Baccaro, Whitman, Kenfield earn divisional titles
Above, Kodie Kenfield gets a grip on Brandin (Tank) Mills of Libby during the divisional tournament semifinals. At right, Sal Baccaro tries to turn Riley Dennis of Ronan. Kenfield, Baccaro and Shawn Whitman won divisional titles. (Paul Sievers photo/ The Western News)
Senior Kodie Kenfield, junior Shawn Whitman and sophomore Sal Baccaro of Columbia Falls earned individual titles Saturday at the Northwestern A Divisional Wrestling Tournament at Libby.
Finishing in second place were Justin Whitman, Jarrett Smith, Doug Woodworth and Kelly Houle.
Joe Gross and Brendan Moseman were third, and Travis Province, Adam Richardson and Travis Pete came in fourth.
Those 12 Mat Cats qualified for the Class A State Wrestling Championships, set for Friday and Saturday at MetraPark in Billings.
Hunter Fishel (119 pounds), Russell Plevel (140), Kohl Thompson (145) and Will Joubert (171) were fifth, and Virgil Matt (130) and Aaron Howland (171) finished sixth. Those six Mat Cats were unable to qualify for state.
Ronan repeated as divisional champion, scoring 192 1/2 points. Polson was a close second with 180. Libby was third (166), Columbia Falls fourth (150 1/2) and Whitefish fifth (63).
“It was a good tournament for the kids,” Mat Cats head coach Jessie Schaeffer said. “We were hoping for four champions.”
Kenfield went triple overtime to decision Kaden Thomas of Polson, 6-1, shutting out the Pirate in the extra periods for the heavyweight title.
“He had a better gas tank,” Schaeffer said of Kenfield, who beat two opponents he lost to during the regular season. “It’s been fun to watch him develop.”
Shawn Whitman (135) won a 13-4 major decision over Cody Elliott of Libby for a title.
“To be on top of that podium was a great thing,” Schaeffer said.
Baccaro (98) pinned Riley Dennis of Ronan in just a minute, 15 seconds, in his title match.
“He’s picking up the technique,” Schaeffer said.
In other title matches, Justin Whitman (105) was pinned by Zach Robinson (Ronan) in 3:30; Smith (140) lost a 12-4 major decision to Ty Fouty (Polson); Woodworth (189) was pinned by Marcus Schiele (Ronan) in 1:09; and Houle (215) lost a 6-4 decision to nemesis Justin Graham (Libby) in triple overtime.
For third place, Gross (160) pinned Josiah Coker of Libby in 3:07. Moseman did not have an opponent in his third-place match.
Schaeffer said the team goal is to have six place-winners at the state tournament.
Houle was second at state last year at 189. Kenfield also returns to Billings, where he was 1-2 last year. Baccaro, Shawn Whitman and Gross qualified in 2008, but all were out in two matches.
Championship
98 — Sal Baccaro, CF, pinned Riley Dennis, R, 1:15; 105 — Zach Robinson, R, pinned Justin Whitman, CF, 3:38; 112 — Nick Howell, P, pinned Zach Berger, W, 2:16; 119 — Dilan Starkel, R, pinned Jonathan Reimer, W, :52; 125 — Cameron Neiss, R, dec. Kyle Leir, L, 3-2; 130 — Tyson Noyes, R, dec. Keio Salmonson, P, 3-2; 135 — Shawn Whitman, CF, maj. dec. Cody Elliott, L, 13-4; 140 — Ty Fouty, P, maj. dec. Jarrett Smith, CF, 12-4; 145 — Mick Cheff, R, dec. Tanner Benedict, W, 12-0; 152 — Kyle Sweedman, L, dec. Kaleb Prestegaard, W, 6-3; 160 — Toby Cheff, R, pinned Tyler Wheeler, R, 5:08; 171 — Brock Picard, P, won by default over Seth Wright, L; 189 — Marcus Schiele, R, pinned Doug Woodworth, CF, 1:09; 215 — Justin Graham, L, dec. Kelly Houle, CF, 6-4; 285 — Kodie Kenfield, CF, dec. Kaden Thomas, P, 6-1.
Third/fourth
98 — Dakotah Jensen, P, pinned Travis Province, CF, 4:34; 105 — Jesse Alfiero, P, pinned Ethan Fryslie, R, 4:00; 112 — Brendan Moseman, CF, no opponent; 119 — Alex Nystrom, P, pinned Adam Richardson, CF, 4:38; 125 — Jacob Young, P, dec. Travis Pete, CF, 3-1; 130 — Tate Wilson, L, dec. Dalton Rice, W, 2-0; 135 — Randy Kelley, P, maj. dec. Brock Bleazard, P, 13-2; 140 — Dylan Berget, L, dec. Bryce Greenfield, R, 6-0; 145 — Charlie Berget, L, won by default over Trae Fouty, P; 152 — Logan Clay, P, dec. Cole McArthur, R, 9-5; 160 — Joe Gross, CF, pinned Josiah Coker, L, 3:07; 171 — Dean Willey, L, pinned Jose Quinonnes, P, 2:38; 189 — Evan O’Brien, L, pinned Ben Messer, P, 2:09; 215 — Josiah Clairmont, P, won by default over Derek Crittenden, W; 285 — Brandin Mills, L, no opponent.
Fifth
119 — Hunter Fishel, CF; 125 — Levi Edwards-Myslicki, L; 130 — Michael Roby, L; 135 — Dustin Goldsby, R; 140 — Russell Plevel, CF; 145 — Kohl Thompson, CF; 152 — Devon Kamarainen, P; 160 — Kody Berget, L; 171 — Will Joubert, CF; 189 — Jacob Washer, W.
Sixth
130 — Virgil Matt, CF; 135 — Alex Greenfield, R; 140 — Chris Cote, P; 160 — Geoff Streeter, W; 171 — Aaron Howland, CF.