 4-2 won by decision over Seth Alarcon (Thompson Falls) 9-7 (Dec 8-2)

205

Jason Langan (Bozeman) 5-2 won by decision over BRETT MONROE (Valier) 12-6 (Dec 4-1)

285

Josh Lee (Helena Capital) 13-4 won by injury default over Camryn Vergeront (Glacier) 12-3 (Inj. 0:00)

5th Place

103

Holden Howe (Billings Senior) 18-4, So. over Colton Gutenberger (Belgrade) 7-4, Fr. (Dec 7-5)

113

Wyatt Van Pelts (Billings West) 15-4, Sr. over Christian Sherman (Butte) 5-3, Sr. (Dec 13-6)

120

Colton Martello (CM Russell) 4-2, So. over Keagan Gransbery (Butte) 5-3, Jr. (Fall 0:41)

126

Roper Mycke (Conrad) 13-3, So. over Cody Harrington (Dawson Co. (Glendive)) 5-3, So. (TF-1.5 3:56 (17-2)

132

Colten Fast (Glasgow) 19-4, Jr. over Matthew Dewitt (Billings Senior) 19-3, Sr. (For.)

138

Gentry Lamb (Billings Skyview) 6-2, Sr. over Easton Held (Broadwater (Townsend)) 3-3, Sr. (Fall 3:52)

145

Cole Becker (Circle) 4-2, Jr. over Ron Barnhill (Conrad) 15-4, Sr. (Dec 5-4)

152

Dalton Tvedt (Miles City) 4-2, So. over Kaden Zimmerman (Glasgow) 14-5, Sr. (Dec 8-3)

160

Orion Thivierge (Havre) 5-2, So. over Brenan Hager (Miles City) 4-3, Jr. (Fall 2:44)

170

Thomas Klepps (Billings Senior) 21-3, Jr. over Will Lane (Broadwater (Townsend)) 3-3, Sr. (Fall 4:50)

182

Rylen Fisher (Great Falls JV) 5-2, Sr. over Peyton Morton (Billings Senior) 16-6, So. (For.)

205

Cooper Larson (Glasgow) 13-6, Jr. over Xaden Cunningham (Belgrade) 10-5, So. (Fall 4:09)

285

Trey Yates (Colstrip) 19-2, Sr. over Carter Beer (Columbus/Absorkee) 4-3, Sr. (Dec 4-2)

3rd Place

103

Jase Van Pelt (Billings West) 18-5, So. over Josh Melton (Glacier) 10-5, Fr. (Dec 6-1)

113

Krayle Stormer (Circle) 5-1, Jr. over Jalen Vladic (Billings Senior) 11-7, So. (Dec 2-1)

120

Tugg Taylor (Circle) 5-1, So. over Israel Moreno (Missoula Big Sky) 16-3, Fr. (Dec 5-2)

126

Jayden Ramirez (Billings Senior) 15-7, Sr. over Irish Furthmyre (Great Falls High) 4-2, Fr. (Fall 0:46)

132

Avery Allen (Bozeman) 7-1, Fr. over RJ Lowdog (Billings West) 5-2, So. (Dec 3-0)

138

Idren Peak (Billings Senior) 13-2, So. over Calvin Carroll (CM Russell) 7-2, So. (Inj. 0:38)

145

Trevin Welzien (Missoula Big Sky) 15-3, Sr. over Cache Hilliard (Great Falls High) 5-2, Jr. (Fall 3:57)

152

Adin Gibson (Park (Livingston, MT)) 12-2, Jr. over AJ Lafurge (CM Russell) 7-2, Fr. (MD 18-6)

160

Duane Otto II (Fergus) 6-1, Sr. over Bridger Williams (Hamilton) 4-2, Sr. (Dec 6-3)

170

Bridger Hall (Missoula Big Sky) 16-3, Sr. over Nelson Crisafulli (Dawson Co. (Glendive)) 7-2, Sr. (Dec 4-2)

182

Liam Swanson (Great Falls High) 7-1, Jr. over Dylan Nieskens (Glasgow) 18-4, Jr. (Fall 4:08)

205

Zane McCormick (Helena Capital) 16-2, Sr. over Kobe Moreno (Butte) 4-2, Sr. (Dec 8-2)

285

Tom Walkup (Bozeman) 5-1, Sr. over Mayson Phipps (Glasgow) 15-8, Jr. (Dec 6-3)

1st Place

103

Hunter Ketchem (Billings Skyview) 19-0, So. over Hunter Rahn (Helena Capital) 11-5, Fr. (TF-1.5 5:58 (17-2)

113

Carter Schmidt (Belgrade) 12-1, Fr. over Teegan Vasquez (Glacier) 14-1, Fr. (Dec 4-1)

120

Tanner Cook (Columbus/Absorkee) 5-0, Sr. over Trae Thilmony (Thompson Falls) 13-2, So. (Dec 8-3)

126

Drake Rhodes (Billings West) 5-0, So. over Cameron Pleninger (Havre) 4-1, Sr. (Fall 4:16)

132

Cooper Birdwell (Fergus) 5-0, Jr. over Carson DesRosier (Helena Capital) 16-1, So. (Dec 6-3)

138

Leif Schroeder (Bozeman) 6-0, Sr. over Scout Allen (Butte) 5-1, Sr. (Fall 3:09)

145

Connor Harris (Havre) 6-0, Sr. over Brock Rodrigues (Bozeman) 4-1, Sr. (Dec 3-2)

152

Hunter Meinzen (Missoula Big Sky) 18-0, Jr. over Paolo Salminen (Billings Skyview) 5-1, Fr. (Dec 8-2)

160

Dougie Swanson (Missoula Big Sky) 17-0, Sr. over Austin Vanek (Cut Bank) 4-1, So. (Fall 5:54)

170

Cooper Hoffman (Beaverhead Co. (Dillon)) 5-0, . over Rylin Burns (Colstrip) 16-5, Jr. (Dec 4-1)

182

Jett Rebish (Missoula Big Sky) 16-1, Sr. over Noah Kovick (Helena Capital) 5-2, Jr. (SV-1 5-3)

205

Brenner Bushfield (Billings Skyview) 5-0, Sr. over Elijah Davis (Great Falls High) 4-1, Jr. (Dec 6-3)

285

Ethan Deroche (Great Falls High) 5-0, Jr. over Kameron Moreno (Butte) 4-1, Sr. (SV-1 4-2)