Class A wrestling: Libby has 2 state champs; C-Falls 1

BILLINGS - A little confidence can really do wonders for a person.

That's the lesson to be gained from Libby junior wrestler Mitch Haugen.

Haugen, who had never before placed at the All Class Tournament, came out of nowhere on Saturday night to claim the 130-pound Class A state title.

He put the victory up to his coaches, his workout partners and to his parents, all of whom have been telling him he could do it.

Last year, Haugen was 1-2 at the state tournament. The year before, he was 2-2.

"I came in here with more confidence than in past years. I think that was the biggest thing," he said.

"Twelve years of training for that one match. It's almost insane if you think about it. It's a really humbling experience after losing out the last couple of years," he said.

Among the first to greet Haugen after his victory?

Teammate Kyle Leir, who still had his own match ahead at 145.

"Kyle is always helping me. He's a role model, you could say, a big brother. We've always wrestled together. To see him happy for me ... that was cool," Haugen said.

On a night when the team triumphs belonged to others (Corvallis claimed the team championship with 222.5 points, followed by Laurel with 219 and Havre with 192.5), the local focus was on the individual Northwestern A champions.

Team-wise, Polson was seventh (111 points), Columbia Falls ninth (96 points), Libby 10th with 88.5 and Whitefish 17th (30).

Polson and Columbia Falls each had five state placers while Libby had four.

Haugen was one of three Class A champs from the Northwestern A. Greenchain teammate Kyle Leir won his second straight title, this time at 145 and Columbia Falls freshman Shonn Roberts won at 98 pounds.

Whitefish heavyweight Wolf Zinke was a runner-up.

"Last year, Kyle won. That was awesome. Then to be in the Metra and to have two (champs) makes a pretty fun night," said Libby coach Kelly Morford.

"As hard as it is to win one, it's tougher to win two when you have a target on your back and everybody is after you," the coach said of Leir.

"But he stayed focused all year long and wasn't going to accept not winning another state title.

"He wrestled really solid this weekend, probably the best he's wrestled all season."

Roberts also credited his parents and his coaches.

"My dad said he knew I could win it," Roberts said of his father, Kevin.

He also credited Columbia Falls assistant coach Ben Schaeffer (whose arms he leaped into after his win).

"Ben and I are pretty close," he said.

"It's amazing. I've never felt so good before. I've been trying to get a shot at a state title since sixth grade," he said.

Haugen was a bit of a surprise to his coaches this year.

"We knew he had the ability but he really just learned to wrestle smart this year," Morford said.

"It's really impressive for someone to come as far as he has in a short amount of time," the coach said.

Watching Haugen pre-match is a lesson in intensity. He simply never stops moving.

"That's probably his best attribute, is he keeps the tempo up. He's heavy-handed and he stays after people. He wrestles six minutes and never lets up the pressure. That helps him out a lot," Morford said.

"I did tell him during the 112-pound match he should take a little break, because I think he'd been warming up for an hour-and-a-half," the coach joked.

"That's his style, to go and go."

"I kind of wanted to put a mental image in that kid's head to let him know I was ready. Regardless of his mental state, I wanted him to know he would have his hands full," Haugen said.

"Plus, I was really jacked coming to the Metra. It was all packed. Being able to wrestle in front all these fans ... it gets the mental intensity up," he said.