Mission/Charlo miss key wrestlers, still take sixth

ST. IGNATIUS — The Mission/Charlo wrestling team may have had some important wrestlers out for its home tournament, but six Bulldogs still placed.

As a team, Mission/Charlo finished sixth at the Mission Mountain Classic last Saturday. Head coach Lyle Cronk said he hasn’t had a full team since before the holiday break.

“We had a pretty good showing,” he said.

Senior Jame Peterson took first in the 145 weight class with a pin over rival Bobby Ray, of Deer Lodge. The small rivalry stems from Ray being the only other ranked wrestler on this side of the state, Cronk said.

“With another pin of Bobby Ray, we continue to see Jame not let Ray gain any steam,” he said.

Junior Dakota Matt took second after losing 17-2 to Darby’s Dalton Roundy in the 140 match. Matt defeated Michael Majors, also of Darby, to make the championship round.

“He did a good job and wrestled well all day,” Cronk said. “He poured it on. That’s the best he has wrestled all year. “

Sophomore Scotty Gilleard also took second after he was pinned by Superior’s Mason Chatterley at the 125 weight class. To make the championship, Gilleard beat Darby’s Caleb Caidedo, 8-0.

“It was good to see Scotty beat Caidedo,” Cronk said. “He has had a few bumps in the road and that was a good win for him.”

Senior Nick Dinnell took third in the heavyweight category after pinning Thompson Falls’ Robby White in 82 seconds.

“That was his toughest competition of the year,” Cronk said.

Freshman Barrett Sargent took fourth after Noxon’s Caplen Weare earned a late point to win 7-6.

Casey Nitschke also took fourth after losing to former St. Ignatius wrestlser Dustin Morigeau, who now wrestlers for Deer Lodge.

The Bulldogs will travel to Ronan for a tournament with tough competition.

“We usually end up with a tough team in the first round because of a low seed,” Cronk said. “We are hoping to see the whole team step up a notch and pick up the pace. Its the time of the year where we need to raise our level of competition.”