Glacier wrestling: One for the coach
<p>Glacier’s 130-pound wrestler Kaleb Mitchell (top) tries to pin Cooper Ryan during the Wolfpack’s victory over Helena High Saturday night at Glacier High School.</p>
<p>Glacier’s Alek Mitchell takes down Matt West-Reed of Helena High during Saturday’s 125-pound match at Glacier High School.</p>
For coach Armstrong.
The Glacier Wolfpack wrestler had an opportunity for something special as they got ready Saturday to face Helena High and Helena Capital in the final regular season duals.
Class AA's No. 1-ranked Wolfpack had a shot to pull off an undefeated dual meet record.
But the wrestlers also had assistant coach Mark Armstrong on their minds.
Armstrong had back surgery on Saturday.
According to head coach Mark Fischer, Armstrong had to be talked out of postponing the surgery in favor of being at the senior night duals.
They made sure the Wolfpack wrestlers knew that.
"'Here we have a coach willing to endure all this pain to watch you kids, you seniors,'" Fischer told the boys.
"I think the kids really took that to heart. These kids really wanted to do something to show honor to coach Armstrong. He deserves it. He is part of the heart and soul of this group," the coach said.
Show honor they did.
The Wolfpack defeated the Helena High Bengals 48-33 in the first dual, then finished up with a 72-9 shellacking of the Helena Capital Bruins in the senior night nightcap.
"Great way to end our season. It's pretty unbelievable to go 17-0 in duals. It's just a credit to these kids," Fischer said.
"I went into duals scared a lot of times (throughout the season). But these guys just got on a roll and they would come through for us.
"We're saying goodbye to eight seniors tonight who have done an incredible job leading this team and showing kids what it's like to be a leader. We're going to miss these guys. They are a great senior class.
"These are incredible kids. They're focusing in and they really care about each other. That's the most important thing. They look after each other. They police each other and they make sure we're getting the job done.
"It's just been an incredible year to be a coach of these kids. The kids are great, the parents are great. We just have great things going on."
The Wolfpack trailed Helena High 12-0 early, but started its rally with Alek Mitchell's 6-1 decision at 125.
From there the Wolfpack got on a roll.
Kaleb Mitchell, Zach Barber, Jackson Barber and Cooper Sipe all had pins. Helena forfeited 160, 171 and 215. Quin Barber's 8-4 decision at 98 rounded out the Glacier scoring.
Glacier never trailed against Capital.
The Wolfpack got six pins and picked up four forfeits against the Bruins.
Picking up pins were Christian Knopp (119), Mitchell (130), Zach Barber (135), Jackson Barber (140), Sipe (145) and Riley Pisk (171).
Capital forfeited 152, heavyweight, 98 and 105.
Fischer complimented Lane Armstrong at 189, Sipe at 145, Mitchell at 130 and Pisk at 171.
"Lane came and wrestled two really tough kids, finished up really well. Cooper had a tough kid from Capital but he went out there and got after it, dominated the kid," the coach said.
"Kaleb Mitchell looked really good, Riley Pisk had a great evening. Up and down our lineup, we're coming along really good. We have to put it together in two weeks and see what we can do at that state tournament," he added.
But first is next week's Western AA seeding tournament at Flathead High School.
"Next week is important to put in the brackets where we need to be. So we'll see what happens. We have to get (the athletes) to peak at the right time.
"These kids are itching to go. We're not burned out at all," the coach said.
Glacier 48, Helena High 33
Dual started at 112
98: Quinn Barber, G, dec. Emilio Remero 8-4; 105: Landon Bailey, H, p. Cody Decker, 5:45; 112: Brodie Long, H, p. Kevin Talcott, 1:49; 119: Gabe Schroeck, H, p. Christian Knopp, 5:48; 125: Alek Mitchell, G, dec. Matt West-Reed, 6-2, 130: Kaleb Mitchell, G, p. Cooper Ryan, 3:13; 135: Zach Barber, G, p. Brady Bertagnolli, 1:24; 140: Jackson Barber, G, p. Noah River, 4:51; 145: Cooper Sipe, G, p. Jacob Van Dyke, 1:10; 152: Jonathan Mandy, H, p. Isaac Saenz, 3:21; 160: Shane St. Onge, G, won by forfeit; 171: Riley Pisk, G, won by forfeit; 189: Nate Caldwell, H, dec. Lane Armstrong, 2-1; 215: Jake Tudahl, G, won by forfeit; 285: Tucker Erickson, H, p. Mack Sutherland, 1:43.
Glacier 72, Helena Capital 9
Dual started at 119
98: Quinn Barber, G, won by forfeit; 105: Cody Decker, G, won by forfeit; 112: Trevor Ball, H, p. Kevin Talcott, 2:24; 119: Christian Knopp, G, p. Eric Emge, :43; 125: Alex Markle, H, dec. Alek Mitchell, 1-0; 130: Kaleb Mitchell, G, p. Lawrence Lesofski, 1:52; 135: Zach Barber, G, p. Sam Asay, 3:49; 140: Jackson Barber, G, p. Lane Clark, 1:35; 145: Cooper Sipe, G, p. Jackson Haider, 1:34; 152: Isaac Saenz, G, won by forfeit; 160: Shane St. Onge, G, maj. dec. Chaz McGurn, 14-0; 171: Riley Pisk, G, p. Dillon Koffman, 5:23; 189: Lane Armstrong, G, tech fall Allan Schmitz, 16-1; 215: Jake Tudahl, G, dec. Jake Barnard, 10-3; 285: Mack Sutherland, G won by forfeit.