Death Row

Libby's Greenchain gang has been murdering the opposition

These guys are good - scary good - 173 wins, 120 by pin. Four divisional champions. Four No. 1 rankings. The list goes on and on for their accomplishments this season.

Libby's "Big Guns," as coach Jay Graham calls them - Seth Cummings (145 pounds), Steve Bertelsen (160), Jake Spencer (171), Jake Graham (189) and Travis Hjort (215) - have been performing at a level to make any coach drool and any competitor tremble.

Every dual the Loggers compete in, the Big Guns are a guaranteed 15-30 points every time. The team went 22-1 this year in duals, largely due to the five-headed dragon in Libby's lineup. Only Class AA juggernaut Flathead managed to beat Libby head on in a very close contest.

"They're our heart and soul," coach Graham said. "They set the tone in the practice room, lead by example and do the right things."

Their work ethic also sets them apart. In the offseason, each one of them hits the weight room on a regular basis, and it shows.

And come wrestling season, these guys work as hard as anyone in the state. Spencer and Hjort are both four-time Ironmen. In their high school careers, neither has missed a single practice.

"They are lifting all year round," coach Graham said. "They travel in the off-season to wrestling tournaments - you've got have somebody like that."

Their commitment and presence in the practice room translates to leadership and authority that the rest of the team respects. Twice this year, the Big Guns have pulled the team aside to encourage the younger grapplers to step it up. Both times their influence made the difference.

When No. 3 Libby faced No. 2 Havre in a dual a few weeks ago, the leaders made it known that this was a win they wanted, and everyone had to contribute.

"We talked about how our lighter weights needed to step up and come together as a team," Jake Graham said. "We needed to win this one for ourselves."

The Big 5 came through in a big way against Havre as

well, especially Spencer. He had been ranked below Havre's Evan Hinebaugh all season long. The two faced off and were tied at 5-5 after three periods.

In overtime, Spencer went after him and scored a double-leg takedown for the win.

"That was just two warriors leaving it all out on the mat," coach Graham said.

The other time a team meeting was called was just last weekend at divisionals in Whitefish. Libby was trying for a four-peat at the tournament, but the Bulldogs rocketed out to a big lead.

"We took the team into the locker room and talked to them," Cummings said. "We told them that we had been pulling through all year, and they needed to get us some points."

The younger guys did their part in the next two rounds, giving Libby the win yet again. Cummings walked through his bracket to add his own fourth straight divisional title as well.

Libby has a tradition of strong wrestling teams, and the small town has rallied around this one like no other.

"People call you at night and ask you about the weekend," Hjort said. "It's real cool."

At away duals, Libby often has more fans in the seats than the home team. And at home duals, the only way to describe the Loggers' gym is electric.

"We don't go anywhere that is close to our gym," Spencer said. "It's awesome. Tons of people come to support us."

The week before state, team sponsors and parents cook massive meals so the team can eat healthy food together and head into state strong.

"We're proud of Libby Greenchain wrestling," coach Graham said. "For a lot of them, their dads went here and wrestled. There is a lot of pride here. They don't like losing."

Seth Cummings

Although he is the smallest of the Big Guns, Cummings might be the scariest. When he runs out to the center of the mat, he's all business. With his jet-black hair and somewhat crazed look in his eye, he strikes a menacing pose. And his hands literally twitch he's so excited for the referee to blow his whistle.

At 37-3 this season, he is looking to add that elusive state title to his wrestling resume that started when he was in kindergarten.

"I love the sport," he said. "I've played other sports, but wrestling is such an individual thing. When you win, no one else helped you."

Cummings has traveled across the western United States to compete at regional and national wrestling events. He spends as much time on the mat as he can to stay in peak condition.

Like all Libby wrestlers, offense is the key to his technique. Coach Graham pounds the mantra of "first takedown" into them all year long.

"I've got a couple of core moves that I've perfected," Cummings said. "I stick to the basics. Hard hands, swing single and the butcher. I run those over and over."

His only loss this year to a wrestler from Montana came at the Rocky Mountain Classic in Missoula by Hamilton's Mike Lewis. Cummings has already checked his bracket for state, and he will likely face Lewis in the semis.

"I owe him one pretty bad," Cummings said. "He beat me at Rocky, and it was embarrassing."

Steve Bertelsen

Once Cummings provides the spark, Bertelsen grabs the torch and keeps his team rolling. He won the state title last year as a sophomore, and looks to add another to his collection this season. His No. 1 ranking is nice, but he doesn't rely on it.

"Last year going into state, I wasn't even ranked," Bertelsen, who has wrestled since he was 6, said. "People could come out and surprise us."

