Bravettes pin down place in history
Flathead's Hania Halversen works on a pin of Glacier's Emily Pedron in a crosstown dual on Saturday. This season is the first for high school girl's wrestling in Montana. (Photo courtesy Jeff Thompson/Flathead High School)
The Flathead Wrestling Bravettes are an emphatic 1 and oh.
OK, host Glacier didn’t keep team scores and several matches were competed at 120 and 126 pounds. But what took place Saturday afternoon at the Wolf Den is unofficially the first girls’ varsity wrestling dual in the state.
“It just gives you goosebumps to be a part of history in Montana,” Flathead coach Jeff Thompson said. “These girls have been training so hard for the last month, and to be able to see them compete and see the hard work pay off — it was a blast.”
Flathead would have rolled up a 78-6 advantage if the dual was scored. The Montana High School Association hasn’t delineated what girls’ weight classes will be used, and the score would have been different if the boys’ classes were used — double forfeits at three weights — but the Bravettes won 13 of 14 matches Saturday.
"A great step for girls wrestling in the state of Montana,” Ross Dankers, Glacier’s coach, said. “I’m excited we were able to put together a bunch of girls’ matches. I’m proud of our girls going out on the mat with just being introduced to the sport a month ago and wrestling fearlessly.
“We’re excited to see their growth throughout the season."
Jessalyn Hewitt had Glacier’s lone win, a pin of Cadence Dennehy in 1 minute, 37 seconds at 120 pounds. The dual started at that class; Alyssa Poe-Hatten, who could wrestle 103, scored a pin in 43 seconds to set the tone.
“She moved up a weight class,” Thompson said of Poe-Hatten. “For her to come back as a senior and compete... She got the ball rolling for sure. She’s been wrestling since she was a little girl.”
At 138 Lily Conover scored a pin in 35 seconds.
“Lily sprained her ankle in practice this week,” Thompson said. “She missed a couple days of practice, but there was no way she was going to miss this opportunity.”
Only one match lasted into the second period — Lucille Libby’s pin of Shannen Todd — and the Bravettes’ made a winner of Sully Sullivan in his varsity coaching debut (Amber Downing is co-coach but was at a tournament in Colorado).
“He did such a good job today, coaching up the girls,” Thompson said of Sullivan. “They were so into it. They’re screaming, they’re yelling. It’s just fantastic to see this door open.
“It’s been really neat to see how the boys (Flathead won that dual 57-12) have embraced the girls. They’re just part of the family – the Flathead wrestling family.”
Flathead-Glacier girls’ dual
113 - Skye Shelmerdine, flathead, pinned Madyson Gilbert, :42.
120 - Jessalyn Hewitt, Glacier, pinned Cadence Denney, 1:37.
120 - Alyssa Poe-Hatten, Flathead, pinned. Maya Smith, :43.
120 - Chloe Yeadon, Flathead, pinned Leila Major, :1:24.
126 - Emma Gambino, Flathead, pinned McKenna McCarthy, 1:02.
126 - Alexus Cisco, Flathead, pinned Nora Haliday, 1:56.
126 - Hania Halverson, Flathead, pinned Emily Pedron, :30.
132 - Isabelle Brewer, Flathead, pinned Tori Gragg, :42.
132 - Bella Arriaga, Flathead, pinned Avery Anderson, 1:27.
138 - Lily Conover, Flathead, pinned Kayla Peterson, :35.
145 - Aleeyah Derlatka, Flathead, pinned Audrey Goodsell, :13.
160 - Sara Harrison, Flathead, pinned Haely Payne, 1:23.
170 - Boston Howell, Flathead, pinned Delanie Schultz, 1:29.
205 - Lucille Libby, Flathead, pinned Shannen Todd, Glacier, 2:51.