Vals take 12th at Owen Invitational in Polson, Vikes 13th
Bigfork’s Ava Larsen battles Polson’s Ciri Nice during action at the Owen Invitational in Polson Friday. (Bob Gunderson photo)
The Vikes and Vals wrestling teams both opened their seasons in Polson over the weekend as the teams competed at the Owen Invitational.
The Valkyries racked up 32 points to take 12th at the event, led by Delcy Stewart’s fourth-place finish in the 235-pound division.
Stewart fell to Browning’s Kendahl Guardipee in the quarterfinal before bouncing back to pin Browning’s Jasmine Grant in 37 seconds in the consolation semifinal.
Stewart fell to Guardipee for a second time in the third-place match.
Angela Farrier went 2-2 to take fifth in the 165-pound division, earning pins against Hamilton’s Harley Hanson (2:54) and Browning’s Symari Momberg (0:47).
Ella Tidwell went 1-3 to claim sixth in the 145-pound division, pinning Columbia Falls wrestler Lucie Love (2:28) in the consolation semifinal.
Ava Larsen and Ashlyn Bothwell also saw action for the Vals.
The Vikings went 11-17 overall and picked up 60 points to finish 13th at the tourney as Diego Rodriguez took second in the 103-pound division, Lyrik Fainter was fourth in the 113-pound division and Evan Tidwell earned fifth in the 182-pound division.
Rodriguez took down opponents from Thompson Falls and Ronan in the first two rounds, pinning each, before falling to Ronan’s Ian Dillard in the title match.
Fainter’s three wins, all pins, came in a combined 2:07, helping earn him a trip to the third-place match, where he fell to Jaxon Sterling of Columbia Falls.
Tidwell went 4-2 in his matches, pinning Libby’s Alex Reatz in 1:14 before earning decisions over Ronan’s Brady Hout and Florence’s Jett Murray.
Tidwell earned a 7-0 decision against Hamilton’s Aidan Toniazzo in the fifth-place match.
Wyatt Elwell went 2-2 in his matches for the Vikings, pinning Browning’s Manny Oldchief in 1:27 and Mission/Charlo’s Krugger Pierce in 2:26, but Elwell did not place.
Hunter Nelson, John Root, Damien Kato, Bryson Murphy and Holland Jantzen were also in action for the Vikings.
The Vals will be back in action Friday and Saturday at the Flathead Invitational while the Vikings will be at the Bob Kinney Classic in Superior Saturday.