Flathead wrestlers ranked 26th in nation

The Daily Inter Lake

The Flathead Braves wrestling team is already off and running.

The Braves haven't stepped on the mat yet, but they are ranked No. 26 in the nation by Oklahoma City-based Amateur Wrestling News.

That's the highest Flathead has ever been ranked, according to head coach Jeff Thompson.

The Braves were ranked 38th going into last year's state championship run.

Blair Academy in New Jersey and St. Paris Graham in Ohio are the No. 1 and No. 2-ranked teams.

Much of how the teams are ranked has to do with returning state placers, how kids placed at different tournaments during the summer, the three state titles Flathead has won over the past four years - and that the Braves return almost 300 of the 347.5 points they scored en route to the state championship last year.

"We return 15 state placers, seven finalists and four state champions," Thompson said.

Returning state champs for the Braves are sophomore Shawn Lau (112), junior Bryce Stacy (152) and seniors Brian Ham (135) and TC Decker (145) .

"It's exciting, but at the same time, it puts a bull's-eye on us," Thompson said.

"To be recognized around the country like that … it says a lot about our feeder programs," he said.

The Flathead wrestlers were excited, he said. "You could see their eyes light up. It is kind of neat, but the bull's-eye is on our back. It's a good thing, but everybody is going to be gunning for us," Thompson said.

The Braves hope to peak three times this winter - for the Dec. 14-15 Tri-State tournament, for the Dec. 21-22 Western Duals in Gillette, Wyo. (teams are hand-picked from around the west) and for the Feb. 8-9 state tournament in Billings.