Braves demolish Helena, Capital
The Daily Inter Lake
HELENA - Just how dominant are the defending state champions Flathead Braves?
They defeated Helena Capital 67-7 Saturday, but that wasn't even their best performance of the day.
Helena High went down 77 to minus-2, an overwhelming shutout effort by the Braves helped along by two unsportsmanlike penalties against Helena wrestlers.
"In my coaching career, I've never seen a shutout with negative points," Flathead coach Jeff Thompson said.
The Braves finished the regular season 17-1 in duals.
"Not bad for a rebuilding year," Thompson said. "This is a great point to be at this late in the season. To wrestle that well … we're very happy where we're at right now.
"We feel like our kids are peaking at the right time."
That time would be on the eve of the Western AA seeding tournament at Flathead starting Friday, followed by the state tournament in Billings the week after.
Before all that, though, was the matter of the Helena schools, and Braves plowed through with ease, first shutting out Bengals on the strength of nine pins.
Along the way Helena got dinged for swearing at 135 pounds and head butting at heavyweight to finish with minus-2 team points.
Then Flathead turned in eight pins against the Bruins to close out the regular season.
"Brandon Mitchell had two solid wrestlers and got two pins for the day," Thompson said. "He is wrestling really well right now.
"We moved Austin Zapata up to 119 because A.J. Stoick is sick and he got a pin against a tough kid.
"David Lau had the defending division champion and decisioned him 6-3," the coach continued. "That's pretty neat for a freshman to beat the returning division champion. He is really looking forward to the postseason."
Other highlights included Chris Thompson pinning the fourth-ranked 189-pounder in the state and Ricky Janes returning to form after a shoulder injury to record two pins. Ryan Nelson, who got pinned against Polson on Thursday, came back with two falls Saturday.
Overall the Braves are very healthy, both from an injury and illness standpoint. The only question mark is freshman Luke Fisher, who could get cleared to return from injury Monday.
The seeding tournament starts Friday at 4 p.m. and concludes Saturday.
BRAVES 77, BENGALS -2
98 - Brian Ham, K, pinned Brad Boettcher in 1:00; 105 - TC Decker, K, pinned Derek Leyva in :45; 112 - Austin Zapata, K, pinned Abel Dallas in :52; 119 - Ricky Janes, K, pinned Tyzer Pelletier 1:48; 125 - Brandon Mitchell, K, pinned Rob Gersbach in 3:39; 130 - Duran Flaget, K, wins by forfeit; 135 - Ryan Nelson, K, pinned Jeremy Burrows in 4:42; 140 - Tyler Wells, F, dec. Colin Martin 12-5; 145 - Mikey Kuehne, K, tech. fall Matt Felber 25-10; 152 - David Lau, K, dec. Nate Caldwell 21-14; 160 - Josiah Nelson, K, dec. Kevin West 8-3; 171 - Levi Holt, K, dec. Ryan Fetherston 5-3; 189 - Chris Thompson, K, pinned Curtis Quigley in 3:01; 215 - Garrett Woodson, K, pinned Jake Lesofski in :20; 275 - Brandon Hofferbecker, K, pinned Brad Sternberg in 5:15.
BRAVES 67, BRUINS 7
98 - Brian Ham, K, pinned Casey George in 1:01; 105 - Kallen Klienschmidt, C, dec. TC Decker 4-2; 112 - Ricky Janes, K, pinned Mike Fonger in 3:22; 119 - Austin Zapata, K, pinned Sean Potter in 2:30; 125 - Brandon Mitchell, K, pinned Krist Knutson in 3:51; 130 - Duran Flaget, K, dec. Craig Remsen 17-5; 135 - Ryan Nelson, K, pinned Devon Sherley 3:50; 140 - Tyler Wells, K, dec. Jarrod Klienschmidt 12-10; 145 - Mikey Kuehne, K, wins by forfeit; 152 - David Lau, K, dec. Curtis Gardner 6-3; 160 - Taylor Pearce, C, tech. fall Josiah Nelson 16-1; 171 - Levi Holt, K, dec. Joel Nay 4-3; 189 - Chris Thompson, K, pinned Colten Sherley in 4:19; 215 - Garrett Woodson, K, pinned Jeff Mahana 2:31; 275 - Brandon Hoffenbacker pinned Calvin Rucker in :31.