Grapplers do well at CMR Holiday Classic

Columbia Falls High School wrestling took seventh overall with eight individual placers in the Great Falls CMR Holiday Classic this weekend.

“In the years that I’ve been coaching, this has been one of our best showings team-wise,” boys wrestling coach Jessie Schaeffer said, noting that with around 60 teams competing, every kid stepping onto the podium deserved recognition. 

In the top for their weight classes, Traic Fainter (120) took fifth place, 13-3, 21 team points; Dylan Delorme (145) seventh, 11-5, 17 points; Billy Gustafson (152) seventh, 13-6, 18 points; Winslow Peter (160) eighth, 12-4, 13 points; Blaise Cronk (170) fifth, 9-2, 20 points; and Rowdy Crump (182) sixth, 10-5, 15 points. 

Additionally, Jaxon Sterling (113) went 6-2 with 10 points, Karson Spilis (126) 0-2, Blake Hoerner (132) 5-5 and 10 points, Rebel Crump (138) 0-2, Tucker Gonzales (205) 1-2 and 6 points, Gunnar Rathjen (285) 3-2 and 12 points. 

On the girls team, Jaelynn (100) and Vanessa Nace (100) were the first women in Columbia Falls High School wrestling to place at the CMR Holiday Classic, with seventh and eighth respectively. Jaelynn went 10-4 with 13 points and Vanessa 7-6 with 10. Girls wrestling coach Ben Schaeffer said the Holiday Classic is the toughest competition all year, and he was excited to see the girls making CFHS history. 

Kaycee Orvis (114) went 0-2, Delilah Hanson (120) 0-2, Seirra Born (120) 6-5, Paris Jerome (126) 0-2, Ella Timlick (138) 1-2 and 3 points, Lucie Love (145) 5-6 and 6 points, and Samantha Larsen (152) 0-2. 

The long term goal for the girls team as a whole is to work on breaking down technique so more of the underclassmen will see the podium their senior year. 

“We’re pretty young, we have a long way to go before the end of the season, but this Saturday the girls said they’re willing to put in the effort to close that gap,” Ben Schaeffer said.

Up next, the Wildcats will host a home tournament Thursday, Dec. 21 starting at 5 p.m., with Hamilton, Libby, Corvallis and Big Fork invited to attend. 

“Our goal is to get as many kids on the podium as possible,” Jessie Schaefer said.

The Browning Tri/Quad scheduled for Dec. 14 was canceled following bomb threats to Browning Public Schools, an incident that occurred in schools around the state on Thursday, but has not been found credible by law enforcement.