Local grapplers see success

POLSON - When you coach for 35 years, chances are you're going

to have a few connections.

POLSON - When you coach for 35 years, chances are you're going to have a few connections.

Polson head coach Bob Owen and the Pirates hosted their home invitational last Saturday and a plethora of teams showed up, 13 in all, to get their first taste of competitive wrestling this year.

"We have a real competitive tournament," Owen said. "There's a good group of coaches that get along well."

It also helps that one of those coaches, Flathead head coach Matt Owen, is Bob's nephew and the son of Polson head golf coach Bill Owen.

"It's good to have them here," Owen said of the Braves, who are the five-time defending state champions in Class AA and are ranked 40th in the nation by Amateur Wrestling News.

Another coach, Glacier's Mark Fischer, wrestled for Owen and graduated from Polson in 1993.

"There's a lot of mutual camaraderie between the coaches," Owen said.

Polson finished fifth in the tournament and second among Class A schools with a team score of 105.5. Mission-Charlo wrestling took ninth and second among Class B-C schools at the event.

The Pirates performance was keyed by a first-place finish by senior Jacob Young, who defeated Devan Williams of Corvallis 9-4 for the championship in the 140-pound weight class.

"I think he looked outstanding," Owen said. "That's as good as he's looked wrestling."

Young wasn't the only senior who performed well as Jesse Alfiero beat Adam Richardson from Columbia Falls 6-2 for third place in the 130-pound category.

"They know they have one last go at it," Owen said of Young and Alfiero. "If kids stay with it for four years, it makes a huge difference."

While the upperclassmen excelled, the underclassmen got some much-needed experience and laid down their own lumps as well.

"They've got to get over that stage fright," Owen said about the adjustment to live wrestling. They certainly did.

Freshman Carlos Quinones placed third in the 105-pound class, pinning Polson JV freshman grappler Taylor Martin.

"All the coaches were pleasantly surprised with the way he competed," Owen said of Ouinones.

Junior Josiah Clairmont placed second in the tournament, losing to Connor Thomas in the championship match of the heavyweight class. Clairmont finished fifth last year at the state tournament.

"I was really proud with the way Josiah battled," Owen said.

Mission-Charlo place second among B-C schools Mission-Charlo head coach Lyle Cronk wants to see improvement from his team this season and that's exactly what he got last Saturday.

"This is the toughest tournament we wrestle in all year," he said. "It is the only tournament where we match up with varsity teams from Class A and AA. It is important for us to see this level of competition."

It was Mission-Charlo wrestlers that were dishing out the punishment to the bigger classes as well.

Freshman Morgan Schultz pinned Whitefish's Kaleb Mohn in 1:41 for third place in the 98-pound class. In the 152-pound weight class, fellow frosh Jason Peterson defeated Quincy Jessop from Corvallis 5-0 for third place.

"Both looked their best in third final matches for third place, improving as the day went on and learning from their mistakes," Cronk said.

Junior Scotty Gilleard placed fifth after falling to Lucas Mantel 8-3 in the 135-pound weight class.

"Scotty is a great wrestler, our only returning state placer," Cronk said. "Hopefully his losses will motivate him to raise his level of intensity."

Senior Joel Lewis battled his way to the championship match in the 189-pound class where he lost to Michael Wilson of Eureka, 14-8 to place second.

"Lewis continues to improve each time he steps on the mat as well," Cronk said. "He is an excellent role model and leads by example. He did a great job Saturday wrestling tough in every match."

Also for Mission-Charlo, Sophomore Barrett Sargent (171 pounds) and junior Casey Nitschke (119 pounds) each won three matches during the tournament. Senior Ben Mittag picked up a pin in his second match in the 160-pound class.

"I continue to look for improvement each time we step on the mat," Cronk said, "Each week we have to get better, eliminate mistakes, raise our level of intensity. We want to dominate the matches we are supposed to win and win matches we aren't supposed to and battle in all matches."