Five grapplers punch ticket to Billings

Whitefish's wrestling squad will send five grapplers to the Class A state meet in Billings this weekend.

Representing the team will be Dalton Rice at 130, Nick O'Dell at 145, Tanner Benedict at 160, Geoff Streeter at 171 and Wolf Zinke as heavyweight.

The wrestlers earned their ticket to Billings via a strong divisional meet on Feb. 4-5 in Polson. Grapplers must finish in the top-four to make the state tourney.

Benedict plowed through the competition at divisional before losing a close 5-1 decision to Ronan's Cole McArthur. The senior's second-place finish was the best on the team.

"Tanner wrestled really well," coach Ryan Hoffman said. "He gave up a reversal in the finals that cost him."

Hoffman said Benedict learned a valuable lesson in that match, and he has high hopes for the third-year wrestler.

"Last year at state, he lost a tight match in the semifinals, so hopefully this year he can get past that," Hoffman said. "He's getting more aggressive on his feet and more confident. He's pretty solid when he gets on top."

Benedict (15-5) went on a tear to close out the regular season, scoring individual wins over conference foes from Libby, Columbia Falls and Polson. He should carry some of that momentum, along with his strong divisional performance, to Billings where he'll face Kameron Pribyl, of Havre, the No. 3 seed from the Central Division.

As the team's leader, Benedict brings a level of intensity to the squad that the underclassmen have respected all season.

"He tries to go hard in everything we do at practice," Hoffman said. "I'm always telling him that the younger kids look up to him and mimic how hard he works."

When he's not scoring pins, Benedict hits the books with as much intensity.

"He does well in school, and it's important to him that he excels there," Hoffman said. "I don't think he's ever considered not doing well at something."

Hoffman said wrestling has taught Benedict a lot about who he is as a young man and that there isn't a lot he can't do if he tries.

"He realizes he just has to work hard and go for it," Hoffman said.

The four Bulldogs joining Benedict at state stand a chance to make some noise as well. O'Dell and Rice have been in and out of the state rankings all year.

"Both have a shot at going far," Hoffman said.

The coach pointed to O'Dell's performance at the divisional tournament as a nice boost going to Billings.

"Nick lost a close match to the eventual champion in the first round," Hoffman said. "Then he beat Dustin Goldsby of Ronan for the first time this year."

O'Dell took third at the divisional tournament.

Streeter, Zinke and Rice all finished in fourth-place to earn a trip to state.

"We'll head down there and wrestle our best and see what happens," Hoffman said. "It'll be tough, but hopefully we can get some guys on the podium."