Braves win Pat Weede Memorial
Flathead finishes weekend undefeated, completes sweep of December tourneys
The Daily Inter Lake
GILLETTE, Wyo. - Everybody at the Pat Weede Memorial Duals in Gillette, Wyo., had a question Saturday for Flathead head wrestling coach Jeff Thompson.
They wanted the secret formula for the Braves' recent wrestling success.
Just to recap - the Braves have won three of the last four Montana Class AA state championships and this season they are 17-0 in duals, they've won the Polson Invitational, the Mining City Duals, the Tri-State Tournament - and now they've won the Pat Weede Memorial Duals.
"A lot of teams are surprised by how solid we are at every single weight. We kind of keep putting Flathead on the wrestling map," Thompson said.
"We just tell them it's in the water," he chuckled.
Two days, seven duals - the Braves emerged as the only undefeated team.
In Saturday's duals, Flathead started the day off by downing defending Montana Class A champion Havre, 49-12, then knocked off Sidney, 64-8 and rounded out the day with a 63-16 shellacking of Idaho Falls, Idaho.
The accolades were plentiful.
Seven wrestlers went undefeated - Shawn Lau (112), Tanner Beaman (130), Brian Ham (135), Bryce Stacy (145), David Lau (160), Luke Fischer (171), Tyler Thomas (Hwt) and Ryan Thiel.
Four Braves landed on the all-tournament team - Shawn Lau, Ham, Stacy and Thomas - and Thompson felt sure David Lau and Fischer would also have been named all-tournament, except they each moved up a weight class for one dual.
The tournament rule for that honor was wrestlers had to be at the same weight all the way through.
Lastly, Flathead was awarded the best sportsmanship award voted on by the coaches.
"We are just very proud of these young men," Thompson said.
Winning the sportsmanship award "is a huge honor. It says a lot about our young men. They are a class act. We're very excited to win that award."
Thompson also praised the tournament.
"We came here not only to get a win, but to get tested. Each one of our wrestlers got tested. A lot of the matches were a lot closer than the score. But that's how you get better," he added.
"Our guys are just being sponges and soaking things in. They got to see some great wrestling. What a great show Campbell County High School put on. They treat you like kings," he said.
"We were very honored to be part of such a great tournament."
The Flathead plan for the coming days is rest - four days - and then get ready for the second half of the season.
Final team standings
TEAM W-L
Flathead 7-0
Gillette 6-1
Havre 5-2
Deer Park 4-3
Star Valley 3-4
Sidney 2-5
Bismarck 1-6
Idaho Falls 0-7
Team scores
Round 7
Havre 53, Star Valley 15
Flathead 63, Idaho Falls (Idaho) 16
Deer Park (Wash.) 52, Sidney 26
Round 6
Havre 54, Bismarck Century (N.D.) 21
Flathead 64, Sidney 8
Round 5
Flathead 49, Havre 12
Star Valley 45, Sidney 30
Outstanding wrestlers
Lower weights: Myles Mazurkiewicz, Havre
Higher weights: Beau Melby, Sidney
Other awards
Sportsmanship Award: Flathead Braves
Outstanding Referee Award: Frank Pavick
All-Tournament Team
103 pounds: Chris Reico, Havre, 7-0
112: Shawn Lau, Flathead, 7-0
119: Tyler Cox, Gillette, 7-0
125: Lorren Mack, Havre, 6-1
130: Myles Mazurkiewicz, Havre, 7-0
135: Brian Ham, Flathead, 7-0
140: Tyler Juby, Gillette, 7-0
145: Bryce Stacy, Flathead, 7-0
152: Cody Miller, Deer Park, 6-1
160: Brady Burgess, Gillette, 7-0
171: Josh Moore, Sidney, 6-1
189: Beau Melby, Sidney, 7-0
215: Brian Warden, Idaho Falls, 7-0
HWT: Tyler Thomas, Flathead, 7-0
Saturday's Results
Flathead 49, Havre 12
103: Chris Reico, H, maj. dec. Zach Reimnitz,16-8; 112: Shawn Lau, F, pinned Bret Normandy, 3:23; 119: Joaquin Calderon, F, pinned Ryan Shelstad, 6:22; 125: Tanner Beaman, F, dec. Lorren Mack, 7-6; 130: Myles Mazurkiewicz, H, tech fall Dan Jenkins, 22-7 135: Brian Ham, F, dec. Kent Pattison, 7-0; 140: T.C. Decker, pinned Chad Ranes, 2:23;145: Bryce Stacy, F, dec. Aaron Olson, 4-0; 152: Ethan Hinebauch, H, dec. Tyler Wells, 13-8; 160: David Lau, F, maj. dec. Philip Sutherland, 12-4; 171: Luke Fischer, F, won by forfeit; 189: Ian Damon, F, won by forfeit; 215: Justin Waverek, F, dec. Paul Jensen, 10-8; Hwt: Tyler Thomas, F, dec. Mitch Schnittgen, 6-1.
Flathead 64, Sidney 8
103: Zach Reimnitz, F, pinned Brennan Gorder, 3:25 ; 112: Shawn Lau, F, pinned Levi Johnson, 2:48; 119: Joaquin Calderon F, pinned Scott Sturgis, :29; 125: Dan Jenkins, F, won by forfeit; 130: Tanner Beaman, F, won by forfeit; 135: Brian Ham, F, maj. dec. Lance Kuylen, 11-0; 140: Richard Heckler, S, dec. Steven Mantel, 4-3; 145: Bryce Stacy, F, pinned James Collins, 1:32; 152: Ryan Thiel, F, dec. Chad Dunn, 11-8; 160: David Lau, F, pinned Mac Collins, :53; 171: Luke Fischer, F, dec. Josh Moore, 6-0; 189: Beau Melby, S, tech fall Ian Damon, 18-3; 215: Justin Waverek, F, won by forfeit; HWT: Tyler Thomas, F, pinned Joey Escobedo, 1:20.
Flathead 63, Idaho Falls 16
103: Zach Reimnitz, F, won by forfeit; 112: Shawn Lau, F, won by forfeit; 119: Jeremiah Gaiser, F, pinned Tyson Davis, :34; 125: Dan Jenkins, F, pinned Chris Bateman, :58; 130: Tanner Beaman, F, pinned Zack New, 1:02; 135: Brian Ham, F, pinned Jordan Johnson, 1:19; 140: Josh Warner, IF, maj. dec. Steve Mantel, 14-2; 145: Bryce Stacy, F, pinned Jackson Carpenter, 1:35; 152: Caleb Allen-Schmid, F, pinner Taylor Anderson, 1:27; 160: David Lau, F, won by forfeit; 171: Luke Fischer, F, dec. Karl Thompson, 13-9; 189: Clark Oakley, IF, pinned Ian Damon, 1:14; 215: Brian Warden, IF, pinned Justin Waverek, 2:48; Hwt: Tyler Thoma