Ronan places third at Western Boys Invite

Ronan placed third as a team at the Western Boys Invitational on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 3-4, in the Chiefs’ home gym. Ronan had two champions, and two others placed second.

Ridge Cote won the 132-pound bracket, pinning four opponents and defeating Florence’s Rowan Miller 10-1 in the first-place match. Two of Cote’s pins happened in less than a minute, and the other two occurred in less than 90 seconds.

Koda King was a champion at 165-pounds, rumbling through the field with three pins and two technical falls. In the championship match, King handed Frenchtown’s Branch Martin an 18-1 technical fall to stand atop the podium.

Dominique McKay was second in the 175-pound bracket, notching a pin and a major decision. After a bye, McKay won his second-round match by pin, then scored a 4-0 decision in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, McKay downed his teammate Brady Hout with a 13-1 major decision before falling in the championship match.

Hout placed fifth, scoring three straight pins, and then notching an 11-8 victory over Browning’s Ashton Granados in the fifth-place match.

Jackson Davis was second in the heavyweight bracket, scoring two pins and a 7-2 victory over Mission’s Ryan Sharbono in the semifinals.

At 157 pounds, Jairyn Krause was third, pinning four and winning six matches overall, including a 6-3 decision over Florence’s Brett Riley. Krause’s first two matches were pins by him in less than 90 minutes. Isaac Rodriguez was sixth at 215 pounds, scoring three victories.

Cronk and Sharbono place

Mission-Charlo had two placers at the Western Boys Invitational in Ronan.

Joseph Cronk navigated through a crowded 118-pound bracket, placing fifth and scoring four pins and a technical fall. In the fifth-place match, Cronk pinned Missoula Sentinel’s Oscar McClead in 4:44.

Ryan Sharbono was sixth in the heavyweight bracket, scoring two falls during the weekend tournament – both in less than 90 seconds.

    Mission-Charlo's Joseph Cronk placed fifth in the 118-pound bracket at last weekend's Ronan Invitational. (Bob Gunderson photo)
  

    Ronan's Brady Hout place fifth in the 175-pound bracket during the Western Boys Invitational in Ronan. (Jennifer Rolfsness photo)