Roberts wins Jug Beck championship at 126 pounds

MatCat Shonn Roberts handled Cameron Sorensen of University High School, in Spokane, Wash., to win the championship at the Jug Beck Rocky Mountain Classic in Missoula.

The undefeated junior beat Sorensen 8-0 on Jan. 18 in the 126-pound weight class. Roberts advanced to the finals after defeating Tommy McMillen, of Great Falls High, 6-4 in the semifinals.

The championship win marks Roberts as one of the best wrestlers in not just Montana, but the region. Roberts took fourth last year at Jug Beck at 112 pounds and second as a freshman at 98 pounds.

The MatCats did well as a team, taking eighth overall and scoring 106 points, just four points behind Belgrade. Rival Havre was second in the tournament. Great Falls won the event with a score of 249.5.

Other MatCats also had solid performances. Zayne Brunz beat Kye Catlin, of Powell, Wyo., 4-2 for fifth place at 145 pounds; Spencer Ross pinned Roberto Smith, of Great Falls High, to nab fifth in the heavyweight division; Mason Fetters took eighth, losing to Mikey Garrison, of University High, by pin at 113 pounds; and Bryan Shaffer took eighth, losing to Matt Widdicombe, of Powell, in a 4-0 decision at 152 pounds.

On Jan. 16, the MatCats defeated Polson in a dual, 61-21.

Fetters, Caleb Gravelin (120), Haze Bell (132), Chase Ramberg (132), Shaffer and Cody Walters (160) all won by pin. Winfield West (106) won by major decision, 11-0 over Thunder Morales, and Roberts beat Carlos Quinones in a shootout, 15-10.