Braves stick mat loss on Butte
The Flathead Braves wrestlers won in convincing fashion over Butte Friday afternoon, 49-30. The win makes it a hat trick for Flathead against the ever-competitive Bulldogs.
"This is a great win," Flathead coach Jeff Thompson said. "It's great momentum to start the season."
Thompson, in his sixth year as head coach, has led the Braves to a 73-12 dual record.
Friday's dual also marked the return of Hall of Fame coach Jim Street. Street coached Butte during its run of 13 straight state titles in the 1980s and '90s.
Flathead wrestled well and easily had the advantage in takedowns. The Bulldogs were at their best when they were on top, using repeated arm bars to gain near fall points.
"We need to work on our defense and finishing our shots," Thompson said.
TC Decker, 112 pounds, set the tone for the Braves in the dual's first match. Decker, a state champion, muscled his way out of a cradle and pinned Butte's Levi Lovshin with 1:11 left in the second period.
After Ricky Janes followed up with a pin over Jace Jaap, Flathead's Austin Zapata beat Tyler Johnston 9-5.
Johnston nearly upset Zapata, who placed second at state last year. Johnston had him in a double arm bar late in the second period, but Zapata managed to escape with seven seconds left. His win put the Braves up 15-0.
But the Bulldogs rallied with four pins in a row to go up 24-15.
At the 140-pound weight class, Flathead's Ryan Nelson had the unenviable task of facing three-time state champ Cole Dallaserra. Nelson managed to take Dallaserra deep into the second before getting pinned.
The Braves looked to be in trouble, but wins by Tyler Wells, David Lau and Levi Holt put Flathead back on top, 30-24.
Fourth-place state finisher Scott Cassel put on a takedown clinic against Butte's Brice Willis. Cassel repeatedly missed chances to throw a half nelson as he took Willis to the mat, and settled for a 22-8 major decision.
The upset of the day went to Flathead senior Casey Poier at 215 pounds. He pinned Trevor Hass in 47 seconds after a quick takedown. Hass placed third at state last year.
Heavyweight Dan Ogden followed up with a 34 second pin to make Butte's comeback a mathematical impossibility.
Butte's Justin Rowlings pinned freshman Dan Jenkins in the second period for the Bullddogs' final win of the night.
Sophomore Brian Ham came out and wrestled extremely tough against Tyler McLaughlin, who beat him three times last season. Ham won 7-1.
"It feels nice," Ham said. "I couldn't have done it without help from the coaches. They've prepared us well."
The Braves hope to ride Friday's win into a positive showing at the Polson Invitational today. Flathead's next home dual is Dec. 22 at 4 p.m. versus Missoula Sentinel.
BRAVES 49, BULLDOGS 30
98 - Justin Rowlings, B, pinned Dan Jenkins, 3:13; 105 - Brian Hamm, F, dec. Tyler McLaughlin, 7-1; 112 - TC Decker, F, pinned Levi Lovshin, 2:39; 119 - Ricky Janes, F, pinned Jace Jaap, 4:20; 125 - Austin Zapata, F, dec. Tyler Johnston, 9-5; 130 - TC Rentz, B, pinned Jesse Morritt, 1:13; 135 - Brodie Verall, B, pinned Duran Flaget, 5:31; 140 - Cole Dallaserra, B, pinned Ryan Nelson, 4:51; 145 - Nick Haynes, B, pinned Luke Fischer, 2:37; 152 - Tyler Wells, F, pinned Adam Witt, 1:21; 160 - David Lau, F, dec. Brandon Penrose, 10-7; 171 - Levi Holt, F, pinned Beau Balteeas, 1:33; 189 - Scott Cassel, F, major dec. Justin Rowlings, 22-8; 215 - Casey Poier, F, pinned Trevor Hass, 1:23; 275 - Dan Ogden, F, pinned Cory Tollon, 1:25.