State Wrestling: Flathead, Billings Skyview tied atop Class AA; Glacier sits third
Flathead’s Joaquin Calderon pins Destin Wessman of Great Falls High in the 130-pound weight class. Calderon won both of his matches on Friday and will face Dylan Mendenhall of Great Falls High in today’s semifinal.
Glacier’s Dan Gilbert pins CMR’s Cameron Farrell during an early round at heavyweight. Gilbert won both of his matches on Friday and will face Flathead’s Connor Thomas in today’s semifinal.
Glacier’s Cooper Sipe wrestles Matt Nguyen of Billings Skyview in the championship quarterfinals at 130 on Friday. Nguyen won a 4-2 decision.
BILLINGS — Close again.
Flathead and Billings Skyview top the Class AA standings after opening-day action Friday at the All-Class State Wrestling Tournament in Rimock Auto Arena at MetraPark.
Both mat powers amassed 135 points, while Glacier is holding the No. 3 spot with a 110 1/2 point total in a tightly-bunched field.
Bozeman and Missoula Sentinel are tied for fourth with 100 each.
Billings Skyview a year ago held a one-point advantage on Flathead after the first day. However, the Braves stormed back in the semifinals and finals to capture their fourth-straight title.
Flathead finished with 339 points to Skyview’s 315.
“Extremely happy,” Flathead coach Matt Owen said.
“We got exactly what we wanted out of the first day.”
Flathead, which qualified 22 for state, will have 11 in today’s semifinals, which begin at 9 a.m. Skyview will have nine.
“We’re in first, but that doesn’t matter after the first day,” Owen said.
“The last point still has to be scored.”
Making it to the semifinals for Flathead are: Caleb Piasecki (112), Suny Cheff (112), Joaquin Calderon (130), Shawn Lau (140), Jeremiah Gaiser (145), Zach Deist (152), Caleb Allen-Schmid (160), Larry Francis (171), Trevor Beaman (189), Travis Ozegovich (215) and Connor Thomas.
Flathead only lost four wrestlers on the first day and has four more still alive in the wrestlebacks.
“I thought we had a great first day of wrestling. I think we set ourselves up perfectly for tomorrow,” Owen said.
Glacier, which matched Flathead for winners in the opening round at 11, had a tough go in the quarterfinals. The Wolfpack advanced just four to today’s semifinals - Alek Mitchell (98), Kaleb Mitchell (98), Logan Clay (171) and Dan Gilbert (285). The Mitchells are in opposite brackets, so the twin brothers could meet in the finals for a second- straight week. Last week it happened at the Western AA seeding tournament.
“They did a real good job,” Glacier coach Mark Fischer said of his foursome.
“We had a good first round, a rough second round.
“I have mixed feelings right now. We have to have a better day tomorrow,” Fischer added.
In Class A, Polson is holding down the No. 4 position with 84 points, while Ronan is eighth with 56.
Also from Northwestern A, it’s Columbia Falls in 12th with 46 points, Libby is 15th with 39 and Whitefish 21st with 11.
Havre, three-time defending state champions, leads with 111, followed closely by Belgrade, 102 1/2.
Polson has advanced five to the semifinals — Craig Feistner (98), Jacob Young (135), Ty Fouty (152), Brock Picard (171) and Kaden Thomas (285). Columbia Falls — Sal Bacarro (112), Justin Whitman (119), Shawn Whitman (140) and Kelly Houle (215) — and Ronan — Cameron Neiss (130), Micky Cheff (152), Cole McArthur (160) and Toby Cheff (189) — are next with four each.
Libby has two — Kyle Leir (135) and Kyle Sweedman (171).
Glasgow, which has also won three state championships in a row, is the Class B-C leader with 88 points. Huntley Project is second with 81 and Townsend third with 76. Eureka is tied for 24th with 17 points. The Lions have one semifinalist in Taylor Vaughn (160).