WRESTLING: Polson leads contenders at Western A divisional
The last chance for the region’s top wrestlers to make a play for seeding begins today when Whitefish hosts the Western A divisional wrestling tournament starting at 4 p.m. at the high school gym.
Wrestle backs and the championship rounds will begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday. The top eight competitors in each of the 13 weight classes will advance to the All-Class state tournament Feb. 12-13 in Billings.
Polson has risen back to prominence this season with a talented young roster that is ranked second in the state.
The Pirates enter the divisional as one of the deepest teams in the field with seven ranked wrestlers, including six ranked in the top three in their weight class.
Freshmen R.J. Pierre, the state’s top-ranked 103-pounder, and Bridger Wenzel, ranked second at 120, have each won 35 matches this season to power the Pirate rennaissance, leading a team that will send 10 freshmen or sophomores to the divisional. Sophomore Colton Cote enters as the second ranked 152 pounder and senior Mike Corrigan second at 205, both having won 33 matches this season.
Parker Adler, a sophomore 145 pounder, is ranked third and senior Jaben Wenzel is ranked fourth at 138.
Polson will hope to hold off strong competition from a variety of schools, including three-time defending divisional champ Columbia Falls and Southwestern power Hamilton.
The Mat Cats, ranked fifth in the state, are missing three-time state champ Shonn Roberts this year but aren’t lacking talent, led by senior Kaleb Gravelin who won a divisional title last season.
Gravelin, the top-ranked wrestler at 138 pounds, is one of six Cats that are ranked entering the tournament, along with junior Mason Fetters, who is second at 145. Troy Meyers (160), Winfield West (113), Ben Windauer (126) and olton McPhee (170) are also among the contenders for Columbia Falls.
Whitefish is led by senior heavyweight Steven Quimby, ranked fourth in the state with 32 wins this season, and Konrad Zinke at 170, having won 34 matches this season.
Hamilton is the top-ranked team from the Southwest, entering ninth in the state, and has seven ranked wrestlers in the match. Dillon also has a handful of contenders.
Polson Pirates
103 - Freshman - R.J. Pierre (35-6) Ranked 1st in the state
103 - Sophomore - Mateo Quinones (30-15)
120 - Freshman - Bridger Wenzel (35-10) Ranked 2nd
126 - Senior - Thunder Morales (23-14)
132 - Sophomore - Cameron Brown (23-7) Ranked 3rd
132 - Freshman - Jarod Farrier (10-12)
138 - Senior - Jaben Wenzel (27-16) Ranked 4th
138 - Sophomore - John Moore (4-9)
145 - Sophomore - Parker Adler (23-12) Ranked 3rd
152 - Sophomore - Colton Cote (33-12 Ranked 2nd
160 - Freshman - Koby Garcia (13-21)
182 - Sophomore - Noah Humphrey (19-24)
205 - Senior - Mike Corrigan (33-8) Ranked 2nd
205 - Junior - Ryan Burland (9-8)
285 - Senior - Nick Marquart (17-17)
Whitefish Bulldogs
113 - Senior - Taisuke Matsuo (13-24)
120 - Junior - Eli Taylor (8-22)
126 - Senior - Dillon Thorsteinson (17-12)
132 - Freshman - Robert Bertelsen (14-21)
138 - Senior - James Buckley (22-16)
145 - Senior - Brooks Krause (17-14)
152 - Junior - Malik Heydon (9-22)
170 - Senior - Konrad Zinke (34-11)
182 - Junior - Triston Knopp (22-10)
205 - Junior - Travis Catina (9-3)
285 - Senior - Steven Quimby (32-11) Ranked 2nd
Columbia Falls Mat Cats
Lineup not available