Havre High wrestling set for Glasgow dual and Malta Invite

Despite beginning their season last month, the Havre High wrestling teams are already heading into the final week of their regular season. The Blue Ponies will get their week started tonight when they head to Glasgow for a dual. As they head into their final dual of the season, HHS head coach Beau LaSalle expects a tough night.

"They're always competitive. They have a good squad again this year," LaSalle said. "It'll be a good dual and hopefully we can end our dual season on a win."

Glasgow is the defending Class B/C state champion with several returning wrestlers from that roster. Jake Kuka returns after taking second at state last year wrestling in the 113-pound weight class. Kyler Hallock was also a runner up at state last year as he wrestled at 170 pounds. Devon Nesbit also returns after a sixth-place finish at 145 pounds at last year's state tournament. Damien Nesbitt also took sixth at state as he wrestled at 160 pounds.

The Ponies will then finish up the regular season this Saturday when they head to the Malta Invite. As they head into their final tournament of the season, LaSalle hopes that his team can wrestle well to end the season, especially his younger wrestlers.

"It's a good chance for young kids to step up into a leadership role and just end the year on a positive note," LaSalle said.

Many schools from the Hi-Line will compete this weekend such as Chinook, Harlem, Chester-Joplin-Inverness and Fort Benton. Other schools competing at the tournament include host Malta, Billings Central, Choteau, Circle, Colstrip, Fairfield, Lewistown, Great Falls Central, Huntley Project, Poplar, Shelby, Shepherd, Valier and Wolf Point. But LaSalle believes the toughest schools at the weekend will be Cut Bank and Glasgow.

Many HHS wrestlers will be looking to cap off the regular season on a strong note. HHS senior Orion Thivierge, who tends to wrestle at 170 pounds, has taken first in tournaments such as the Jug Beck Rocky Mountain Classic, the Cut Bank Invitational and the Havre Invitational. He also placed second at the CMR Holiday Classic.

Randy Tommerup has wrestled well this season as he took first in both the Havre Invitational and the Cut Bank Invitational. Kale VanCampen has also been wrestling well for the Ponies this season. He placed second at the Havre Invitational and he took third in the Jug Beck Rocky Mountain Classic, the Cut Bank Invitational and the CMR Holiday Classic. Riley Pleninger has had some strong performances this season as he took first at the Havre Invitational wrestling at 152 pounds and he placed second at 145 pounds at the Cut Bank Invitational.

The HHS girls wrestling teams will also compete this weekend to end the regular season. Tonight, the Ponies will compete in a mixer at Cascade. Some of them will then compete in the Malta Invite against girls from other schools.

With these next few days ending the regular season for the Ponies, LaSalle hopes to see his wrestlers perform well and continue improving as they head into divisionals next weekend in Laurel.

"I just want to see them improve again each week and get to peaking at the right time," LaSalle said. "Just looking for improvement and just making sure that they're wrestling loose and with confidence."

The Ponies will head on the road for a dual against Glasgow tonight. They will then finish the regular season when they compete in the Malta Invite this Saturday.