Hader, Houle lead Mat Cats at Missoula

By JOE SOVA - Hungry Horse News

Senior Michael Hader and sophomore Kelly Houle were Columbia Falls' only place winners in very tough competition in the Jug Beck Rocky Mountain Classic wrestling tournament last weekend in Missoula.

Flathead took the team title with 277.5 points. Havre was second at 196. Spokane, Wash., schools Central Valley, University and Mead placed third, fourth and fifth, respectively. Columbia Falls was 21st with 55.5 points.

"Our gas tanks were good," Mat Cats coach Jessie Schaeffer said. "We just went out a little flat."

Hader earned third place in the 152-pound bracket at Missoula. After a first-round bye, he pinned Seth Wright of Libby in 3:24. In the quarterfinals, Hader won by a 17-2 technical fall over RJ Daschbach of University. He lost to Ethan Hinebauch of Havre by a 19-8 major decision in the semifinals. In the battle for third and fourth places, Hader squeaked out a 4-3 decision over Marcus Lussy of Anaconda.

"We had one bad round with Mike," Schaeffer said, "and that possibly cost him the championship. He got behind too much. He scored too late."

After a first-round bye, Houle pinned Mike Banta of Mead in 3:32 in the 189-pound bracket. In the quarterfinals, he lost a 4-2 decision to Mike Gireth of Clarkston, Wash. Houle stayed alive with a consolation win over a Flathead wrestler, getting him into the placing round. Then Houle lost a 3-1 decision to Brady Anderson of Hamilton. For fifth and sixth, Houle won a 3-2 decision over Justin Graham of Libby — in quadruple overtime. Houle used an escape for the win.

"He put together a good tournament," Schaeffer said of Houle. "Each and every time he steps on the mat he's more confident, he's showing more explosiveness."

" We had some kids who competed well," the coach said of the Mat Cats at the tourney. "All in all, I was a little disappointed in our performance across the board. We weren't wrestling to our capabilities."

Eleven Mat Cats competed in the Wes Hines Memorial at Glacier High School on Saturday. Russell Plevel led the way for CFHS, going 3-1 and finishing second at 135 pound.

"He puts in a lot of hard work. He has a big heart," Schaeffer said. "It's fun to see those kids go out and rise to the occasion."

Jarrett Smith sat out last weekend due to a back and neck problem. He suffered the injury at the Cut Bank tournament.

The Mat Cats host Polson and Whitefish on Saturday in three-way duals.