MatCats wrestle exhibition in Conrad

Wildcat wrestling traveled to Conrad Friday to compete in an exhibition-style mixer with class B and C schools.

Columbia Falls was able to enter the small-school competition after athletic director Troy Bowman jockeyed the team into the lineup to provide the wrestlers more mat time in what otherwise would have been an open weekend for the Cats.

The competition became an event where teams could mix and match their athletes in a way that assured nearly every wrestler mat time. The informal setup also allowed coaches to play around with different weight classes to arrange the best possible matchups.

“We were able to wrestle our best kids against their best kids, so that was a really good opportunity,” said assistant coach Ben Schaeffer, even though that meant kids were wrestling up or down a weight or two.

Wildcat Justin Windauer (126) was able to wrestle up two weights to compete against the number one ranked 138 pound wrestler for class B-C.

“Windauer had an outstanding evening of wrestling,” said Schaeffer. “Just the way he controlled the match and slowed things down, the control that he had and his composure. He never lost a position.”

Lucas Thacker experienced something similar, also wrestling up a weight to face off against one of class BC’s top-seeded wrestlers. Thacker ended up pinning his opponent.

Wildcat wrestlers duel the Bigfork Vikings next, at home under the lights at 5 p.m. on Thursday, followed by a double-dual against Polson and Browning at home starting at 1 p.m. on Saturday.