Cats wrestlers take fifth at state

The MatCats wrestling squad came away from the state tournament over the weekend with a fifth place team finish after earning an individual state championship, one second, a third and a pair of sixth-place finishes.

After seeing his team battle injuries and illness over the last part of the season, head coach Jessie Schaeffer was pleased with how the tournament turned out.

“We were very happy with how we finished, but it was bittersweet because we could have done better,” he said. “We wound up finishing well above where we were expected to. If you would have told me a few weeks ago that we would finish fifth, I would have laughed at you.”

Taylor Glaueau brought home the team’s lone state title from the meet, earning first place in the 285-pound division after going 4-0 and pinning Browning’s Wacey Zuback in 5:36 in the title match.

The title was especially satisfying for Glaudeau, who lost to Zuback via 5-4 decision at divisionals in Butte Feb. 2.

“Taylor got caught by a few calls against Zuback last time, but this time we pushed the tempo and waited for him to make a mistake, and he did,” Schaeffer said.

Gladeau pinned all four of his opponents at the state meet, the fastest coming in 59 seconds in the opening round against Belgrade’s Zayne Konkol.

Colten McPhee battled injury to finish second in the 182-pound division. McPhee suffered a separated rib while picking up a win over Laurel’s Cameron Younger in the semi-finals but fell to Sidney/Fairview’s Jett Jones via 7-0 decision in the championship match.

Despite the loss, McPhee finished the season as the MatCats’ new single-season record holder for pins with 36, breaking Ben Windauer’s record set one year ago. McPhee finished the season 51-4.

Jakob Freeman earned a third-place finish in the 205-pound division, winning his first two matches via pin before winding up on the losing end of a 9-4 decision in the semi-finals. Freeman bounced back by pinning Hardin’s Jesse Murdock in 1:30 in the consolation semi-finals before picking up an 8-3 decision over Ronan’s Justin Mays in the third-place match.

Allec Knapton went 2-3 to earn sixth in the 170-pound division, picking up wins via pin against Havre’s Taylor Gopher and Browning’s Ryan Running Crane.

Thomas Peters went 3-3 to finish sixth in the 132-pound weight class, pinning Browning’s Jeff Madman in 35 seconds and Billings Central’s Cody Todd in 2:25.

“Knapton and Peters both wrestled above where they were expected to be,” Schaeffer said. “They really gave us a great effort.”

Also wrestling for the Cats at the tournament were Orion Barta (1-2), Ayden Role (2-3), Isaac Balla (0-2), D.J. Laycock (0-2) and Lucas Thacker (1-2).

For full results from the state wrestling tournament, read this story online at www.hungryhorsenews.com.

Class A

Team Totals

1 Sidney / Fairview 310.5

2 Havre 170.0

3 Polson 128.5

4 Frenchtown 126.0

5 Columbia Falls 99.0

6 Custer Co. (Miles City) 93.5

7 Laurel 82.5

8 Belgrade 82.0

9 Fergus (Lewistown) 73.5

10 Corvallis 71.0

11 Browning 65.0

12 BeaverheadCo.(Dillon)/Twin Bridges/

Sheridan 63.5

13 Hamilton/Darby 60.5

14 Libby/Troy 58.0

15 Dawson Co. (Glendive) 49.0

16 Hardin 48.0

17 Whitefish 47.0

18 Ronan 39.0

19 Park (Livingston) 35.0

20 Billings Central 24.0

21 Stevensville/ Victor 14.0

A - 113

Champ. Round 1 - Ivan Lee (Laurel) over Orion Barta (Columbia Falls) (Dec 11-4)

A - 113

Cons. Round 1 - Orion Barta (Columbia Falls) over Jace Kassner (Dawson Co. (Glendive)) (Fall 1:31)

A - 113

Cons. Round 2 - Jackson Carson (Whitefish) over Orion Barta (Columbia Falls) (Dec 3-2)

A - 132

Champ. Round 1 - Aden Rogge (Park (Livingston)) over Thomas Peters (Columbia Falls) (Fall 4:31)

A - 132

Cons. Round 1 - Thomas Peters (Columbia Falls) over Jeff Madman (Browning) (Fall 0:35)

A - 132

Cons. Round 2 - Thomas Peters (Columbia Falls) over Cody Todd (Billings Central) (Fall 2:25)

A - 132

Cons. Round 3 - Thomas Peters (Columbia Falls) over Adrian Garcia (Hamilton / Darby) (Dec 14-8)

A - 132

Cons. Semis - Kolton Reid (Sidney / Fairview) over Thomas Peters (Columbia Falls) (Fall 1:29)

A - 132

5th Place Match - Carter Brown (Corvallis) over Thomas Peters (Columbia Falls) (Fall 1:59)

