Brave Brawlers extend dual streak
Flathead's Logan Stansberry wrestles Missoula Sentinel's Luke Widham at 145 pounds at Flathead High School on Saturday, Jan. 28. Stansberry won by pin. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Flathead's Gannon Wisher pins Missoula Sentinel's John Hire at 132 pounds at Flathead High School on Saturday, Jan. 28. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Flathead's Noah Poe-Hatten wrestles Missoula Sentinel's Zander Beck at 182 pounds at Flathead High School on Saturday, Jan. 28. Poe-Hatten won by pin. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Flathead's Aiden Downing wrestles Missoula Sentinel's Darren Fuller at 126 pounds at Flathead High School on Saturday, Jan. 28. Downing won by pin. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Flathead's Gabe Lake works toward a pin of Missoula Sentinel's Xander Sarbacher at 160 pounds at Flathead High School on Saturday, Jan. 28. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Flathead's Skye Shelmerdine pins Missoula Sentinel's Nicole Martins at 114 pounds at Flathead High School on Saturday, Jan. 28. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Senior Day was a breeze for the Flathead Brave Brawlers, who won all but one match Saturday against Missoula Sentinel to roll up a 69-2 wrestling victory at the Boyle Gym.
The victory, combined with a dominant sweep of the Helena schools on Friday, puts the Brawlers’ dual record at 16-0. Going back to 2020 they’ve won 56 straight duals.
“Today was bittersweet,” Flathead coach Jeff Thompson said. “It’s always exciting to get your last match at home, and get a win. But we’ve spent so much time with these seniors. A lot of them, I’ve been taking them around the state and the country since they were 5 years old.”
Sentinel got one victory, a decision from Kade Wallace at 120 pounds. Other than a technical fall racked up by Cade Troupe at 152 pounds and Forest Howell’s 4-2 squealer at heavyweight, the Spartans absorbed pin after pin.
You could say the same thing about the Helena High Bengals, who lost 77-0 Friday, and the Capital Bruins, who fell 60-12.
Saturday’s boys dual ended with Forest Howell staying up and off the mat to beat Sentinel’s Brayden Wallace. It was just the second match all season for Howell — he needed 46 seconds to pin his Helena High opponent Friday. He’s a senior who has been recovering from ACL surgery.
“We wanted to make sure when we put him on that mat, that he was ready to go,” Thompson said. “Overall we’re just so excited for him to be able to wrestle his senior year. And with the crowd today, and his teammates – it just gives you goosebumps to watch that today.”
Seniors Noah Poe-Hatten (182) and Gabe Lake (160) all won by fall Saturday, and both won twice Friday.
Lake won a marquee matchup from Capital’s Cole Graham, 4-2. The Bruins also had ranked wrestlers at 170 (Connor Kovick) and 182 (Dylan Graham), but Anders Thompson pinned Kovick and Poe-Hatten, who is 26-2 this season, stuck Graham.
Troupe didn’t travel to Helena, so junior Lakoda Wieczorek picked up two wins in relief.
Saturday was supposed to be a twinbill, but Butte High didn’t make the trip over concerns about driving conditions.
Flathead’s next action will be in Butte: the Western AA Divisional is Friday and Saturday.
The weekend after that is the All-Class State wrestling tournament. Both the Bravettes and Braves are two-time defending champions.
“It’s pretty exciting. It’s not something we took time to soak in, but it’s been a pretty special last couple of years for Flathead wrestling,” Thompson said. “We’re just so proud as a coaching staff for this group, both the boys and the girls. We’re excited for what’s ahead of them in the future.”
Flathead 69, Missoula Sentinel 2*
103 — Dayton Naldrett, Flathead, won forfeit. 113 — Diesel Thompson, Flathead, p. Bryton Lenz, 3:51. 120 — Kade Wallace, Sentinel, dec. William Barnes, 1-0. 126 — Aiden Downing, Flathead, p. Darren Fuller 1:24. 132 — Gannon Wisher, Flathead, p. John Hire, 1:44. 138 — Dane Lake, Flathead, p. Evan Hafliger 1:26. 145 — Logan Stansberry, Flathead, p. Luke Widman, 2:26. 152 — Cade Troupe, Flathead, tech. fall Chase Petrey, 16-1. 160 — Gunnar Thompson, Flathead, p. Colin Lerback, :48. 182 — Noah Poe-Hatten, Flathead, p. Zander Beck 1:26. 205 — Sawyer Troupe, Flathead, p. Blake Dunnins, :59. Hwt — Forest Howell, Flathead, dec. Brayden Wallace, 4-2.
*-Sentinel was penalized one point at 120.
Friday
Flathead 77, Helena High 0
103 — Dayton Naldrett, Flathead, p. David Krambule :32. 113 — Diesel Thompson, p. Zane Gehring 2:18. 120 — William Barnes, Flathead, p. Asa Wood ::54. 126 — Aiden Downing, Flathead, p. Connor Lamping, :31. 132 — Gannon Wisher, Flathead, p. Colin Mehrens, 1:03. 138 — Dane Lake, Flathead, p. JT Gehring, 4:19.. 145 — Logan Stansberry, Flathead, won by forfeit. 152 — Lakoda Wieczorek, Flathead, tech. fall Daniel Krambule, 16-0. 160 — Gabe Lake, Flathead, p. Bronson Olson 1:18. 170 — Gunnar Thompson, Flathead, p. Sam Harkins 1:13. 182 — Noah Poe-Hatten, Flathead, p. Charles Fox, 1:39. 205 — Sawyer Troupe, Flathead, won by forfeit. Hwt — Forest Howell, Flathead, p. Trent Salway :46.
Flathead 60, Helena Capital 12
103 — Dayton Naldrett, Flathead, p. Mason Eblen 1:52. 113 — Diesel Thompson, Flathead, p. Jayden Simmons 1:32. 120 — William Barnes, Flathead, won by forfeit. 126 — Hunter Rahan, Capital, p. Aiden Downing 5:28. 132 — Gannon Wisher, Flathead, won by injury default over Ayden Smelko. 138 — Dane Lake, Flathead, p. Boston Lay, n/a. 145 — Logan Stansberry, Flathead, p. Jackson McMillen 2:22. 152 — Lakoda Wieczorek, Flathead, tech. fall Dane Butler, 15-0. 160 — Gabe Lake, Flathead, dec. Cole Graham 4-2. 170 — Anders Thompson, Flathead, p. Conner Kovick, 2:14. 182 — Noah Poe-Hatten, Flathead, p. Dylan Graham 2:53. 205 — Sawyer Troupe, Flathead, maj. Dec. Tuff Adams, 19-9. Hwt — Talon Marsh, Capital, won by forfeit.