Flathead wrestlers finish 2nd to U-High

The Daily Inter Lake

MISSOULA - Defending champion Flathead finished five points behind a powerful squad from University High in Spokane, Wash., Saturday in the Jug Beck Rocky Mountain Wrestling Classic.

The Braves had four individual champions, one second place finisher, one fourth, four fifths and two sixths - 12 wrestlers in all including four freshmen.

"We just had an outstanding tournament," Flathead coach Jeff Thompson said. "Any other year we would have walked away with the tournament.

"We found out this weekend we are a great tournament team."

Brian Ham (98 pounds), Mikey Kuehne (145), Chris Thompson (189) and Brandon Hoffenbacker (heavyweight) were the four champions for Flathead.

"Brian Ham turned the corner this weekend," Jeff Thompson said. "He beat the No. 1-ranked AA kid in the semis and the No. 1 A kid in the finals. Both those wrestlers beat him earlier in the year.

"Mikey Kuehne at 145 pounds pretty much dominated the tournament every match. He had a tough semifinal with Ryan Buck (of Columbia Falls) but came back in the finals."

Kuehne, who is now 29-1 on the year, decisioned Polson's Ted Morigeau in the finals.

The Pirates were tops among Class A schools, finishing tied with Butte for third place overall.

The Pirates' Kevin Owen became just the second four-time Rocky Mountain Classic champion in the 28-year history of the tournament with an 11-5 decision over Libby's Jake Spencer at 171 pounds.

Polson also had a champion at 160 pounds in Logan Kugler.

Whitefish finished sixth, Libby seventh and Columbia Falls 10th.

Wildcat Aric Tarr finished third in the tough 119-pound division, losing 1-0 to Cory Fish of University High in the semis, the third straight year the two have locked horns at the Classic. It was the first time in the semifinals, though, and the first time Fish won.

Whitefish heavyweight Troy Parker lost a 4-3 decision in the final to Hoffenbacker, who also won the quick pin award.

Jug Beck Rocky Mountain Classic

Saturday

Team scores: University High (Spokane) 256.5, Flathead 251.5, Butte 171, Polson 171, Central Valley (Spokane) 164, Clarkston, Wash., 133.5, Whitefish 123, Libby 121, Great Falls High 119.5, Great Falls Russell 118.5, Columbia Falls 112, Mead, Wash., 99.5, Frenchtown 95, Missoula Big Sky 81, Corvallis 62, Missoula Sentinel 54.5, Superior 41, Missoula Hellgate 39.5, Ferris (Spokane) 37, Hamilton 30, Ronan 19.

98 lbs

CHAMPIONSHIP - Brian Ham, Kal, dec. Josh Stedman, Ftn, 12-2.

THIRD-FOURTH - Zach Mendenhall, GFH, dec. Nick Cambron, CV, 4-3.

FIFTH-SIXTH - Tyler McLaughlin, But, pinned Shayne Ludwick, Pol, 2:30.

CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINALS - Brian Ham, Kal, dec. Tyler McLaughlin, But, 7-4; Josh Stedman, Ftn, pinned Shayne Ludwick, Pol, 1:34.

105 lbs

CHAMPIONSHIP - Brian Owen, Uhi, dec. T.C. Decker, Kal, 10-4.

THIRD-FOURTH - Logan Torgison, Pol, dec. Tanner Teeples, CV, 4-3.

FIFTH-SIXTH - Logan DelleSilva, Cor, dec. Coby Kolodejchuk, CF, 7-3.

CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINALS - Brian Owen, Uhi, pinned Landon DelleSilva, Cor, 3:59; T.C. Decker, Kal, pinned Logan Torgison, Pol, 1:31.

112 lbs

CHAMPIONSHIP - Chase Fish, Uhi, pinned Conlin Benson, Pol, 1:14.

THIRD-FOURTH - Ben Spencer, GFH, dec. Chris Bick, Ftn, 6-4.

FIFTH-SIXTH - Austin Zapata, Kal, dec. Tyson Nelson, CF, 9-3.

CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINALS - Chase Fish, Uhi, pinned Chris Bick, Ftn, 1:10; Conlin Benson, Pol, dec. Ben Spencer, GFH, 5-4.

119 lbs

CHAMPIONSHIP - Cory Fish, Uhi, dec. Kody Tolliver, GFH, 7-4.

THIRD-FOURTH - Aric Tarr, CF, won by inj. default over Brandon Stedman, Ftn.

FIFTH-SIXTH - TJ Renz, But, won by inj. default over Garrett McCoy, CV.

CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINALS - Kody Tolliver, GFH, dec. Brandon Stedman, Ftn, 10-2; Cory Fish, Uhi, dec. Aric Tarr, CF, 1-0.

125 lbs

CHAMPIONSHIP - Lucas Chesher, CV, dec. Mike Malsam, Uhi, 9-1.

THIRD-FOURTH - Brody Verrall, But, dec. Josh Henderson, Ftn, 2-0.

FIFTH-SIXTH - Taylor Yonago, Fer, won by inj. default over Brandon Mitchell, Kal.

CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINALS - Lucas Chesher, CV, dec. Taylor Yonago, Fer, 8-3; Mike Malsam, Uhi, dec. Josh Henderson, Ftn, 11-3.

