Bravettes, Wolfpack are ready to wrestle
The Bravette Brawlers have been at the top of Montana girls wrestling since its adoption by the MHSA in 2020 and the two-time state champions look to be formidable again, returning six placers from last year’s state tournament.
Among those is senior Lily McMahon (132 pounds) who was third at state last March. There’s a caveat, however — McMahon is battling a knee injury and her return remains in question.
Another 132-pounder, junior McKenna McCarthy, who was fifth at state in 2021, also returns.
There’s Trinity Boivin (120), a senior who was sixth in 2021, back, along with heavyweight Boston Howell, and Lucie Libby (185), both juniors who placed fifth at state last season.
Add Alivia Rinehart, who placed fifth at 138 as a freshman last year, and the Bravettes are stacking up to be an experienced squad.
The Flathead girls were ranked 28th in the country by USA Wrestling at the end of last season and head Flathead wrestling coach Jeff Thompson expects some stiff competition this season from Billings Senior and Billings Skyview, as well as crosstown rival Glacier, which he counts as a testament to the growth of the sport in Montana.
“This year the girls will have to qualify for the state tournament just like the boys, but our
numbers again should keep us in the hunt for another state trophy,” Thompson said.
Flathead will again be pushing 30 wrestlers on its girls roster this year.
“Flathead has really embraced girls wrestling and it is one of the most popular sports at our school,” Thompson said. “We have an amazing family culture at Flathead that really supports our girls to take on this challenging sport of wrestling.”
The Bravettes have two more seniors on the roster — Skye Shelmerdine (114) and Peyton Walker (126) — and four juniors, Mykel Lee (114), Brady Boll (138), Isabelle Brewer (152) and Reina Koehler (107). Raimey Hull (132), a sophomore, Bella Downing (120) and Brinly Youso (107) are also in the mix.
Glacier
Brooke Yeadon headlines the list of returners to Glacier’s girls wrestling roster after a second-place finish at state in the 107-pound weight class.
The Wolfpack is coming off a fourth-place finish at state last season and have 18 girls set to compete this year.
Yeadon is a junior, but there are four seniors and a host of freshmen that coach Ross Dankers says should add up to a good mix.
Jessalyn Hewitt (126), Jasmine Cartwright (145), Madisyn Frazier (152) and Leah Esser (185) are Glacier’s seniors.
There are five juniors — Calista Wroble (114), Temree Payne-Taylor (120), Caitie Sistok (132), Alli Buls (152), and Seanna Dube (185) — and Mikaela Julius (126) as the only sophomore.
Freshmen include Kelsey Bryant (165), Sandra Abramson (145), Emily Lockhart (132), Jessa Morris (126), Ariana Conklin (114), and Lahna Thorn (114).
Both Glacier and Flathead kick off the season at the Flathead Girls Invite on Saturday, which is set for 10 a.m. at Flathead High School.