Big Week: HHS grapples at CMR, then Missoula

After the Havre High wrestling team snatched a team title at the Cut Bank Invite last weekend, the Blue Ponies head right back into another tough weekend of competition.

Last weekend the Ponies

Havre High's Grant Pattison (top) drives a CMR opponent into the mat during the 2011 Havre Invitational last month. The Ponies dual the Rustlers today in Great Falls, then travel to the Rocky Mountain Classic Friday and Saturday.

outscored the field with 279 points, grabbing a team title in Cut Bank. The season's success continues to unfold for the Central A Blue Ponies, and this weekend could have a lot more to gain for HHS. Today the Ponies will dual CMR in Great Falls, and Friday-Saturday, the Ponies will continue down the road to Missoula where they will take part in the annual, and always exciting Rocky Mountain Classic.

But before the Ponies can get to Missoula, they make a quick stop for a dual with the Rustlers. The Ponies aren't putting too much emphasis on today's dual, as they are more interested in what will happen at the Rocky Mountain Classic.

The Ponies' roster will be mixed and pieced together as Casey Schaub (189) will be absent, but Havre High head coach Scott Filius will move everybody up a weight and will fill holes where needed with up and coming junior varsity grapplers.

Schaub will return to the lineup for the weekend in Missoula.

The Rustlers are down compared to where they have been in recent years, but they still have some individual talent. Jared Dickson (145) and Bryan Evans (215) will produce the biggest source of trouble for the Ponies.

"We aren't looking to put our kids in any particular spot because we have the tournament to follow," Filius said. "And that kind of supersedes the dual in importance. CMR is down a little this year, but still has some good individuals, so it will still be fun to go down there and mix it up."

But Havre isn't the only team anxious to compete in Missoula, as they will also be joined by a large amount of schools from Spokane, Wash., and Idaho. CMR and Great Falls High will also make the trip, as will all the top names from Missoula, Bozeman and Kalispell. A good number of Class A schools will also be in attendince, as will be the entire Western A.

"This will give us a good chance to see where we are at in a tournament with Belgrade and Corvallis," Filius said. "Both of those teams have been up at the top the last few years, so I expect them to be there again this year. This is a good look for us."

For the weekend, the Ponies roster will tentatively be Grayson Brenna (98), Dylan Stewart (105), open at 112, Dustin Seely (119), open at 125, Gunnar Aageson (130), Thomas Gruber (130), Matt Emge (135), Dillon Seely (140), Jordan Schroeder (145), Eli Hinebauch (152), Kameron Pribyl (160), Grant Pattison (171), Schaub (189), Dustin Odegard (215) and Kolton Lodge (285).

Heading into Missoula, the Ponies are looking to continue their solid wrestling.

HHS has looked good on the mat the last couple of outings and have come out on top in a lot of close matches as of late. That is a must this weekend, and Filius would like to see the continued growth and the Ponies showed on the mat last weekend.

"We are looking for everybody to step up and wrestle well this weekend," Filius said. "We have been wresting real aggressive in the room, so I would like to see everybody score some points. But this is a really great tournament for our top end kids, so we would certainly like for them to perform well again."

Pony fans should also pay attention to how Hinebauch does this weekend. He has taken No. 1 at this tournament three years in a row and has a shot to take an individual title for the fourth straight year, something a select few prep wrestlers have ever done at the Rocky Mountain Classic.

HHS will face CMR today in a dual at 3:30, and will face a tough field Friday and Saturday, when they attend the Rocky Mountain Classic in Missoula.