Grapplers win four duals in tune-up to divisionals

The Columbia Falls wrestling team went 4-0 in duals last week, dropping Libby and Bigfork at the Whitefish duals and Polson and Whitefish at home in head-to-head matchups at home.

The MatCats made it to the finals in the Whitefish duals, but forfeited the championship match against Eureka because many of their top wrestlers had already reached the maximum of 18 weigh-ins for the season.

Duals aren’t what they used to be. Many schools in Class A no longer field a full team, so wrestlers can end up with no match. That’s why schools are increasingly going to tournaments, where they’re guaranteed matches because of the number of wrestlers across classes participating.

Last week’s dual at home Tuesday against Whitefish, for example, had four forfeits by the Bulldogs and one open weight class by both teams.

The Cats will get some serious wrestling this week as they head to Dillon for the Western A divisionals.

The top four in each weight class advance to the state tournament in Billings the following week.

Wrestling in Dillon starts Friday and wraps up Saturday.

The MatCats are shooting for their fifth straight divisional title. They’ve got the wrestlers to do it. Hunter Peterson, Colton McPhee, Ben Windauer, Storm Kemppainen, Jakob Freeman, Winfield West, Ayden Role and Mason Fetters have all been wrestling well.

Columbia Falls 39, Libby 30

160 - Colton McPhee, CF, pinned Tanner Wood, :21; 170 - Dylan Parrish, L, dec. Storm Kemppainen, 4-3; 182 - Cyrus Sweedman, L, won by forfeit; 205 - Clancy Gout, L, won by forfeit; 285 - Gabe Smith, CF, won by forfeit; 103 - Buddy Doolin, L, pinned Garhet Salminen, 3:11; 113 - Austin Nelson, CF, pinned over Mason Sams, 5:54; 120 - Winfield West, CF, won by forfeit; 126 - Trey Thompson, L, won by forfeit; 132 - Hunter Peterson, CF, dec. Reed Christensen, 5-0; 138 - Laine Young, L, dec. Brandon Thomas, 5-0; 145 - Braydon Stone, CF, won by forfeit; 152 - Mason Fetters, CF, pinned Tim Carvey, 1:22

Columbia Falls 49, Bigfork 12

152 - Mason Fetters, CF, won by forfeit; 160 - Colton McPhee, CF, maj. dec. Matt Holman, 13-3; 170 - Storm Kemppainen, CF, dec. Matt Farrier, 10-8; 182 - Double Forfeit; 205 - Logan Kaminsky, B, won by forfeit; 285 - Double Forfeit; 103 - Garret Salminen, CF, won by forfeit; 113 - Austin Nelson, CF, won by forfeit; 120 - Winfield West, CF, won by forfeit; 126 - Tyrell Holman, B, won by forfeit; 132 - Hunter Peterson, CF, pinned Caster Conley, 5:50; 138 - Brandon Thomas, CF, pinned Hunter Pickens, :32; 145 - Dj Laycock, CF, won by forfeit.

Columbia Falls 57, Polson 12

170: Storm Kemppainen, CF, pinned Kolby Garcia, 3:05; 182: 205: Jakob Freeman, CF, pinned Jasper Drake, 2:30; 285: Kyler Koski, CF, pinned Ryan Burland; 2:59; 103: Kedrick Baker, P, pinned Garret Salminen, 2:30; 113: Mateo Quinones, P, pinned Austin Nelson, 1:59; 120: Winfield West, CF, pinned Owen Targerson, 3:27; 126: Ayden Role, CF, pinned Ethan Tolly, 2:51; 132: Hunter Peterson, CF, won by forfeit; 138: Brandon Thomas, CF, won by forfeit; 145: Ben Windauer, CF, dec. Parker Adler, 10-4; 152: Mason Fetters, CF, pinned Garrett Croft, :37) 160: Colton McPhee, CF, won by forfeit.

Columbia Falls 60, Whitefish 16

103 — Jackson Carson, W, pinned Garhet Salminen, 4:42; 113 — Austin Nelson, CF, pinned Anwar Mirza, :17; 120 — Winfield West, CF, pinned Carlitos Bertelson, 3:08; 126 — Ayden Role, CF, pinned Eli Taylor, 1:36; 132 —‚ Hunter Peterson, CF, pinned Jack Eisenbarth, 1:52; 138 — Brandon Thomas, CF, pinned Dakota Flannery, 1:47; 145 — Ben Windauer, CF, won by forfeit; 152 — Mason Fetters, CF, won by forfeit; 160: Colton McPhee, CF, pinned Malik Heydon, :23; 170: Storm Kemppainen, CF, won by forfeit; 182: Open; 205: Travis Catina, W, maj. dec. Jakob Freeman, 17-6; 285: Kyler Koski, CF, won by forfeit.