A - 138

Champ. Round 1 - Ayden Role (Columbia Falls) over Hunter Popestaitke (Hardin) (Dec 9-3)

A - 138

Quarterfinals - Dakota Flannery (Whitefish) over Ayden Role (Columbia Falls) (MD 17-3)

A - 138

Cons. Round 2 - Ayden Role (Columbia Falls) over Smokey Stoker (Frenchtown) (Dec 6-3)

A - 138

Cons. Round 3 - Keagan Campbell (Laurel) over Ayden Role (Columbia Falls) (Fall 2:11)

A - 138

Cons. Round 3 - Keagan Campbell (Laurel) vs. Ayden Role (Columbia Falls)

A - 145

Champ. Round 1 - Zander Burnison (Sidney / Fairview) over Issac Balla (Columbia Falls) (Fall 4:53)

A - 145

Cons. Round 1 - Randon Weidow (Corvallis) over Issac Balla (Columbia Falls) (Fall 2:39)

A - 182

Champ. Round 1 - Landon Farrar (Fergus (Lewistown)) over Dj Laycock (Columbia Falls) (Fall 3:07)

A - 182

Cons. Round 1 - Dante Pallone (Hardin) over Dj Laycock (Columbia Falls) (Dec 3-0)

A - 182

Champ. Round 1 - Colton McPhee (Columbia Falls) over Tryg Aamold (Fergus (Lewistown)) (Fall 0:13)

A - 182

Quarterfinals - Colton McPhee (Columbia Falls) over Xaden Cunningham (Belgrade) (Fall 0:15)

A - 182

Semifinals - Colton McPhee (Columbia Falls) over Cameron Younger (Laurel) (Dec 6-2)

A - 182

Semifinals - Colton McPhee (Columbia Falls) vs. Cameron Younger (Laurel)

A - 182

1st Place Match - Jett Jones (Sidney / Fairview) over Colton McPhee (Columbia Falls) (Fall 5:59)

A - 205

Champ. Round 1 - Jakob Freeman (Columbia Falls) over Bo Hakert (Billings Central) (Fall 0:52)

A - 205

Quarterfinals - Jakob Freeman (Columbia Falls) over Jayden Salios (Browning) (Fall 3:15)

A - 205

Semifinals - Shane Gibson (Park (Livingston)) over Jakob Freeman (Columbia Falls) (Dec 9-4)

A - 205

Cons. Semis - Jakob Freeman (Columbia Falls) over Jesse Murdock (Hardin) (Fall 1:30)

A - 205

3rd Place Match - Jakob Freeman (Columbia Falls) over Justin Mays (Ronan) (Dec 8-3)

A - 285

Champ. Round 1 - Taylor Gladeau (Columbia Falls) over Zayne Konkol (Belgrade) (Fall 0:59)

A - 285

Quarterfinals - Taylor Gladeau (Columbia Falls) over Archie Swift (Custer Co. (Miles City)) (Fall 1:24)

A - 285

Semifinals - Taylor Gladeau (Columbia Falls) over Keegan Mires (Dawson Co. (Glendive)) (Fall 2:54)

A - 285

1st Place Match - Taylor Gladeau (Columbia Falls) over Wacey Zuback (Browning) (Fall 5:36)

A - 285

Champ. Round 1 - Keegan Mires (Dawson Co. (Glendive)) over Thomas Phelps (Columbia Falls) (Fall 1:20)

A - 285

Cons. Round 1 - Mason Jacobsen (Belgrade) over Thomas Phelps (Columbia Falls) (Fall 0:22)

A - 170

Champ. Round 1 - Allec Knapton (Columbia Falls) over Taylor Gopher (Havre) (Fall 4:39)

A - 170

Quarterfinals - Allec Knapton (Columbia Falls) over Ryan Running Crane (Browning) (Fall 4:59)

A - 170

Semifinals - Nelson Crisafulli (Dawson Co. (Glendive)) over Allec Knapton (Columbia Falls) (Fall 1:35)

A - 170

Cons. Semis - Kevin Aiken (Belgrade) over Allec Knapton (Columbia Falls) (Dec 5-2)

A - 170

5th Place Match - Ryan Running Crane (Browning) over Allec Knapton (Columbia Falls) (Fall 2:27)

A - 170

Champ. Round 1 - Kevin Aiken (Belgrade) over Lucas Thacker (Columbia Falls) (Fall 1:10)

A - 170

Cons. Round 1 - Lucas Thacker (Columbia Falls) over Ethan Chavez (Corvallis) (Dec 9-6)

A - 170

Cons. Round 2 - Ryan Running Crane (Browning) over Lucas Thacker (Columbia Falls) (Dec 8-7)