MatCats take first at Buzz Lucey tourney

The Columbia Falls wrestling team had a good week, downing Libby 60-16 in a home dual Dec. 19 and then taking the title at the Buzz Lucey Invitational in Eureka on Dec. 21.

At Eureka, Shonn Roberts (126), Colton Gove (138), Zayne Brunz (145), Bryan Shaffer (152) and Ike Schweikert (182) all won titles.

As a team, the MatCats racked up 269 points. Eureka was a distant second with 167 points.

Complete results for the Libby dual were unavailable, but the highlight of the evening was freshman Hunter Peterson’s match against Libby’s Dylan Roby. Roby almost pinned Peterson a couple of times, but each time Peterson wriggled out just in time.

Roby had a 12-4 lead against Peterson when Peterson turned the tide and pinned Roby. The enthusiastic crowd roared at the win.

The Libby match was a little closer than the score would suggest. The Loggers gave up several forfeits, as their varsity team has been down several wrestlers over previous years.

The MatCats have Christmas break and then are back in action at the Ronan tournament Jan. 3-4.

Buzz Lucey Invitational

Team totals

Columbia Falls 269, Eureka 167, Polson 127, Plains 116 1/2, Flathead JV 86, Whitefish 66 1/2, Noxon 59 1/2, Bigfork 50, Glacier JV 46, Libby 44 1/2, Arlee 40.

Individual

Championship

98 - Fabian Calderon, FJV, pinned Elio Scheeler, CF, :43; 106 - Thunder Morales, Pol, dec. Winfield West, CF, 6-2; 113 - Garrett White, Eur, pinned Mason Fetters, CF, 1:35; 120 - Zach Durden, Eur, dec. Kaleb Gravelin, CF, 4-1; 126 - Shonn Roberts, CF, tech fall Haze Bell, CF, 22-5; 132 - Russell Kujala, Pla, dec. Wyatt Green, CF, 10-3; 138 - Colton Gove, CF, pinned Logan Goodwin, Pla, 2:50; 145 - Zayne Brunz, CF, dec. Jake Lile, Pla, 3-2; 152 - Bryan Shaffer, CF, dec. Luke Crowe, Nox, 6-3; 160 - Wyatt Miller, Eur, pinned Isaac Saenz, Gla, 2:53; 170 - Tel Motichka, Pol, dec. Alex Bertolit, Arl, 4-2; 182 - Ike Schwikert, CF, won by disqualification over Vinny Quirk, Bfk; 195 - Mike Corrigan, Pol, pinned Kaelan Yanak, Eur, :29; 220 - John Onofrey, Nox, pinned Mikey Dennison, CF, 2:52; 285 - Ben Gorham, Pla, pinned Spencer Ross, CF, :52.

Third Place

98 - Manny Guzman, CF, won by bye; 106 - TJ Knoll, Arl, won by bye; 113 - Khaden Bakkila, Eur, pinned James Buckley, Whi, 1:04; 120 - Brady Wilson, Nox, won by default over Jaben Wenzel, Pol; 126 - James Detienne, Pla, dec. Skylar Knutson, Pol, 7-2; 132 - Levi Lambertson, Eur, dec. Daniel Dunlop, Arl, 4-3; 138 - Judah Prestegaard, Whi, dec. Chase Ramberg, CF, 5-3; 145 - Nikko Bakkila, Eur, maj. dec. Cody Wood, Fla, 11-0; 152 - Warren Wood, Pol, pinned Colby Hammack, Eur, 2:23; 160 - Cody Walters, CF, pinned Alex Yeadon, Lib, 2:46; 170 - Jason Williams, CF, pinned Matt Gash-Gilder, Fla, :38; 182 - Tele Seeman, Pol, pinned Payton Boyce, Fla, 3:58; 195 - Alan Chojnacky, Nox, pinned Cody Howe, Fla, 1:54; 220 - Riley Leigh, Fla, pinned Joshua McGough, Lib, :33; 285 - Eli Horn, Gla, dec. Steven Quimby, Whi, 3-2.