Carson, Bulldogs rebound in triangular

WHITEFISH – Down a couple state-placers, Whitefish wrestling coach Danny Neff figured his Bulldogs had some digging to do in their triangular meet Tuesday.

After they put away Ronan 33-24, Neff wanted a couple do-overs, including Cameron Ross’ battle with 170-pounder Daniel Bishop.

Ross moved up a weight for the matchup only to have it end negatively in 2 minutes, 23 seconds.

“He was wrestling really well,” Neff said of Ross, whose pin of Browning’s Trevon Running Fisher at 160 was a high point of that 52-15 dual loss earlier in the day. “We’d like to have another shot at that kid. If we did I think it’d be more of a competitive match. He just got stuck in a ‘cow-catcher,’ which – it happens. He’s better than that, but that’s how things work in the wrestling world.”

Browning won both its duals, including a 48-21 win over Ronan. The Indians’ best performance came from David Sharp, who scored two pins at 132 pounds. One came over the Bulldogs’ Jackson Carson, who built a 9-3 lead but then was reversed and pinned with just a second left in the match.

“Got caught again,” Neff said. “We had a good talk with him about forgetting that and moving on to the next match – because that’s a tough loss. And he bounced back against that Ronan kid really well.”

Carson pinned the Chiefs’ Peterson Watkins in 1:08 in Tuesday’s final dual.

Ronan didn’t have one if its top wrestlers, Caleb Cheff, at 132. Whitefish meanwhile was down both senior Dakota Flannery (138) and junior Nathan Sproul (103).

“They’re banged up right now,” Neff said. “They will be back here come January and we’re really looking forward to those two.”

Both of them placed fifth at state last season, when Neff – a 2007 Whitefish graduate – was in his second year as an assistant. Neff’s dad Tim used to coach the Bulldogs in the early 2000s, so the first-year head coach is not an unfamiliar face. Sproul and Flannery give his squad that much more experience.

“they kind of just set a spark,” Neff said. “(Flannery) is a captain and has been in this program for years and years. He sets the tone.

“Sproul is a really competitive kid. He has a lot of heart and loves brawling.”

Against Ronan Whitefish also got a pin from Brian Sweeney at heavyweight and a 6-3 decision from Carter Mornan at 120. Against Browning, 113-pounder Kadin Brown won by 6-3 decision.

The Bulldogs’ next action is Friday and Saturday at the Great Falls CMR Holiday Classic.

Whitefish 33, Ronan 24

285 — Brian Sweeney (Whitefish) dc. Max Morency, 6-3.

103 — Double forfeit.

113 — Trevor Bartel (Ronan) pinned Kadin Brown, 1:23.

120 — Kadin Brown (Whitefish) pinned Garrett Plouffe, 0:50.

120 — Carter Moran (Whitefish) pinned James Kenelty, 5:57.

126 — Exhibition: Jackson Carson (Whitefish) pinned Peterson Watkins, 1:08.

132 — Leroy Orel (Whitefish) won by forfeit.

138 —  Julian Strait (Ronan) pinned Kolter Kidrick,1:08.

145 — Double forfeit.

152 — Kolby Reum (Ronan) pinned Rylee Creasey, 1:34.

160 — Double forfeit.

170 — Daniel Collins Bishop (Ronan) pinned Camren Ross, 2:42.

182 — Rylan McDaniel (Whitefish) won by forfeit.

205 — Ashton Akey (Whitefish) won by forfeit.

Browning 52, Whitefish 15

182 — Charlie Bullcalf (Browning) won by forfeit.

205 — Jayden Salios (Browning) pinned Ashton Akey, 1:53.

285 — Chucky Braverock (Browning) pinned Brian Sweeney, 0:42.

103 — Double forfeit.

113 — Kadin Brown (Whitefish) dec. Chris Hall, 6-3.

120 — Ashton Flamand (Browning) pinned Carter Moran, 2:51.

126 — Leroy Orel (Whitefish) won by forfeit.

132 — David Sharp (Browning) pinned Jackson Carson, 5:59.

138 — Quentin Campos (Browning) pinned Kolter Kidrick, 0:28.

145 — Aaron Wells (Browning) won by forfeit.

152 — Jhase Monroe (Browning) maj. dec. Rylee Creasey, 16-7.

160 — Camren Ross (Whitefish) pinned Trevon Fisher, 3:08.

170 — Brennyn Runningcrane (Browning) pinned Rylan McDaniel, 0:20.

205 — Exhibition: Brendyn Whiteman (Browning) pinned Kai Nash, 1:09.