Glacier’s Vasquez eyes fourth title

Winning one individual state wrestling title is hard enough, let alone two. Even harder still to win three, and even fewer have won four.

But Glacier standout senior Teegan Vasquez could enter that elite group this weekend at the all-class state tournament in Billings. Only 37 other athletes have completed the four-time sweep, most recently Cooper Birdwell of Lewistown in 2021.

“It was really cool to win three,” Vasquez said. “But I mean this year is just even more exciting cause I’m like man, I actually have the chance and the opportunity to do this. And I have great coaches and great staff here to kind of push me and just have fun.”

Vasquez would be the first from the Flathead valley to complete the feat and it would fulfill a prediction he made at six years old. He is the only wrestler in Glacier program history to win multiple titles.

A family friend asked Vasquez then how he thought he’d compare to his brother and sister (wrestling is in his genes) once he got to high school.

“I’m gonna win it,” he proclaimed. “I’m gonna go undefeated. I’m gonna win all four.”

He almost got the undefeated part right – he lost his first high school match at the CMR Holiday Classic his freshman year. Vasquez hasn’t lost since, and got his 100th career win in January at the Pacific Northwest Classic in Spokane.

Now on his final trip to the MetraPark, Vasquez is relaxed and ready to get going on the mat. He’ll be wrestling at 132 pounds, which is where he won his third championship. The other two were at 113 and 120.

“I think freshman year was where I was nervous about it and kind of just cause I mean, it’s your first one, and if you don’t win your first one, then you have no chance to go win four,” Vasquez said. “​​This year, it’s just been like going out there and just having fun. Basically just go do what you’ve been doing.”

There are two other wrestlers that could win their fourth this weekend: Avery Allen of Bozeman and Owen Lonski of Sidney.

Vasquez is the most decorated wrestler in Glacier’s history, and has become a building block for the program as well as a mentor

“Shoot, I’m gonna miss that guy,” Glacier coach Ross Dankers said. “He’s been a fixture in our program. He’s taken care of other kids. He’s mentored other kids. He’s checked all the boxes. He has done exactly what you lay in front of a kid when they come in as a freshman and he’s built the road and completely crushed all the expectations. We’re gonna miss him. He’s a one in a career type guy.”

Vasquez got a nomination to two service academies: the Merchant Marines and the Naval Academy. He chose the Naval Academy and is awaiting the result of his application. There has been interest from some Montana schools, like Providence, and other out-of-state Division II and III schools.

All that can wait until later, though. For now, Vasquez is set on enjoying his last state tournament and reflecting on his high school career.

“I’m kinda just excited to go out there and just go wrestle,” he said. “That’s just the craziest part, it’s almost done.”

The Wolfpack qualified 13 boys for state, including Western AA divisional champion Kaleb Shine (152), who is also Vasquez’s training partner.

“We got a couple good seeds there that have some real potential to get into the semis and hopefully the finals,” Dankers said. “I feel like as a team we’re continuing to grow and build. Week after week we’ve been getting better, which is what we hope for. The kids have a great attitude right now.

“They’re feeling good, they’re happy and healthy and that’s a big part of wrestling is getting to that tournament healthy enough to perform and excited enough to still push through.”