Vasquez finishes second at USA Wrestling nationals

FARGO, N.D. — Flathead sophomore Tilynne Vasquez captured second place at the USA Wrestling Cadet women’s national championships on Tuesday, finishing a tiebreaker away from a national title.

Vasquez made it to the 106-pound women’s freestyle finals against Post Falls, Idaho’s Brelane Huber, and scored a takedown in the first minute of the match, but surrendered a takedown a minute later to enter the second period tied at 2-2.

Huber got Vasquez in a headlock at the start of the second period and earned four points on a nearfall before Vasquez was able to slip out for a reversal. Huber gained another point seconds later but Vasquez evened the score at 7-7 with a leg-whip takedown.

However, because Vasquez earned a caution earlier in the match, Huber won a tiebreaker to take home the championship.

Flathead also had three boys wrestle in the USA Wrestling junior freestyle and Greco championships last week.

Tilynne’s older brother, Trae, made it to the quarterfinals in the freestlye nationals at 126 pounds before losing out in the consolation bracket. He lost in the first round of the Greco tournament before again losing in the consolation quarterfinals.

Flathead 152-pound senior Payton Hume lost in the second round of the both the freestyle and Greco tournaments and advanced to the consolation round of 32 in each, falling one point from advancing in freestyle and losing in a tiebreaker in Greco.

Braves’ 170-pound senior Tucker Nadeau also fell in the second round of the freestyle tournament, making it to the consolation round of 16. He lost in the first round of the Greco tournament before advancing to the consolation round of 16.

Havre’s Parker Filius finished third in freestyle at 138 pounds and Frenchtown’s Riley Gurr finished third in Greco at 132 pounds.

Helena’s Hayden Schrull finished seventh in Greco at 182 pounds.

Billings West’s Glory Konecny finished eighth at 117 pounds in the women’s junior freestyle tournament. Forsyth’s Michael Weber won the boys cadet national championship at 145 pounds.