Braves win thrice at Capital City

HELENA — Flathead was tested in two of its three meets, but overcame the competition in all three to stay undefeated on the young season at the Capital City Wrestling Duals on Saturday in Helena.

The Braves took down Missoula Big Sky/Loyola Sacred Heart 36-24 before demolishing Helena High 60-15 and beating Helena Capital 39-27.

“We’re kind of one of those teams that’s just a lot of good wrestlers and pretty solid in every weight,” Flathead coach Jeff Thompson said. “It’s so much fun to work with that.”

Glacier split its four meets, beating Bozeman’s junior varsity squad 45-30 and Helena Capital 39-36 and falling to Big Sky/Sacred Heart 55-18 and Helena 37-36.

In its early matchup with Big Sky/Sacred Heart, Flathead leaned on its heavier wrestlers.

The Braves won each of the six highest weight classes (152-pound, 160, 170, 182, 205 and heavyweight) and received pins from Tucker Nadeau and Hunter Wellcome in 182 and 205, respectively, to get past the Eagles.

Helena provided much less resistance, as Flathead controlled the meet across the board.

The Braves once again were challenged in their third bout, but a balanced effort was enough to stay unbeaten.

Flathead won the four smallest weights (103, 113, 120 and 126) and four of the five heaviest (160, 170, 182 and heavyweight) to overcome a deficit in the middle weights.

Nadeau (182) tallied three pins in the three contests, while Payton Hume (160 and 170) and Dominic Battello (120) recorded two pins and a winning decision each. Brendan Barnes (103) pinned two opponents and won again on a forfeit.

“He’s a rookie in that varsity lineup and just wrestled with great intensity,” Thompson said of Battello. “Had an awesome showing today. (He) was on the attack, and you can see he’s really growing right now and is going to have a great year.”

Despite his team’s early success, Thompson still sees room for Flathead to improve and build on its 4-0 start as it attempts to defend last year’s Class AA state title.

“It’s always nice to start off the season 3-0 today and getting that win yesterday, but of course, you look at it, too, and we’ve got a lot of things we need to work on and need to improve,” Thompson said. “We were exposed a little bit in some of those areas, but overall, a great weekend. This team is kind of forming its own identity, and we’re excited for the future.”

Capital City Wrestling Duals

Team scores

Round 1

Glacier 45, Bozeman JV 30; Butte 44, Helena Capital 25; Flathead 36, Missoula Big Sky/Loyola Sacred Heart 24

Round 2

Flathead 60, Helena 15; Butte 61, Bozeman JV 12; Big Sky/Sacred Heart 55, Glacier 18

Round 3

Helena 37, Glacier 36; Flathead 39, Capital 27; Big Sky/Sacred Heart 36, Butte 34

Round 4

Big Sky/Sacred Heart 57, Bozeman 18; Butte 59, Helena 18; Glacier 39, Capital 36

Round 1

Glacier 45, Bozeman JV 30

Stats not available

Flathead 36,

Missoula Big Sky/Loyola Sacred Heart 24

103 – Brendan Barnes, Flat, pin Tony Silveria, Big, 4:21; 113 – Trevin Wetzein, Big, dec Bryce Shaffer, Flat, 6-4 (OT); 120 – Dominic Battello, Flat, dec Dayne Martin, Big, 7-6; 126 – Isaac Skillicorn, Big, pin Hunter Reichert, Flat, 1:18; 132 – Dayton Evans, Big, pin Braden Comer, Flat, 1:18; 138 – Douglas Swanson, Big, dec Bo Meyer, Flat, 6-0; 145 – Kyle Gordon, Big, pin Tanner Russell, Flat, 5:22; 152 – Zaybin Stewart, Flat, dec Kyle May, Big, 2-1; 160 – Payton Hume, Flat, dec Stormee Kipp, Big, 6-4; 170 – Garrett Rieke, Flat, dec Mason Corcoran, Big, 5-4; 182 – Tucker Nadeau, Flat, pin Zane Holland, Big, 1:32; 205 – Hunter Wellcome, Flat, pin Kendahl Odell, Big, 3:03; Hvwt – Alex Paul, Flat, forfeit.