He has high hopes for his team this year at state along with his individual goals. A first-place finish is on his mind, even with every one in the ready to give Sidney the title right now.

"We think we can beat them," he said. "We just need to come together and hope for the best. We should be top three at least."

Bertelsen's offensive mindset is the result of the coaching staff's insistence that matches aren't won by defense.

"We wouldn't be where we are without Mr. Graham and the assistant coaches," he said. "He's always pushing us and working us hard, but he stays relaxed and has a positive attitude."

Wrestling is just another sport in a long line of athletics in which he competes. Bertelsen was named to the All-State football squad this year for his work as a free safety and wide receiver. He also competes in the pole vault, high jump and javelin during track season.

Jake Spencer

After living in the shadow of Polson's Matt Owen for the past couple of years, Spencer is ready to cast his own. No one from Montana has beat him this season. The only loss in his 35-1 record came at the Tri-State Tournament in Couer d'Alene.

After beating Hinebaugh, he also moved to the No. 1 spot on the coaches' poll.

As a senior, he feels the weight of responsibility and Libby's wrestling past on his shoulders.

"It's our job to keep the tradition going," Spencer said. "We're all pretty nice to each other. The seniors aren't mean to the freshmen. I just like wrestling with my buddies, and we hang out outside of wrestling."

Spencer took first at divisionals, but the road to his state championship is stacked. With wrestlers like Hinebaugh and Sidney's Beau Melby in the way, Spencer will have to perform at his highest level.

"He's tough, but you've got to be confident," he said of Hinebaugh. "That was my biggest match of the year so far."

Spencer begrudgingly admits that Sidney is the favorite at state, but in the mold of Libby's confidence, he thinks an upset is possible.

"We've got to wrestle tough," he said. "We want to win it. I don't like to say it, but Sidney is tough. If everybody who should win wins, we'll be in the running."

Jake Graham

Not surprisingly, Graham has been wrestling his whole life. He took state last year as a sophomore, but illness and a new competitor may derail a repeat.

At the divisional tournament last week, Graham was 10 pounds underweight due to his battle with strep throat. He easily made the finals but forfeited his match against Polson's Bryce Picard.

Graham's record this season is 33-5. Three of his losses have been at the hands of Picard, one by the forfeit. Graham has beat him twice this year, and will have to face him again, probably at the finals in Billings, to win state.

"I'm looking forward to him," Graham said.

Graham, also an All-State football player, reached quite a milestone at divisionals. He reached 100 wins for his high school career, most of them by pins.

Being sandwiched in the Big Guns' lineup, Graham has extra motivation to perform knowing the wrestler in front of him and behind him will come up with the win.

"They definitely push me to get better," he said. "You need the win before to pump you up."

Travis Hjort

On a team of superstars, Hjort has risen to the top this season. He's undefeated with a 39-0 record. Thirty-six of his wins have come by pin. Hjort might wrestle a total of six minutes in four matches if someone really pushes him.

Hjort has placed fourth and third the past two years at state, and he's itching to bring home some first-place hardware.

Although he placed first at divisionals by pinning Ronan's Dan Brown, he wasn't happy with his performance.

"I wrestled horribly, actually," he said. "I tweaked my back in practice last week."

Hjort, an All-State defensive lineman, has colleges interested in him, but he postponed any commitments or signings until after wrestling season is over. He's just too focused on a state championship to deal with the stresses of picking a college.

"Plus, it's sad to go," he said. "Our senior night was awesome. It sucks to go."

Even if he wins the state championship, his biggest accomplishment this year may have been his title at the Tri-State tournament, considered one of the toughest competitions in the Northwest. His final bout was one of just three matches this season to go all six minutes.

"That was a sweet victory," he said.

His leadership in the practice room and at events will be missed. His comments before the Havre dual were part of the reason the team wrestled so hard.

"You've got to go out and give it all you've got, never giving up," he said. "Libby wrestling is hard-nosed. You get out of it what you put into it."

Eye on the prize

The Big Guns will no doubt give everything they've got this weekend at state as they chase individual titles and the team title. They are confident that with coach Graham at the helm, they are in a good position to make a run.

"He's the life-force of the whole thing," Cummings said. "He's huge. He's everybody's motivation."

Coach Graham said it will be tough to see three of his five main leaders leave after this year. For them, this weekend is it. The last shot. No more chances. They've carried the Greenchain a long way this year, but they're not done.

"They're a tough bunch," coach Graham said. "They're leaders in whatever sport they are in. They're great kids. You want to be around them."