Heavy hearts - heavy hardware - state champions

BILLINGS - Jesse Dannels was all over the Rimrock Auto Arena at the Metra in Billings this weekend. He was honored by pictures, sayings, T-shirts and armbands. But, the way in which he was honored most profoundly, was by the performance of his teammates.

Stricken with grief and saddened by loss, the Chinook Sugarbeeters showed incredible fortitude this past weekend, as all five of their wrestlers placed fifth or better en route to a second consecutive Class C state championship. The Beeters finished with 100 points compared to 47 for Charlo, which ended up in second.

Tate Niedgeregger and Kenny Pruttis each took home individual titles for the Beeters, while Jake Norby finished third, Kevin Young was fourth and Derek Bell was fifth in their respective weight-classes.

"I am just so proud of these kids," Chinook head coach Perry Miller said. "When we left home, our goals had not changed, but honest to god, we achieved more than we could have ever imagined."

Niederegger was expected to bring home a second individual title after not losing all year and he did that with ease. Meanwhile, Pruttis, who was always viewed as a contender at 170 pounds, put together the best two days of his career as he captured his first individual title during his senior season.

"It feels amazing," Pruttis said. "I don't even know how to describe it right now."

While Chinook rolled to the Class C title, the Havre Blue Ponies were doing the same thing in the ranks of Class A and by the time the semifinals had concluded, Havre High School had seven in the finals and the team title well in hand. Havre finished with 213 points, well ahead of second-place Polson and third-place Hardin.

"This was a great group of kids," HHS head coach Scott Filius said. "They worked really hard this year and they are fun to be around. They are a fun group to be associated with."

When finals night was over for Havre, Martin Wilkie, Parker Filius, Jase Stokes, Tyler Schaub and Travis Adams would all be crowned individuals champions, while Logan Pleninger and Kody Pribyl each managed to finish second.

The team championship was the fourth consecutive for the Ponies, which ties a school record. Havre also worked its way into the record books by claiming five individual champions, which is also tied for the most in school history.

Havre also has two wrestlers, Parker Filius and Stokes, who each won their third consecutive individual title, which will give them both a chance at becoming the first four-time state champion in the history of Pony wrestling.

"It's cool," Parker Filius said. "It's been a goal of mine for a long time, and it is something that is very important to me."

And while two Hi-Line teams were winning gold in Billings, another was doing the same in Great Falls. The Havre High girls swim team captured the 2016 Class A state championship, scoring 67 points Saturday at the Swarthout Pool in Great Falls.

The Blue Pony swim team was composed of Aubri McCann, Alara Vogel, Lita Cammon, Jackie Martin, Amelia Miller, Hannah Lunak, Hailee Kilgore and Ally Padgett, as well as head coach Jill Cammon, who guided the Ponies to their first state title in five seasons.

"We were all so excited," Vogel said. "Tears of joy. It was amazing to leave with that first-place trophy on our bus."

And the buses were certainly heavy as three state championship trophies came home to the Hi-Line Saturday night. For full coverage of all the weekend's sporting events, see this sites sports pages.