Round 2

Flathead 60, Helena 18

103 – Brendan Barnes, Flat, pin Nathaniel Yargo, HHS, :55; 113 – Isaac Romero, HHS, dec Bryce Shaffer, Flat, 5-1; 120 – Dominic Battello, Flat, pin Ryan Popp, HHS, 1:10; 126 – Austin Murphy, HHS, pin Hunter Reichert, Flat, 2:25; 132 – Braden Comer, Flat, pin Ching Man Chan, HHS, 1:48; 138 – Devin Crawford, HHS, pin Bo Meyer, Flat, 1:56; 145 – Tanner Russell, Flat, forfeit; 152 – Zaybin Stewart, Flat, forfeit; 160 – Payton Hume, Flat, pin Ridge Troupe, HHS, 2:39; 170 – Garrett reike, Flat, pin Bryce Rives, HHS, :32; 182 – Tucker Nadeau, Flat, pin Jacob Manibusan, HHS, 1:51; 205 – Hunter Wellcome, Flat, pin Isaac Reinstadler, HHS, 1:35; Hvwt – Micahel Lee, Flat, pin Tucker Clark, HHS, :53.

Big Sky/Sacred Heart 55, Glacier 18

Stats not available

Round 3

Helena 37, Glacier 36

103 – Dylan Miller, Gla, pin Nathaniel Yargo, HHS, 1:40; 113 – Isaac Romero, HHS, pin Bridger Beach, Gla, 1:28; 120 – Tristan Little, Gla, pin Ryan Popp, HHS, 1:22; 126 – Austin Murphy, HHS, pin Layne Wilson, Gla, 2:27; 132 – Caden Willis, Gla, pin Ching Man Chan, HHS, 3:40; 138 – Devin Crawford, HHS, pin Trey Mitchell, Gla, :48; 145 – Adam Elerick, Gla, forfeit; 152 - Andrew Glynn, Gla, forfeit; 160 – Rideg Troupe, HHS, maj dec Caden Gilmond, Gla, 11-0; 170 – Bryce Rives, HHS, forfeit; 182 – Jacob Manibusan, HHS, pin Wes Palmer, Gla, :48; 205 – Isaac reinstadler, HHS, dec Conner Dereau, Gla, 11-9; Hvwt – Tre Krause, Gla, pin Tucker Clark, HHS, 1:00.

Flathead 39, Capital 27

103 – Brendan Barnes, Flat, forfeit; 113 – Bryce Shaffer, Flat, pin Hunter Gillian, CHS, 1:29; 120 – Dominic Batello, Flat, pin Traeton Duty, CHS, 1:18; 126 – Hunter Reichert, Flat, dec Wyatt Scheider, CHS, 9-2; 132 – Noah Kovick, CHS, pin Braden Comer, Flat, 1:24; 138 – Lee Lambrecht, CHS, pin Bo Meyer, HHS, 3:20; 145 – Cole Bradford, CHS, pin Tanner Russell, Flat, 5:11; 152 – Travis Schulte, CHS, pin Zaybin Stewart, Flat, 2:11; 160 – Paxton Boyce, Flat, pin Dalton Snyder, CHS, 1:04; 170 – Payton Hume, Flat, pin Braeden Tovey, CHS, :44; 182 – Tucker Nadeau, Flat, pin Keaton Pouliot, CHS, 1:03; 205 – Seth Jensen, CHS, dec Hunter Wellcome, Flat, 7-2; Hvwt – Alex Paul, Flat, forfeit.

Round 4

Glacier 39, Capital 31

103 – Dylan Miller, Gla, forfeit; 113- Bridger Beach, Gla, pin Hunter Gillian, CHS, 1:19; 120 – Tristan Little, Gla, pin Traeton Duty, CHS, 2:51; 126 – Lane Wilson, Gla, pin Wyatt Schneider, CHS, 1:20; 132 – Noah Kovick, CHS, pin Caden Willis, Gla, :50; 138 – Lee lambrecht, CHS, pin Trey Mitchell, Gla, :27; 145 – Cole Bradford, CHS, pin Adam Elerick, Gla, 2:30; 152 – Travis Schulte, CHS, pin Andrew Glynn, Gla, 1:30; 160 – Caden Gilmond, Gla, pin Dalton Snyder, CHS, 2:49; 170 – Braeden Tovey, CHS, forfeit; 182 – Wes Palmer, Gla, dec. Keaton Pouliott, CHS, 4-1; 205 – Seth Jensen, CHS, pin Conner Dereu, Gla, N/A; Hvwt – Tre Krause, Gla, forfeit.