Inter-Valley grapplers zero in on state
Photo by Ali Bronsdon -- Mission's Jamie Mullins, right, and Corvallis' Riley Jessop face off for third place in their weight class at the Little Guy Wrestling Inter-Valley Tournament last Saturday in Ronan.
By Ali Bronsdon / Leader Staff
The Ronan Event Center was packed last Saturday afternoon as 523 of the area's best Little Guy wrestlers from 14 different teams participated in the Inter-Valley Tournament with the ultimate goal of qualifying for the state tournaments this weekend.
It was a double elimination tournament with brackets seeded according to individual placements from the unit tournaments held the previous weekend, according to Ronan coach Ryan Fisher.
Novice wrestlers who placed in the top four of their weight class qualified for the Western Montana Little Guy State Championships starting at 9 a.m. Saturday in Missoula. The top eight middle and all junior wrestlers qualified.
The Beginner State Tournament will take place at the Arlee High School gymnasium on Friday March 21 at 5 p.m. According to the tournament's information packet online, 16 wrestlers from each of the 12 standard weight classes will participate.
The following local wrestlers qualified for state competition:
Beginner
Beg. 45
3rd - Zane Miller (Ronan)
Beg. 50
1st - Noah Cheff (Ronan)
3rd - Donovan Garland (Ronan)
Beg. 55-A
1st - Bridger Wenzel (Ronan)
Beg. 55-B
2nd - Scott Siez (Polson)
3rd - Isaak Brown (Ronan)
Beg. 60-B
3rd - Jaron Morgan (Polson)
4th - Dylan Moran (Ronan)
Beg. 65
2nd - Happy Cheff (Ronan)
3rd - Landers Smith (Mission/Charlo)
Beg. 70
2nd - Colten Cote (Polson)
Beg. 85
3rd - Gus Bosley (Miss/Char)
4th - Graydon Irish (Ronan)
Beg. 95
3rd - Gale Hendrickx (Polson)
4th - Jonah Burke (Polson)
Beg. 108
3rd- Michael Durgalo (Miss/Char)
4th - Noah Robbins (Polson)
Beg. 130
1st - Gayle Matt (Ronan)
Novice
Nov 60
4th - Jaben Wenzel (Ronan)
Nov 65
3rd - Dante McDougal (Mission/Charlo)
Nov 75
3rd - Jamie Mullins (Mission/Charlo)
Nov 85
3rd - Steven Bravo (Miss/Char)
4th - Tanner Wilson (Polson)
Nov 90
2nd - Bridger Coffman (Miss/Char)
Nov 95
1st - Matt Rensvold (Polson)
3rd - Dugan Runkel (Miss/Char)
4th - Josh Morgan (Ronan)
Nov 100
2nd - Shonko Christy (Miss/Char)
3rd - Tele Seeman (Polson)
Nov 110
1st - Quincy Courville (Miss/Char)
2nd - Jade Smith (Miss/Char)
4th - Rocco Santorono (Miss/Char)
Nov 124
4th - Emilio Bravo (Miss/Char)
Nov 158
1st - Calvin Hendren (Arlee)
Nov 200
1st - Darin Cadman (Polson)