Polson takes team crown, Ronan finishes second: Both move to state

Full brackets for the 2010 MHSA Class AA, A and B/C State Wrestling Tournament

POLSON — What do you get when you watch 10 Pirates, six Chiefs, four Wildcats, eight Greenchainers and one Bulldog in close proximity to one another?

The Northwest A divisional wrestling championship warm-up session.

The lights were dimmed as the 30 wrestlers got in the zone for their championship fights. Each had already qualified for state this weekend in Billings,  the top four in each weight class go, but going as a champion or runner-up was on the line.

Polson and Ronan dominated the mat, with more than half of the participating wrestlers. Up to this point, Ronan was third in the team standings, seven points behind Libby and 53.5 points behind first-place Polson.

“We just wanted to go out and try to get some pins,” Ronan head coach Dustyn Azure said of his six wrestlers in title matches.

After 15 championship matches, Ronan moved up to second, but was unable to defend the divisional crown after winning it for the past two years, losing to rival Polson, who has sat in second place during the last two years.

“It feltven said. “We knew we had enough points before the last round.”

One advantage Polson had was that its roster held four more wrestlers than the four other conference foes, with a total of 19, and placed in every weight class except two. Ronan entered with 14 wrestlers.

“It’s like going into a fight with five less guys,” Azure said. “We just had less fire power.”

Both schools boasted four champions, many repeating at the top.

Sixteen Pirates qualified for state, matching the record for most sent to state from Polson, most recently last year.

Of the 14 Chiefs at divisionals, 13 will travel to the big show after sending 12 last year. In the tournament, there were three opponents that weren’t pinned by Chiefs, Azure said.

Here are the qualifiers broken down by weight class:

98: The first championship battle of the night featured a familiar match-up between Polson freshman Craig Feistner and Ronan freshman Lukas Conklin. Feistner came out ready, pinning Conklin in the first period.

“I knew Craig wouldn’t get pushed in that match,” Owen said.

Conklin beat Polson freshman Pat Sumner to get to the championship match. Sumner took third with a pin over Libby’s Ian Edwards-Myslicki.

“It was good for [Lukas] to be in the finals as a freshman,” Azure said.

105: Polson freshman Lucas Polk lost to Libby’s Isaac King to take third.

112: Ronan freshman Andrew Teigen had a bye through the weight class, containing three participants, only to be pinned in the first period of the championship. Polson freshman Razz Walhood took third.

119: Polson junior Jesse Alfiero took second after losing 6-3 to Columbia Falls’ Justin Whiteman. Polson freshman Drew Fouty took third after pinning Libby’s Aaron Seefeldt with .3 seconds left in the first period.

125: Polson sophomore Nick Howell took second after being pinned by Libby’s Mike Roby in the first period.

Ronan freshman Kyle Lawson took fourth.

130: Ronan senior Cameron Neiss took first place, never standing lower at divisionals during his career. The four-time champion pinned Libby’s Mitch Haugen in the first period after dominating the match the entire time. Neiss looks to defend his state title this weekend.

“He went out there and wrestled well and dominated,” Azure said.

He also won the Jug Beck Quick Pin award with three falls in a total time of 4:38, the quickest in the tournament.

“That’s a good thing to put on his resume,” Azure said. “Now he’s going to try for the state one. He’s very capable of doing that.”

of doing that.”

Teammate freshman Shelby Grant took third after an 8-4 win.

135: Polson junior Jacob Young finally stood atop the podium after taking second and third in previous years. The quick-paced match was frequently stopped for blood timeouts for Libby’s Kyle Leir and was tied 2-2 after the first. Young registered a take down for a 4-2 lead entering the third, but notched an escape and takedown within 10 seconds of each other for a 7-2 lead. Leir earned an escape but Young won 7-4.

“He has the biggest turnaround this season,” Owen said. “We are really excited about his chances [at state]. His biggest competition will be Leir.”

140: Polson freshman Mike Devlin lost 10-6 to Columbia Falls’ Shawn Whitman in the finals. The score was tied at two entering the second before Devlin found himself on his back. He kicked out of it and turned things around, forcing Whitman onto his back.

Polson senior Randy Kelley took fourth after losing 1-0 to Libby’s Cody Elliot.

145: Polson sophomore Brock Bleazard took second to Libby’s Dylan Berget. Down 2-0 after the first, Bleazard got a takedown and escape but Berget got a takedown for the 5-4 victory.

152: Another familiar match up came in the 152 weight class. Ronan senior Micky Cheff battled Polson senior Ty Fouty.

After one period, Cheff was up 5-1, and 10-1 after two, to win 13-4.

“Micky was on his A-game,” Owen said.

“If he wrestles like that, he will defend his [state] title,” Azure said.

Ronan freshman Quentin Denton took fourth after he was pinned in the second period.

160: Ronan junior Cole McArthur took first with a 5-1 decision over Whitefish’s Tanner Benedict.

“He had a flat finals,” Azure said. “He wasn’t setting up his shots.”

171: Polson senior Brock Picard stood atop the weight class for his fourth divisional crown. He won a close 5-4 decision over Libby’s Kyle Sweedman. Picard got a takedown in the first for a 2-1 lead. With the score tied at three, Picard got another takedown but with 24 seconds left Sweedman earned an escape to bring himself within one point.

Owen said Picard has faced Sweedman four times this season and the Libby wrestler will be Picard’s biggest competition at state.

“That’s one heck of an accomplishment,” Owen said of Picard’s four-peat divisional crown. “It’s hard to beat someone four times.”

Ronan senior Tyler Wheeler lost to Sweedman in the semi-finals before taking third with a pin over Whitefish’s Geoff Streeter.

189: Ronan junior Toby Cheff repeated as a divisional champion with a pin over Libby’s Kody Berget in the second period.

Cheff has taken third at state the previous two years.

“He has a shot [at taking the title],” Azure said.

Polson senior Devin Kamarainen took third with a pin 1:22 into the match.

215: Polson sophomore Josiah Clairmont took second after Columbia Falls’ Kelly Houle pinned him in the first period.

Ronan freshman Colby Roberts took third with a quick flip and pin in the first period over Libby’s Rigo Ibbara.

275: Polson senior Kaden Thomas took first with a pin over Libby’s Lucas Puckett.

Ronan junior Aaron Yazzie-Whitworth took third with a 55 second pin.

STATE

This week, both team’s attention turned to the state tournament.

“We’ve got bigger fish to fry,” Owen said.

Entering state, the Pirates tapered their workouts while Ronan worked individually.

“[The practices] will be short and intense,” Owen said. “We want to keep everyone healthy this week.”

Last year, many of the current wrestling team made the trek to state, but Owen said he felt the team was satisfied with just being there and he hopes this time around, things will be different.

The biggest competition for the team title comes from Havre and Belgrade, the two teams ranked one and two in Class A. Both teams are in the same division and faced each other last weekend.

“They’ve got experience,” Owen said. “They also beat each other up last weekend.”

Ronan looks to fine tune each wrestlers game plan before heading to Billings.

“I think we’ll do well,” Azure said. “We set high goals at the beginning of the season and the kids want to bring home the hardware.”