Ponies rise to second in Great Falls

The Havre High wrestling team continues to turn heads this season.

This time around, the Central A Blue Ponies are turning heads with what they were able to accomplish at the 35th Annual CMR Holiday Classic in Great Falls, one of the most prestigious wrestling tournaments in the state.

Friday and Saturday, the Ponies were in Great Falls and looked to be in mid-season form already. After finishing as the No. 7 team last year, the Ponies returned to trophy contention and finished in second place this weekend. The Ponies racked up 205.5 points, finishing only behind the Class AA Great Falls High Bison with 243 points. Class AA Bozeman finished in third place with 196.

"We did (wrestle well)," Havre High head coach Scott Filius said. "Everybody was contributing points and wins. We had a terrific first day, and on Saturday morning we started real hot. We had a very good warm up and really had a good round. But you are always disappointed when you have one out of five win it all, but actually, all those guys in the finals had pretty good matches. We are pretty pleased with all the kids."

After Friday was wrapped up, the Ponies found themselves in great position to finish out the weekend strong. They were just eight points behind the Bison, and placed six individuals into the championship semifinals. Havre advanced Keegan Kennelly (98), Grayson Brenna (105), Dylan Stewart (112), Gilbert Bara (135), Grant Pattison (189) and Tyler Adams (215) into the semifinals.

Kennelly, just a freshman, won the only individual title for the Ponies, and did so with a 14-5 decision over Butte Central's Clay Stillwagon.

Also in the finals, Brenna lost 7-2, Stewart lost 2-0, Pattison lost 8-2, and Adams was pinned in 1:37, all resulting in second-place finishes for the Ponies. Bara also placed fourth for the Ponies, losing to Christian Smith of Cascade 10-2 in a consolation match.

Just a freshman, Kennelly has wrestled very well this season, and a big part of that has to do with the talent the Ponies have at their lighter weights.

"He is able to improve because he's got three guys (Logan Plenninger, Brenna, Stewart) busting their butts with him in the room," Filius said. "Every weekend our little guys are scoring a bunch of points, but that is because they don't get any breaks in practice and they go hard against each other every day. That is a real testament to all of those guys."

Overall, the Ponies all wrestled very well on the weekend, and did something coaches love to see — they turned around several matches against opponents they have lost to in the past.

Kennelly had lost to Stillwagon three times in the past, but stepped up and dominated the championship match. Brenna did the same thing against Kale Evanson of Bozeman in the semifinals, as he came away with a 7-4 win. Adams earned a narrow 4-3 decision win over Missoula Big Sky's Darby Maier in eight overtimes, also in the semifinals, scoring a crucial three points with just three seconds left in the period. Dustin Odegard also turned around a past loss, pinning Craig Horn of Heart Butte in first-round action.

"The fun part for me is that the kids are going hard and getting better every week," Filius said. "And I am pleased

Courtesy of Rion Sanders/Great Falls Tribune

Havre's Thomas Gruber attempts to pin Matt Dowdle of Park High during the C.M. Russell Holiday Classic Friday afternoon in Great Falls.

with how we turned around some matches that we had lost previously. I am really just pleased with every kid up and down the lineup. We got consistent effort, much more consistent up and down the lineup through the two days versus last weekend. We need to get more kids placing in the other rounds, but is not because of lack of effort. I think we are going to be fine."

HHS will be back on the mat on Tuesday when the Ponies face Lewistown in Lewistown, and again on Thursday when they return to Great Falls to face the top-ranked Bison in a dual.

CMR Holiday Classic

Team scores

Great Falls High 243, Havre High 205.5, Bozeman 196, Forsyth 179, Belgrade 158, Kalispell Glacier 152.5, Helena High 143.5, Choteau 133.5, Ronan 112.5, Missoula Big Sky 111, Laurel 92.5, Kalispell Flathead 89, Lewistown 78, Butte High 73, Cut Bank 63, Harlem 61, Anaconda 59, Missoula Hellgate 59, Helena Capital 58, Dillon 58, Great Falls Russell 55, Cascade 49.5, Townsend 45, Butte Central 43, Chinook 40, Glasgow 37, Conrad 33, Chester-Joplin-Inverness 31, Belt 30, Browning 30, Fort Benton 23, Big Sandy 22, Shelby 22, Poplar 19.5, Livingston 2.

