Flathead, Glacier sweep Helena schools
Senior night turned out nicely for both the Glacier and Flathead wrestling programs, who swept the Helena schools in a pair of duals Thursday.
Flathead scorched High Capital 47-18 and Helena High 67-3, running its dual record to 21-4. Glacier had a little tougher time: after beating Helena 53-18, the Wolfpack needed a pin in its final match – from 113-pounder Teegan Vasquez – to edge the Capital Bruins 33-28.
Besides Vasquez the Wolfpack had one other wrestler win two matches: Senior Caden Gilmond, who won a pair of high-scoring decisions at 160 pounds.
His match with Capital’s Ian Isaacson was a treat: Gilmond seemed to have a pin, then was reversed in the second period; in the third he took an injury timeout after a hit to the face.
“I got an elbow between the eyes,” said Gilmond. “That’s my sixth or seventh time facing him and the first time it didn’t end in a pin.”
It ended up 18-11, with Gilmond getting a takedown near the end. He’ll be one of 26 Glacier wrestlers heading to the Western AA Divisional seeding tournament next weekend, and looking for his fourth straight trip to state.
He’s happy for the Wolfpack, which is 13-9 in duals.
“It hasn’t been a huge sport here – not a lot of people have been into it for Glacier,” he said. “You hear more about the Flathead kids – big crowds, big team. But this year we kind of stepped it up, had a lot of freshmen come in. A lot of really, really tough kids that filled spots. We wouldn’t have a full roster if it wasn’t for these young kids.”
Flathead can say the same thing. The Brave Brawlers will also take 26 kids – two for each weight class - to the seeding tournament.
One is senior Tanner Russell, who picked up two pins Thursday, at 170 and 182. But he credits underclassmen like Cade Gardner, who picked up two wins as well, for making Flathead a threat to take home a state trophy.
“Back in my earlier years we had a lot of older kids, a lot of guys to look up to,” he said. “We had those guys push us into some championship years (Flathead won state in 2017-18). Then we kind of had an off year in terms of numbers. Then this year we had a lot of freshmen come out and they knew how to wrestle.”
Not counting open weight classes six Braves won twice Thursday: Russell, Gardner, Fin Nadeau (two pins at 152), Asher Kemmpainen (two technical falls at 132), Chase Youso (160) and Noah Poe-Hatten (152).
That’s a solid nucleus that includes senior Brendan Barnes, who won one match by technical foul but also dropped a 7-4 decision to Capital freshman Conner Kovick.
“Barnes is a little under the weather and it didn’t happen for him, not his best performance,” Flathead coach Jeff Thompson said. “That’s wrestling, though, that’s sports. He’s a senior and he wanted to compete.”
Glacier honored five seniors between its duals, and Flathead honored nine. The Braves are aiming high at the State AA, which is Feb. 14-15 in Billings.
“I think we’ll get first if we wrestle smart,” Russell said. “Looking back at the AA Dual;s we got second (a 50-12 loss to Great Falls High) but we lost five close matches. I feel like if we win those close matches, we win state.”
Glacier 33, Helena Capital 28
103 – Hunter Rahn, Capital, pinned Josh Melton. 113 – Teegan Vasquez, Glacier, pinned Lane O’Shea; 120 – Cody Frost, Glacier, won by forfeit; 126 – Bridger Beach, Glacier, won by forfeit; 132 – Lance Fretwell, Glacier, on by forfeit; 138 – Conner Kovick, Capital, maj. dec. Kade McCollum, 19-6; 145 – Wyatt Schneider, Capital, dec. Brok Viau, 13-9; 152 – Dylan Graham, Capital, dec. Royce Conklin, 4-0; 160 – Caden Gilmond, Glacier, dec. Ian Isaacson, 18-11; 170 – Kael Willis, Glacier, pinned Tucker Zanto, 3:24; 182 – Zane McCormick, Capital, pinned Thomas Crofts, 5:29; 205 – Keaton Pouliot, Capital, dec. Caedon Seymour, 7-4; 285 – Josh Lee, Capital, dec. Camryn Vergeron, 9-2.
Glacier 53, Helena 18
103 – Josh Melton, Glacier, pinned Jason Mandy, 1:46; 113 – Teegan Vasquez, Glacier, tech. fall Nathaniel Yargo, 16-0; 120 – Ian Mehrens, Capital, pinned Cody Frost, 2:05; 126 – Bridger Beach, Glacier, pinned Westin LaPierre, 1:18; 132 – Lance Fretwell, Glacier, dec. Cameron Wyant, 8-1; 138 – Ricardo Hewitt, Glacier, pinned Andrew Cotton, 1:48; 145 – Gino Dalbec, Helena, pinned Brok Viau, 3:38; 152 – Royce Conklin, Glacier, pinned Christian Wyant, 3:16; 160 – Caden Gilmond, Glacier, dec. Justice Seamons, 14-10; 170 – Kaleb McKay, Capital, pinned Kael Willis, 1:30; 182 – Thomas Crofts, Glacier, pinned Sean OConnell, 1:07; 205 – Caden Seymour, Glacier, pinned Ruger Young, 5:57; 285 – Camryn Vergeron, Glacier, won by forfeit.
Flathead 47, Helena Capital 18
103 – Hunter Rhan, Capital, pinned Dylan Kratofil, 3:43; 113 – Cade Gardner, Flathead, dec. Lane O’Shea, 11-8; 120 – Nolan Cate, Flathead, won by forfeit; 126 – Cade Troupe, Flathead, won by forfeit; 132 – Asher Kemppainen, Flathead, tech. fall Tyler Tobel, 16-1; 138 – Conner Kovick, Capital, dec. Brendan Barnes, 7-4; 145 – Fin Nadeau, Flathead, pinned Wyatt Schneider, 1:02; 152 – Noah Poe-Hatten, Flathead, dec. Dylan Graham, 2-1; 160 – Chase Youso, Flathead, pinned Ian Isaacson, 1:29; 170 – Tanner Russell, Flathead, pinned Tucker Zanto, 1:50; 182 – Noah Kovick, Capital, dec. Paxton Boyce, 9-3; 205 – Zaybin Stewart, Flathead, pinned Keaton Pouliot, 1:35; 285 – Josh Lee, Capital, pinned Aydan Prieto, 1:22.
Flathead 67, Helena 3
103 – Dylan Kratofil, Flathead, pinned Jason Mandy, 4:58; 113 – Cade Gardner, Flathead, pinned Nathaniel Yargo, :41; 120 – Ian Mehrens, Helena, dec. Nolan Cate, 6-2; 126 – Cade Troupe, Helena, pinned Westin LaPierre, 1:20; 132 – Asher Kemppainen, Flathead, tech. fall Cameron Wyant 17-1; 138 – Brendan Barnes, Flathead, tech. fall Andrew Cotton, 20-5; 145 – Fin Nadeau, Flathea, pinned pinned Gino Dalbec, 1:25; 152 – Noah Poe-Hatten, Flathead, pinned Christian Wyant, 3:49; 160 – Chase Youso, Flathead, dec. Justice Seamons, 6-2; 170 – Garrett Rieke, Flathead, over Kaleb McKay, 2:35; 182 – Tanner Russell, Flathead, pinned Sean O’Connell, :28; 205 – Paxton Boyce, Flathead, pinned Ruger Young, 2:51; 285 – Ayden Prieto, Flathead, won by forfeit.