Pirates wrestler start season out strong at Owen Invitational
When Polson High School wrestling coach Bob Owen begins a season, he knows he has to modify expectations at the beginning of the season when his team starts its traditional 19-team Owen Invitational, held last Friday and Saturday at Linderman Elementary School in Polson.
The Owen Invitational, now in its 43rd year of existence, has traditionally been a good measuring stick for Pirate wrestlers and other participants to gauge their abilities against top-tier competition.
Owen said this year’s tournament went off without a hitch.
“The tournament was smooth and might set a record on how fast it went,” Owen said. “We were able to get done with the finals very early (on Saturday) it ran so smooth.”
Owen admits prior to the tournament it is very difficult to predict how wrestlers will perform, especially how some of the younger wrestlers will do.
“There is no way of predicting exactly what they are going to do and they don’t know for sure what they are going to do,” Owen said. “We still have a lot of work to do especially with our younger wrestlers and we will transition and it might take us longer to transition.”
One of Polson’s top-notch wrestlers, Parker Adler, has moved up in weight classifications. Last year, Adler finished second to Havre’s Sawyer Deegan at the 138-pound weight classification in last year’s state championship final in Billings.
This year Adler, who now advanced to the 152-pound classification, won his first tournament of the season when he defeated Superior High School’s Jason Shaske in the finals.
“Parker is just plain tough and when his wrestling is good on top, it’s a hard decision to defeat them,” Owen said.
Owen said he felt Adler was able to make a successful transition into the new weight classification because of his athletic versatility and experience.
“Parker has a lot of experience and is lighter and quicker than the other kids in his new weight class because typically, his opponents are a lot heavier,” Owen said. “In terms of quickness, he may sacrifice a little in terms of strength but his quickness will be part of his success.”
Another wrestler that made an impact and had a tough assignment in the championship was Bridger Wenzel, who wrestled at 138-pounds and lost to Columbia Falls’ Brandon Thomas.
“He faced arguably the best wrestler in the state,” Owen said. “He didn’t get pinned until that third period and was pretty competitive in the event he wrestled.”
Another state-placer from last season was Pirates wrestler Hunter Fritsch. Last year, Fritsch was close to capturing a state title with a third-place finish in his classification.
“He really had his hands full in that weight classification,” Owen said.
Pirates wrestler Noah Humphrey, who has gotten noticeably stronger, was another Pirate that made an immediate impact placing fourth at the tournament.
“He is still trying to decide whether he wants to wrestle at the 205-pound weight or move to the 182-pound weight class,” Owen said. “He could make 182 because he is a very light 205.”
As the Pirates prepare for their next competition at the Mining City Duals in Butte, Owen said he felt he is “confident” he and his coaching staff were able to get a good assessment of his team’s abilities after the first match.
“We will watch a lot of film and it is very easy to get a great look at the match on video and it’s easy to point out (on film) what they need to work on,” Owen said. “Once they look at it on video, they know exactly what they have to get corrected. You can look at it right there and know that you have to do this or that.”
Owen said he was “pleased,” with his team’s effort as they continue to work to improve on their technique headed into the Butte Mining Duals Dec. 8-9.
The Pirates, who return seven state-placers from last year’s 2017 team, will continue their quest to improve at one of the region’s largest tournaments.
2017 Owen Invitational
Linderman Gym
Friday-Saturday, December 1-2
Polson, MT
Final team scores
1, Missoula Sentinel 193; 2, Frenchtown 161; 3, Polson 140.5; 4, Columbia Falls 119; 5, Thompson Falls 87.5; 6, Libby 82; 7, Mission-Charlo 72.5; 8, Hamilton 71; 9, Corvallis 70.5; 10, Lake City, Idaho 60; 11, Eureka 58; 12 , Florence 49; 13, Missoula Hellgate 37; 14, Browning 36; 15, Whitefish 35; 16, Stevensville 31.5; 17, Ronan 29; 18, Superior 7.
103 – 3rd, Masyn Cowell
Masyn Cowell, Polson (3-1) – bye; Eli Warner dec. Cowell 5-0; bye; Cowell pin Jordan Tack, Hellgate, 0:28; Cowell pin B.Soderquist, Polson, 0:22; Cowell pin Nathan Sproul, Whitefish, 0:28.
Brody Soderquist, Polson (1-2) – bye; B.Soderquist pin Logan Bratch, Hamilton, 0:39; Caden Hess, Lake City, pin B.Soderquist, 1:20; Masyn Cowell, Polson, pin B.Soderquist, 0:22.
