Northwestern A filled with grappling talent

So, how tough is Northwestern A wrestling this season?

Well, a quick look at the latest state rankings, done by coaches, reveals plenty - several quality teams and loads of individual talent.

And it will all be on display today in Libby at the divisional tournament, which begins at 11 a.m.

Matches for third/fourth place and fifth/sixth are scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. The finals will follow.

In addition to teams battling for trophies and hardware, the top four individuals in all weight classes advance to the state tournament Feb. 13-14 in Billings. Some divisional wrestlers placing fifth or six can also advance if byes are present at state.

"We have good individuals, overall," Libby coach Jay Graham said.

"It will be a good divisional. One team will not run away from it."

The conference has three of its five teams ranked in the top 10 - Ronan at No. 4, followed by Polson and Libby at the No. 8-9 slots. That matches the Eastern Division, which also has three - No. 3 Sidney, No. 5 Miles City and No. 10 Laurel.

On the individual front, there are 15 weight classes with six wrestlers ranked at each weight class. Of the 90 individuals ranked, 25 are from Northwestern A.

Ronan leads the way with eight wrestlers on that list, followed by Polson and Libby with six each. Columbia Falls has two and Whitefish one.

Three Northwestern A wrestlers are honored with a No. 1 ranking - Mick Cheff of Ronan at 145, Brock Picard of Polson at 171 and Justin Graham of Libby at 215.

Listed at No. 2 are Ronan's Cameron Neiss, 125, and Toby Cheff, 160, and Columbia Falls' Kelly Houle, 215.

Five Northwestern A wrestlers are ranked No. 3 in their weight class - Ronan's Zach Robinson, 105; Polson's Nick Howell, 112, and Kaden Thomas, heavyweight; Whitefish's Kaleb Prestegaard, 152; and Libby's Seth Wright, 171.

The conference is loaded at heavyweight with Thomas, Kody Kenfield of Columbia Falls ranked No. 4 and Brandon Mills of Libby, listed No. 6.

Northwestern A has a wrestler ranked at every weight class.

Jesse Alfiero, Polson (98), Robinson (105), Neiss (112), Mick Cheff (130), Picard (160), Houle (189), Kenfield (215) and Mills (heavyweight) all won divisional titles a year ago at those weights. Sal Baccaro, Columbia Falls (98); Dakotah Jensen, Polson (105); Keio Salmonson, Polson (125); Trae Fouty, Polson (130); Kyle Sweedman, Libby (135); Wright (152) and Graham (189) were runners-ups at those weight classes last February.

Ronan (211), Polson (188 1/2) and Libby (142 1/2) finished 1-2-3 last year at the divisional tournament, which was held in Ronan. The hosts had seven finalists, six champions.

Polson finished with three champions and Libby one, while fourth-place Columbia Falls had five.

Picard (160), Neiss (112) and Graham (189) were divisional champions at those weight classes in 2007.