Finals

98 – Keegan Kennelly, Havre, d. Clay Stillwagon, Butte Central, 14-5; 105 – Jarren Komac, Great Falls, d. Grayson Brenna, Havre, 7-2; 112 – Shay Snider, Harlem, d. Dylan Stewart, Havre, 2-0; 119 – Grant Boggs, Helena T-Fall Logan Schwope, Townsend, 15-0; 125 – Matt Weber, Forsyth, d. Landon Bailey, Helena, 8-6 OT; 130 – Austin Shupe, Great Falls, d. Karson Kukes, Laurel, 5-2; 135 – Taylor French, Forsyth, d. Levi Renz, Butte, 6-2; 140 – Bryce Weatherston, Belgrade, d. Kessler Leonard, Great Falls, 5-0; 145 – Chris Nile, Forsyth, DQ Tommy Challeen, Butte; 152 – Brandon Weber, Forsyth, d. Jim Malone, Fergus, 6-3; 160 – Jake Egley, Flathead p. Jackson Barber, Glacier, 5:40; 171 – Jake French, Choteau p. Shelby Grant, Ronan, 3:12; 189 – Keavon Buckley, Bozeman, d. Grant Pattison, Havre, 8-2; 215 – Owen DeBruycker, Choteau p. Tyler Adams, Havre, 1:37; Hwt – Cody Stone-Murphy, Laurel, d. Josh Felecia, Bozeman, 9-4.

Consolation Finals

98 – Jon Conklin, Big Sky, d. Kohltin Starkel, Dillon, 12-2; 105 – Kale Evenson, Bozeman, d. Demitri Koures, Hellgate, 8-0; 112 – Tommy McMillen, Great Falls, p. Jake Norby, Chinook, :48; 119 – Casey Dobson, Great Falls, d. Cody Decker, Glacier, 2-0 OT; 125 – Jarrett Degen, Belgrade, d. Seth James, Bozeman, 12-2; 130 – Luke Weber, Forsyth p. Travis Vermulm, Cut Bank, 3:43; 135 – Christian Smith, Cascade, d. Gilbert Bara, Havre, 10-2; 140 – Cooper Ryan, Helena, d. Isiah Yates, C.M. Russell, 5-2; 145 – Alek Mitchell, Glacier, d. Ty Johnston, Bozeman, 3-1; 152 – Luke Entzel, Big Sky, d. Grant Tafoya, Glacier, 9-3; 160 – Cole Werdal, Choteau, d. Cody Henderson, Great Falls, 7-6; 171 – Dawson Day, Glacier, d. Bryce Akers, Belgrade, 11-2; 189 – Colby Roberts, Ronan p. Rob Klingaman, Chinook, 2:31; 215 – Sam VanBeek, Belgrade, d. Darby Maier, Big Sky, 5-3 OT; Hwt – Shalon Norick, Chester-Joplin-Inverness p. Donovan Hucke, Dillon, 2:34.

Fifth/Sixth Place

98 – Jakob Hunter, Bozeman d. Blade massey, Great Falls, 9-0; 105 – Mick Reyling, Glasgow pinned Eddy Day, laurel, :35; 112 – Devyn harris, Bozeman, dec. Chris Abrego, Helena 13-6; 119 – Kylan Berkram, Cut Bank defeated Colt McDaniel, Forsyth; 125 – Kenton Evans, Great Falls, dec. Justin Conklin, Missoula Big Sky, 4-2; 130 – JJ Werdal, Choteau, dec. Brandon Dumont, Ronan, 7-1; 135 – Tanner Johnson, Belgrade, dec. Quinn Trindle, Fort Benton, 5-2; 140 – Dakota McMann, Great Falls JV, dec. Braden Dieziger, Lewistown, 6-3; 145 – Gage Bentley, Great Falls, pinned Suny Cheff, Flathead, 4:24; 152 – Keaton Sterling, Belgrade, pinned Hunter Croff, Belt 2:39; 160 – Quentin Denton, Ronan, dec. Ethan Reich, Anaconda, 8-6 OT; 171 – Ethan Blythe, Lewistown, pinned Lane Martin, Big Sandy, 1:34; 189 – Austin Burshia, Poplar, dec. Greg Hinojosa, Choteau, 5-2; 215 – Dillon Koffman, Helena Capital, dec. Roberto Smith, Great Falls, 4-3; HWT – Cody Nelson, Shelby, pinned Lane Urick, Great Falls, :54.

