Brave Brawlers' dual streak ends at 87

GREAT FALLS — The streak is over for the Flathead Brave Brawlers, who fell in the championship of the AA Duals Saturday, 35-22 to Billings West. 

The Brawlers had won 87 straight duals, the second-longest streak in state history according to Montana High School Assocation records. Butte won 112 straight from 1981-89.  

The run fell at the hands of defending the State AA champion Golden Bears.

“We gave them Hell this weekend but just came up a little short,” Flathead coach Jeff Thompson said. “We have some injuries and sickness and had to move some guys around to try to keep the streak alive.  

“It was quite a run, winning 87 dual matches in a row, but every streak has to come to an end and I guess our time was up. We just came up a little short against Billings West.” 

The championship dual began with Hunter Arriaga getting a technical fall over West’s Logan Shores at 132 pounds, and when Dane Lake won a decision and Lane Chivers got a technical fall at 150 and 157, the Brawlers led 11-6. 

The Golden Bears won the next five matches to take control. Kellen Downing’s 9-7 decision over three-time state champion Zach Morse at 118 was a highlight, but by then the outcome of the dual had been decided. 

“Overall, we are wrestling well and our depth really stood out this weekend,” Thompson said, singling out Daniel Evert and Kohen Rilley for having strong weekends. 

“Lane Chivers was undefeated this weekend and just fires shot after shot,” he added. “We are confident in where we are at and we still believe that we are in the hunt at the state tournament in a couple weeks.” 

Flathead beat Bozeman 82-0, Gallatin 64-12 and Great Falls High 37-33 to advance to the final. 

Glacier went 1-2 at the meet: The Wolfpack lost to Gallatin 51-15, then beat Bozeman High 48-18, then lost to Belgrade 51-27. 

Jerin Coles won a major decision at 157 and had a pin at 150 on the weekend; Niko Coles picked up three pints at 165 in a total of 5 minutes, 28 seconds. Aiden Sweat won two matches at 118 and then dropped to 110 to face Belgrade standout Cody Westlake. Westlake scored a 5-3 decision. 

Complete results can be found at trackwrestling.com. 

West 35, Flathead 26 

110: Jackson Roby, West dec. Dayton Naldrett 9-5. 118: Kellen Downing, Flathead, dec. Zach Morse 9-7. 126: Diesel Thompson, Flathead, maj.dec. Braxton Barent 16-6. 132: Hunter Arriaga (Flathead, tech.fall Logan Shores 19-3. 138: Makael Aguayo, West, dec. Daniel Evert  8-4. 144 : Korbyn Barent, West, dec. Aiden Downing 8-7. 150: Dane Lake, Flathead, dec. Josh Garcia, 5-2. 157: Lane Chivers , Flathead, tech.fall Jack Ryan, 19-4. 165: Boden Bentley, West, p. Dennis Ward 2:58. 175: Payton Cicero, West, dec. Loki Bigras, 4-1. 190: Anthony Garcia, West, p. Kohen Riley 4:55. 215: Colby Reichenbach, West, tech.fall Conor Leduc 19-4. 285: Christian Allies, West p. Taw Thomas 3:34.  

Flathead won 103 by forfeit.