Flathead, Glacier set to grapple Friday

Interesting matchups should be in the offing when Flathead’s Brave Brawlers play host to the Glacier Wolfpack in a crosstown wrestling dual set for 6 p.m. Friday.

The Brawlers own a 15-2 dual record and have had a very successful tournament season so far, but Glacier (5-7) has several formidable wrestlers.

“I think there will be a number of solid matches throughout the dual,” Glacier coach Ross Dankers said. “I’m not quite sure who they’ll have in the middle (weights), but I think a couple will be solid matchups.”

Nothing is written in ink but 132 pounds could be a battle between Flathead’s Asher Kemppainen (24-5 record) and Glacier’s Lance Fretwell (16-8). At 170 Glacier’s Kael Willis has won 70 percent of his matches, while Flathead’s Tanner Russell has won 90 (he’s 26-3).

At 205 a battle looms between Zaybin Stewart (23-5) and Glacier’s Caeden Seymour.

There are gaudy records up and down the Brawlers’ lineup, including Brendan Barnes (27-3 at 138), Fin Nadeau (25-5 at 145), Noah Poe-Hatten (26-5 at 152) and Cade Troupe (28-1 at 126).

Josh Melton is 16-6 at 103 for Glacier, while Camryn Vergeront is 15-3 at heavyweight and Teegan Vasquez is 15-1 at 113 for the Wolfpack. Royce Conklin has picked up 11 wins at 152. Cody Frost has nine pins at 120 to rank among the Wolfpack leaders.

Not all the best records match up, so Flathead – first in three tournaments, including last weekend’s Pacific Northwest Classic in Spokane, and second in the Best of the West Duals – has work to do.

Glacier starts its week with a dual Thursday at 6:30 p.m. against visiting Missoula Sentinel.

On Friday a junior varsity dual is also scheduled for 4 p.m., concurrent with signups for the Flathead Valley Wrestling Club. Boys and girls that sign up gain free admission to the crosstown duals.