113 – 2nd, Rene Pierre
Walker Murphy, Mission-Charlo (2-2) – Murphy pin Ashton Flamand, Browning, 1:27; Murphy pin Co[l]e Rahmsdorf, Corvallis, 1:46; Walker Dyer, Frenchtown, pin Murphy, 3:04; Kellen Robbins, Stevensville, pin Murphy, 1:24.
Rene Pierre, Polson (2-1) – R.Pierre, bye; R.Pierre pin Garhet Salminen, C.Falls, 1:13; R.Pierre pin Gunnar Smith, Eureka, 1:25; Walker Dyer, Frenchtown, dec. R.Pierre, 5-3.
120
Robert Dempsey, Mission (0-2) – Mike Parkin, Superior, pin Dempsey, 1:33; Devin Sorrell, Lake City, pin Dempsey, 2:00.
Kedrick Baker, Polson (1-2) – Baker dec. Kyle Durden, Eureka, 5-4; Dylan Yeadon, Libby, forf. Baker; Baker dec. D.Sorrell, Lake City, 4-2; Dakota Thomas, Sentinel, dec. Baker, 10-5.
126
Bailey Weible, Mission-Charlo (2-2) – Weible pin Owen Targerson, Polson, 2:53; Weible m.forf. Jaxon Heinz, C.Falls; Nathan Schmidt, Eureka, pin Weible, 4:00; J.Kovalicky, Sentinel, SV-1 Weible, 4-2.
Owen Targerson, Polson (1-2) – Bailey Weible, Mission, pin Targerson 2:53; bye; Targerson pin Cole Anson, Hamilton, 2:32; Justin Kovalicky, Sentinel, maj.dec. Targerson, 10-0.
Gilleard one match from hardware round
132 – Jarod Farrier, Polson (2-2) – Owen Indreland, Frenchtown, pin Farrier, 4:28; Farrier pin Treven Martens, Stevensville, 0:27; Farrier dec. Ayden Role, C.Falls, 3-1; C.Gilleard, Mission, dec. Farrier, 5-3.
Cole Gilleard, Mission-Charlo (3-2) – Gilleard pin Jonny Chamberlin, Florence, 4:28; Reese Eckley, Superior, pin Gilleard, 3:12; Gilleard pin Connor May, Hellgate, 2:38; Gilleard dec. Jarod Farrier, Polson, 5-3; O.Indreland, Frenchtown, maj.dec. Gilleard, 10-2.
138 – 2nd, Bridger Wenzel
Bridger Wenzel, Polson (3-1) – Wenzel dec. Brandon Thomas, C.Falls, 9-4; Wenzel pin Avery Meinzen, Florence, 5:40; Wenzel maj.dec. Bridger Williams, Hamilton, 10-0; Riley Gurr, Frenchtown, pin Wenzel, 2:38.
Darwin Adams, Mission-Charlo (1-2) – Bridger Hall, Hellgate, maj.dec. Adams, 15-4; Adams tech.fall Allan Allsup, Corvallis, 1.5 3:33 (17-1); Dakota Flannery, Whitefish, dec. Adams, 5-4.
Kolby Reum, Ronan (0-2) – Tommy Campbell, Browning, pin Reum, 5:14; Trey Thompson, Libby, pin Reum, 1:31.
145 – 3rd, Cameron Brown; 4th, Seth Cheff
Cameron Brown, Polson (4-1) – Brown pin Tanner Terzo, Hellgate, 5:07; Brown pin Jhase Monroe, Browning, 3:02; Thorne, Florence, pin Brown, 1:21; Brown dec. Hader, C.Falls, 4-1; Brown dec. S.Cheff, Ronan, 3-0.
Seth Cheff, Ronan (4-2) – S.Cheff pin Zach Morgan, Corvallis, 0:37; Jethro Thorne, Florence, pin S.Cheff, 2:54; S.Cheff pin Porter Howard, Lake City, 1:43; S.Cheff maj.dec. Kaleb Unger, Polson, 11-1; S.Cheff dec. Jeffrey Offenbecher, Libby, 6-0; Cameron Brown, Polson, dec. S.Cheff, 3-0.
Kaleb Unger, Polson (2-2) – Nathan Hader, C.Falls, dec. Unger, 10-5; Unger dec. Chance Muller, Eureka, 7-0; Unger dec. J.Monroe, Browning, 8-4; Seth Cheff, Ronan, maj.dec. Unger, 11-1.
Allik one match from hardware round
152 – 1st, Parker Adler
Parker Adler, Polson (4-0) – Adler forf. Jason Shaske, Superior; Adler pin Aaron Christensen, Corvallis, 0:31; Adler dec. Cody Garrison, T.Falls, 9-4; Adler maj.dec. Luke Joy, Sentinel, 10-2.
