MatCats take third at Ronan duals

The Columbia Falls wrestling team took third at the Western Montana duals in Ronan last Friday and Saturday.

The MatCats downed Corvallis, 37-24 for third place.

Frenchtown won the event. The MatCats lone loss was to Ronan, a nail-biter that the Chiefs won by just five points, 32-27.

Columbia Falls coach Jessie Schaeffer said he was disappointed in the Ronan loss because it came after a scorekeeper made an error. Brandon Thomas at 138, actually won his match, he said, he didn’t lose it.

On Friday, the Cats beat Sentinel, 63-0, Hamilton, 54-16 and Mission, 60-0.

But overall, Schaeffer said the boys wrestled great. The problem this week is that some are sick, but they hope to get healthy by the time they hit the road.

The Matcats wrestle in a dual against Polson Thursday on the road and then wrestle in the Jug Beck Rocky Mountain Classic, the biggest wrestling tournament of the season, in Missoula Friday and Saturday.

Schaeffer said there’s about seven members of the team who could make the podium in Missoula.

“It’s a meat grinder,” he said. “It should be fun.”