Bravettes top Western AA divisional

by Daily Inter Lake
| February 4, 2023 11:55 PM

BUTTE — The Flathead Bravettes picked up something else to add to their trophy case by winning the inaugural Western AA girls wrestling divisional title on Saturday at the Butte Civic Center.

Butte was second with 209 points to Flathead’s 236, and Glacier was third with 193 points.

The Bravettes had four individual champions: Reina Koehler (100 pounds), Bella Downing (120), Alivia Rinehart (138) and Lucille Libby (235).

Downing won a 7-6 decision over Butte’s Sophie Grunhuvd and Koehler pinned another Butte competitor, Peyton Liva, in 1:29. Libby pinned Makenna Bazo of Butte in 1:01 and Rinehart won a 10-4 decision over Helena Capital’s Lily Bennum.

“The Flathead Girls Brawlers showed up this weekend with a goal to stay on top and they did just that,” Flathead coach Amber Downing said. “Big win for Alivia Rinehart in the finals over a Capitol High girl, having lost to her just last week. Reina Koehler scored big with a pin in the first minute of her finals match. All 20 of our girls placed in the top five of their respective brackets and 18 punched their ticket to state. With so many wrestlers new to the sport this year we were a little nervous how we'd rank in the state, but our ladies rose to the occasion.”

Glacier also had four individual champs: Brooke Yeadon (107), Kaura Coles (114), Madisyn Frazier (152), and Leah Esser (185).

Coles won by tech fall over teammate Arianna Conklin, and Yeadon pinned Butte’s Kaylee LaPier in 3:15. Frazier quickly pinned Flathead’s Bridget Smith in 1:02 and Esser pinned Missoula Big Sky’s Elizabeth Henkins in 1:08.

“The Western AA girls, I think that was a pretty solid division in comparison to the state,” Glacier coach Ross Dankers said. “So getting seven in the finals and four champs in Yeadon, Coles, Fraizer and Esser was a huge deal. We’re excited to see where that puts us when the 24 girl brackets are developed and six divisions are feeding into one bracket. I really like where we are as a team.”

Boston Howell (235), Reese Conley (152) and Brinly Youso (107) were all third for Flathead. Mykel Lee (107) and Skye Shelmerdine (114) were fourth.

For Glacier, Jessalynn Hewitt (126) and Jasmine Cartwright were second, Katelyn Sphuer was third and Temree Payne-Taylor (120) was fourth.

The All-Class state tournament is Feb. 10-11 in Billings. Flathead has won the past two state titles.

Western AA Girls Divisional

Butte (Butte Civic Center)

Saturday

Team scores — Flathead 236, Butte 209, Glacier 193, Helena Capital 78, Missoula Big Sky/Loyola 71, Helena High 44, Missoula Hellgate 10, Missoula Sentinel 10.

Individual results

100: 1st Place Match — Reina Koehler (Flat) p. Peyton Liva (Butte), 1:29. 3rd Place Match — Katelyn Sphuler (Glac), won by forfeit.

107: 1st Place Match — Brooke Yeadon (Glac) p. Kaylee LaPier (Butte), 3:15. 3rd Place Match — Brinly Youso (Flat) p. Mykel Lee (Flat), 2:24. 5th Place Match — Jessie LaPier (Butte) p. Dylan Culwell (Cap), 2:29.

114: 1st Place Match — Kaura Coles (Glac) tech fall Ariana Conklin (Glac), TF-1.5 4:27. 3rd Place Match — Aydin Gonzales (Butte) dec. Skye Shelmerdine (Flat), 4-1. 5th Place Match — Adi Siegel (Flat) p. Nicole Martens (Sen), 0:48. 7th Place Match — Kaylei Hinck (Hlgena) p. Lauren Warren (Butte), 2:09.

120: 1st Place Match — Bella Downing (Flat) dec. Sophie Grunhuvd (Butte), 7-6. 3rd Place Match — Taylor Lay (Cap) p. Temree Payne-Taylor (Glac), 1:22. 5th Place Match — Trinity Boivin (Flat) p. Aspen Murphy (Hlg), 1:38. 7th Place Match — Lola Gonzales (Cap) p. Rylan O`Connell (Butte), 2:16.

126: 1st Place Match — Lucia Schlapfer (MBS/Loy) p. Jessalyn Hewitt (Glac) 0:25. 3rd Place Match — Peyton Walker (Flat) inj. def. Kiera Lackey (Flat), 0:03. 5th Place Match — Emma Trader (MBS/Loy) p. Maria Hanson (Butte), 0:57. 7th Place Match — Lucy Andrew (Hlg) won by forfeit.

132: 1st Place Match — Nevaeh Grunhuvd (Butte) p. Teya Edwards (Butte), 3:26. 3rd Place Match — Lanie Russell (Helena) p. McKenna McCarthy (Flat), 2:12. 5th Place Match — Autumn Thompson (Flat) p. Caitie Sistok (Glac), 2:46.

138: 1st Place Match — Alivia Rinehart (Flat) dec. Lily Bennum (Cap), 10-4. 3rd Place Match — Clara Schuele (Helena) maj. dec. Audree Kushner (Flat), 12-3.

145: 1st Place Match — Mattie Stepan (Butte) dec. Jasmine Cartwright (Glac), 4-3. 3rd Place Match — Hattie Morrow (MBS/Loy) p. Eliska Tornerova (Flat), 1:46. 5th Place Match — Isabelle Brewer (Flat) p. Emma Shaw (Sen), 2:39. 7th Place Match — Sandra Abrahamsom (Glac) won by forfeit.

152: 1st Place Match — Madisyn Frazier (Glac) p. Bridget Smith (Flat), 1:02. 3rd Place Match — Reese Conley (Flat) p. Leila McKay (Cap), 2:15. 5th Place Match — Rylee Radcliffe (Butte), p. Alli Buls (Glac), 3:48.

165: 1st Place Match —Hayla Hoffman (Butte) dec. Bryton Kipp (Cap), 4-3. 3rd Place Match — Rylee Murgel (Helena) p. Ava Griswold (Flat), 2:39. 5th Place Match — Kelsey Bryant (Glac) won by forfeit.

185: 1st Place Match — Leah Esser (Glac) p. Elizabeth Henkins (MBS/Loy), 1:08.

235: 1st Place Match — Lucille Libby (Flat) p. Makenna Bazo (Butte), 1:01. 3rd Place Match — Boston Howell (Flat) p. Ashlee Wilcox (Butte), 2:02.