Isaiah Allik, Mission-Charlo (3-2) – Allik dec. Dustin Copeland, Hamilton, 6-5; Cody Garrison, T.Falls, dec. Allik, 8-1; Allik dec. Christian Nelson, C.Falls, 7-3; Allik maj.dec. A.Christensen, Corvallis, 10-2; Laine Young, Libby, dec. Allik, 3-1.
Eric Dolence, Ronan (1-2) – Dolence pin Simm Devereux, Browning, 2:44; Laine Young, Libby, pin Dolence, 1:46; D.Copeland, Hamilton, pin Dolence, 3:35.
Caleb Pierre, Polson (1-2) – Jack Eisenbarth, Whitefish, pin C.Pierre, 3:38; Pierre pin Nate Cargill, Eureka, 1:34; Aaron Christensen, Corvallis, pin C.Pierre, 1:38.
160 –Garrett Croft, Polson (0-2) – Miles Anderson pin Croft, 4:35; Tim Carvey, Libby, pin Croft, 1:28.
Miles Anderson, Mission-Charlo (1-2) – Anderson pin Garrett Croft, Polson, 4:35; Seth Nutting, Lake City, dec. M.Anderson, 9-6; Sam Ostwald, T.Falls, pin Anderson, 0:50.
Tyler Uhrich, Polson (0-2) – Jase Lewis, Hellgate, pin Uhrich, 4:38; Michael Collins Bishop, Ronan, pin Uhrich, 3:30;
Daniel Collins Bishop, Ronan (1-2) – Michael Edwards, Frenchtown, pin Collins Bishop, 5:56; Collins Bishop pin Tyler Uhrich, Polson, 3:30; Bailey Hawk, Sentinel, pin Collins Bishop, 2:50.
170 – 3rd, Hunter Fritsch
Hunter Fritsch, Polson (4-1) – Fritsch tf. Abraxas Brydon, Hellgate, 1.5 3:48 (17-2); Fritsch pin Charlie Bullcalf, Browning, 0:29; Jase Sorenson, T.Falls, dec. Fritsch, 8-3; Fritsch pin Reese Rahn, Sentinel, 4:00; Fritsch pin Zane Monaghan, Lake City, 1:15.
Aaron Hanson, Polson (0-2) – Ben Windauer, C.Falls, pin Hanson, 1:37; Luke Fuhrman, T.Falls, pin Hanson, 1:52.
182 – 1st, Gus Bosley
Gus Bosley, Mission-Charlo (4-0) – Bosley pin Dylan Clubb, Stevi, 0:15; Bosley pin Dakota Irvine, T.Falls, 0:39; Bosley pin Spencer Jones, Florence, 0:18; Bosley pin Colten McPhee, C.Falls, 0:43.
Justin Mays, Ronan (1-2) – Mays pin Kale Wanner, Hamilton, 1:11; D.Goforth, Sentinel, dec. May 5-3; Emmit Augare, Browning, maj.dec. Mays, 8-0.
Justice Moore, Polson (1-2) – Dylan Goforth, Sentinel, pin Moore, 0:47; Moore pin K.Wanner, Hamilton, 2:45; Jones pin Moore, 0:23.
205 – 4th, Noah Humphrey.
Noah Humphrey, Polson (2-2) – bye; Humphrey dec. Ryan Long Time Sleep, Browning, 6-3; Bryar Newbary, Sentinel, pin Humphrey, 2:52; Humphrey pin Austin Cooper, 0:37; Jacob Freeman dec. Humphrey, 1-0.
Lucas Wholtmann, Mission-Charlo (1-2) – Fisher Billsbrough, C.Falls, pin Wholtmann, 0:58; Wholtmann pin M.Daunte, Hamilton, 2:17; Downard pin Wholtmann, 1:21.
Wesley Pablo, Ronan (1-2) – Pablo pin Mahlon Clark, Lake City, 1:17; Kyle Anderson, Hamilton, pin Pablo, 1:50; Austin Cooper, T.Falls, 2:47.
Alexander Mathewson, Polson (1-2) – Levi Downard, Frenchtown, pin Mathewson, 1:03; Mathewson pin Allen Dallapiazza, Hellgate, 1:52; Fisher Billsbrough, C.Falls, pin Mathewson, 0:31.
285 – Chris Anderson, Mission-Charlo (3-2) – Anderson pin Cyrus Sweedman, Libby, 5:22; Seth Alarcon, T.Falls, dec. Anderson, 3-1; Anderson dec. Owen Hughes, Lake City, 5-1; Anderson dec. Jesse Mecham, Frenchtown, 3-2; Tanner Stack, Sentinel, pin Anderson, 0:37.