130 lbs

CHAMPIONSHIP - Cole Dallaserra, But, dec. Matt Machala, Uhi, 6-2.

THIRD-FOURTH - Kaine Zetterberg, Pol, pinned Duran Flaget, Kal, 2:20.

FIFTH-SIXTH - Jeff Craskrey, CV, pinned Spencer Bailey, CMR, 3:56.

CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINALS - Cole Dallaserra, But, pinned Duran Flaget, Kal, 5:30; Matt Machala, Uhi, dec. Kaine Zetterberg, Pol, 8-6.

135 lbs

CHAMPIONSHIP - Tyler McGillivray, Sup, dec. Jason Fairley, Ckn, 4-2, OT.

THIRD-FOURTH - Will Cusker, MBS, dec. Trevor Robb, Uhi, 6-4.

FIFTH-SIXTH - Pete Starr, Wf, won by injury default over Seth Cummings, Lib.

CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINALS - Tyler McGillivray, Sup, won by forfeit; Jason Fairley, Ckn, dec. Will Cusker, MBS, 11-5.

140 lbs

CHAMPIONSHIP - Jeremy Montag, Uhi, dec. Jack Lowney, MBS, 13-5.

THIRD-FOURTH - Nick Haynes, But, dec. Cody Mikesell, Wf, 10-3.

FIFTH-SIXTH - Tyler Wells, Kal, won by injury default over Mike Lewis, Ham.

CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINALS - Jeremy Montag, Uhi, dec. Nick Haynes, But, 7-3; Jack Lowney, MBS, dec. Mike Lewis, Ham, 6-3.

145 lbs

CHAMPIONSHIP - Mikey Kuehne, Kal, dec. Ted Morigeau, Pol, 11-3.

THIRD-FOURTH - Brad Watterud, Wf, pinned Jace Oeleis, CMR, 2:58.

FIFTH-SIXTH - Ryan Buck, CF, dec. Mike Walker, MBS, 11-6.

CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINALS - Ted Morigeau, Pol, pinned Jace Oeleis, CMR, 4:15; Mikey Kuehne, Kal, dec. Ryan Buck, CF, 4-3, OT.

152 lbs

CHAMPIONSHIP - Camren Ebat, CV, dec. Tom Daniels, CMR, 7-6.

THIRD-FOURTH - Neil Didier, Med, dec. Drake Lemm, Sent, 8-3.

FIFTH-SIXTH - Bandy Earl, Ckn, dec. David Lau, Kal, 16-7.

CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINALS - Tom Daniels, CMR, dec. Drake Lemm, Sent, 6-4, OT; Camren Ebat, CV, dec. Neil Didier, Med, 6-3.

160 lbs

CHAMPIONSHIP - Logan Kugler, Pol, dec. Caleb Cousins, Cor, 6-4.

THIRD-FOURTH - Austin Ouellette, Hgt, pinned Ryan McCracken, CMR, 4:50.

FIFTH-SIXTH - Nick Zumwalt, Uhi, dec. Nils Unger, Lib, 9-8.

CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINALS - Logan Kugler, Pol, dec. Austin Ouellette, Hgt, 7-0; Caleb Cousins, Cor, dec. Nick Zumwalt, Uhi, 11-7.

171 lbs

CHAMPIONSHIP - Kevin Owen, Pol, dec. Jake Spencer, Lib, 11-5.

THIRD-FOURTH - Chase Gazzerro, CMR, dec. Tim Lehner, Wf, 16-6.

FIFTH-SIXTH - Levi Holt, Kal, dec. Brandon Robinson, But, 7-5.

CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINALS - Kevin Owen, Pol, dec. Chase Gazzerro, CMR, 11-5; Jake Spencer, Lib, dec. Levi Holt, Kal, 12-8.

189 lbs

CHAMPIONSHIP - Chris Thompson, Kal, pinned Ben Schmidt, But, 5:15.

THIRD-FOURTH - Jake Graham, Lib, pinned Joey Korn, Uhi, :35.

FIFTH-SIXTH - Nik Caron, CF, dec. Scott McKenney, Med, 6-3.

CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINALS - Chris Thompson, Kal, dec. Scott McKenney, Med, 3-1; Ben Schmidt, But, dec. Joey Korn, Uhi, 5-2.

215 lbs

CHAMPIONSHIP - Paul Senescal, Med, tech. fall Brad Phillips, Ckn, 5:33.

THIRD-FOURTH - Tyler Cochran, CV, pinned Nick Rose, Uhi, 3:42.

FIFTH-SIXTH - Garrett Woodson, Kal, won by inj. default over Travis Hjort, Lib.

CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINALS - Paul Senescal, Med, pinned Travis Hjort, Lib, 3:51; Brad Phillips, Ckn, pinned Garrett Woodson, Kal, 1:37.

Hwt

CHAMPIONSHIP - Brandon Hoffenbacker, Kal, dec. Troy Parker, Wf, 4-3

THIRD-FOURTH - Mike Magee, Med, pinned Tommy Church, CF, 2:12.

FIFTH-SIXTH - Alex Purcell, Ckn, pinned Blake Cranmore, Cor, 2:10.

CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINALS - Brandon Hoffenbacker, Kal, pinned Tommy Church, CF, 1:58; Troy Parker, Wf, dec. Mike Magee, Med, 10-4.