The best of the best
GREAT FALLS - The wrestling champions from Lake County just keep
on coming.
Heavyweight wrestling, Lake County stud and Polson junior Josiah
Clairmont won his weight division at the third Annual Tournament of
Champions in Great Falls last weekend.
GREAT FALLS - The wrestling champions from Lake County just keep on coming.
Heavyweight wrestling, Lake County stud and Polson junior Josiah Clairmont won his weight division at the third Annual Tournament of Champions in Great Falls last weekend.
The event included 61 wrestlers and 31 state champions.
"This is the most champs we've had yet," tournament sponsor Zander Blewett said. "The state champs went out and put on a real spectacle for the crowd. We tip our hats to every wrestler who showed up because they not only put their state title's on the line, they left their hearts out on the mat."
After taking third in the Class A tournament in Butte two weeks ago, Clairmont pinned the Class B/C state champion, Chaz Hopstad from Glasgow, to place first. He took down Class B/C third-place finisher Tucker Yates of Colstrip in the semi-finals.
He wasn't the only Lake County wrestler making a name for himself at the tournament either. Ronan sent
two state champions, Cole McArthur and Toby Cheff, and Arlee sent state champion Cole Rice.
"With that level of competitors out on the mat, they
were ready to go," Ronan head coach Dustyn Azure said.
Class A state champion Eli Hinebauch of Havre narrowly
defeated Rice, 4-1 in the 145-pound finals, while McArthur lost in the semi-finals to Taylor Vaughn of Eureka in the 171-pound class, 7-6. McArthur got down early in the first period and just couldn't quite come back.
"When kids are that good you can't get behind," Azure said.
In the 189-pound semifinals, Cheff defeated the Class AA state champion, Boyce Ballard of Glacier, 8-0.
"He handled him well," Azure said. "He kind of tweaked his shoulder in the match and he wasn't happy about that."
In the finals match against Class B/C state champion, Ben Stroh of Chinook, Cheff was able to end Stroh's pin streak but lost the decision, 17-6.
This year, Stroh pinned 43 of the 43 wrestlers he faced. Class B/C in general was excellent as the smallest classification took home the most honors with nine titles. Class A was behind them with four and Class AA only took home two titles.
"There are some talented kids out of that B/C classification," Azure said. "We've got to be ready when we move down to B."
Polson's Craig Feistner also went to the tournament, battling the Class B/C second place finisher Chris Nile, of Forsyth, before falling 4-0.
The tournament was a one-day single elimination tournament and drew a crowd of approximately 600 fans.
"They ran a heck of a tournament," Azure said.