Havre Individual Matches

(All Rounds Not Available)

Championship First Round

125– Dylan Carpenter, pinned Matt Lesofski, Helena Capital, 2:55; 130–Thomas Gruber, pinned Matt Dowdle, Park, 1:56; 135–Gilbert Bara, pinned Josh Meyer, CMR JV, 1:08; 140– Gunnar Aageson, pinned by Drew Floerchinger, Cascade, :23; 145–Kody Pribyl, dec. Kyle Lawson, Ronan, 1-2; 152– Jordan Schroeder, pinned Anthony Wright, Flathead, 1:06; 160-JT Belcourt, pinned Drake Pruitt, Missoula Hellgate, 1:59; 171–Jake Williams, pinned Kyle Cannon, Laurel, 5:05; 189– Grant Pattison, pinned Caleb Mecham, Belt, 1:02; 215– Tyler Adams, pinned Devan Goode, Cascade, 1:29; 285– Dustin Odegard, pinned Craig Horn, Heart Butte, :30.

Championship second round

98–Keegan Kennely, pinned Blade Massey, Great Falls, 1:36; 105–Grayson Brenna, pinned Ryan Rowe, Missoula Big Sky, :49; 112–Dylan Stewart, pinned Chris Abrego, Helena, :51. 125 – Dylan Carpenter, pinned by Jace Berkram, Cut Bank 4:55; 130–Thomas Gruber, pinned Austin Olson, Dillon, :58; 135–Gilbert Bara, pinned Connor Benn, Ronan, 3:51; 145–Kody Pribyl, pinned Corey Counts, Belgrade, 2:78; 152–Jordan Schroeder, pinned Robert Jennings, Cut Bank, 1:33; 160 – JT Belcourt, lost dec. 4-11, Cody Henderson, Great Falls; 171–Jake Williams, pinned Noah Danielson, CMR JV, 1:23; 189–Grant Pattison, pinned AJ Robinson, Glacier, 1:02; 215–Tyler Adams, pinned Jordan Wanner, CMR, :40; Sam 285 – Dustin Odegard, pinned by Shalon Norick, C/J-I, 1:40.

Quarterfinals

98 –Keegan Kennely, pinned Jimmy Smith, Belt, 1:48; 105 – Grayson Brenna, pinned Eddy Day, Laurel, :46; 112 –Dylan Stewart, pinned Cole Snyder, Ronan, 1:47; 130 – Thomas Gruber, lost 6-5 dec. Travis Vermulm, Cut Bank; 135 –Gilbert Bara, pinned Mason Mavrinac, Anaconda, 5:09; 145 – Kody Pribyl, pinned by Ty Johnston, Bozeman, 3:59; 152 – Jordan Schroeder, lost 10-0 dec. Brandon Weber, Forsyth; 171 – Jake Williams, pinned by Dawson Day, Glacier, 1:07; 189 –Grant Pattison, pinned Greg Hinojosa, Choteau, 5:19; 215 –Tyler Adams, pinned Eli Hohn, Townsend, 3:06.

Championship Semifinals

98 –Keegan Kennely, dec. Jon Conklin, Missoula Big Sky, 15-7; 105 – Grayson Brenna, dec. Kale Evenson, Bozeman, 7-4; 112 –Dylan Stewart, tech. fall Jake Norby, Chinook, 15-0; 135 – Gilbert Bara lost 15-5 dec. Taylor French, Forsyth; 189 –Grant Pattison, dec. Colby Roberts, Ronan, 8-5; 215 – Tyler Adams, dec. Darby Maier, Missoula Big Sky, 4-3 OT.