Chris Peterson
Havre Daily News
cpeterson@havredailynews.com
The No.2-ranked Havre High wrestling team went down to Miles City this weekend to wrestle at the Cowboy Invitational and had a pretty solid performance. The Ponies earned a very respectable third-place finish when all was said and done.
Nine Pony wrestlers placed in the event, including four invidividual champions. The team finished 77 points behind the top-ranked Sidney Eagles. Sidney captured the team title, and the Ponies finished 14.5 points behind Gillette, Wyo., which finished second.
“I was tickled with the way the kids came out and competed this weekend,” HHS head coach Scott Filius said. “We had four kids finish first, one finish second, one finish third, two finish fourth and one finish fifth.
“I thought we would finish closer to Sidney,” he added. “But there is nothing we can really do about it. Hats off to them. They came out and they did a really good job.”
One of the highlights of the weekend for the Ponies was freshman Ryan Shelstad. He captured his first individual title when he defeated Levi Johnson of Sidney by a 3-1 decision in the 98-pound weight class.
“Ryan had a good weekend. It was his first individual title and he did a real good job of competing,” Filius said.
Mike Hipple, who has yet to lose a match this year, won the 119-pound weight class with a 6-3 decision over defending state champion Brandon Uffelman of Hardin.
The Ponies' other two defending state champion wrestlers also earned individual titles this weekend. Matt Schnittgen won the heavyweight title with a defeat of Brian Hastig of Baker by a 16-6 decision. Junior Evan Hinebauch remained unbeaten on the season as he captured the 171-pound title, pinning Wyatt Williams of Broadus.
Cody Seely had another solid weekend as well, finishing fourth in the 215-pound weight class after losing to Nathan Beck of Baker in a 8-4 decision in the consolation final. Finishing fourth is especially impressive for Seely because he wrestles 15 to 20 pounds under his weight and still finds a way to be very competitive.
Junior Nathan Harada also continued his good wrestling of late. Harada finished fifth after he defeated James Ringer of Cody, Wyo., by a 4-2 decision in the 130-pound weight class.
“Cody Seely was really sharp this weekend and he competed well. And he does well for being undersized in his weight class,” Filius said. “Nathan has had two really good weeks in a row and he is doing a nice job for us.”
Freshman Myles Mazurkiewicz had another nice finish for the Ponies. He notched a solid third-place finish in the 105-pound weight class, pinning Easton Padden of Laurel in the consolation final.
Other Ponies who placed at the meet included Loren Mack, who finished fourth in the 112-pound weight class, and Beau LaSalle, who finished second in the 125-pound weight class. LaSalle's loss in the championship match was his first defeat of the season.
The Ponies did well to finish third in Miles City, particularly considering the three vacant spots in the lineup at 145 pounds, 152 pounds and 160 pounds.
“I probably left 15 points at home with the three vacant spots,” Filius said. “The kids are competing well right now and I am really proud of what the kids have accomplished. Every week we have five or six kids in the finals and we have been coming to the same tournaments and that is something that we haven't been able to do in the past.”
Week by week the Ponies continue to improve and develop and by the end of the season they figure to be a very dangerous team.
“This weekend we were able to improve in some of the areas we needed to improve and I'm pleased with the fact that we are getting better in those areas,” Filius said. “We didn't lose a match because of conditioning and we are doing a better job of getting out from the bottom. I am just really pleased with the kids and the way the kids are competing.”
Havre High will be back on the mat in Lewistown on Friday when the Ponies participate in the two-day Class A duals.
Cowboy Invitational
Team scores
Sidney 302.5, Gillette (Wyo.) 240, Havre 225.5, Glasgow 143, Des Lacs (N.D.) 105, Baker 100, Belle Fourche (S.D.) 99, Miles City 98, Bismarck (N.D.) Century 97.5, Powell (Wyo.) 90, Glendive 84.5, Laurel 80, Hettinger (N.D.) 77.5, Colstrip 71.5, Sheridan (Wyo.) 66, Cody (Wyo.) 62.5, Billings West 56, Broadus 50, Lewistown 46, Poplar 42.5, Hardin 41, Billings Central 31, Circle 11, Beach (N.D.) 11, Forsyth 9, Wolf Point 0, Lodge Grass (-) 1.
98
Championship - Ryan Shelstad, Havre, d. Levi Johnson, Sidney, 3-1.
Third-fourth - Ryan Moncur, Belle Fourche, p. P.J. Neary, West, 2:06.
Fifth-sixth - Cody Hilzendeger, Bismarck Century, p. Jacob Perlichek, 1:25.
105
Championship - Tyler Cox, Gillette, d. Kylan Zumpf, Miles City, 15-1.
Third-fourth - Myles Mazurkiewicz, Havre, p. Easton Padden, Laurel, 3:12.
Fifth-sixth - Quade Olsen, Colstrip won by default over Garrett Nelson, Sheridan.
112
Championship - Jesse Obergell, Sidney, d. Kellan Zietz, Des Lacs, 6-0.
Third-fourth - Allen Stuber, Gillette, d. Loren Mack, Havre, 3-0.
Fifth-sixth - Derick Singleton, Miles City, d. Cade King, Belle Fourche, 4-0.
119
Championship - Mike Hipple, Havre, d. Brandon Uffelman, Hardin, 6-3.
Third-fourth - Lance Kuylen, Sidney, d. Colton Cornwell, Baker, 12-8.
Fifth-sixth - Luke Boxrud, Hettinger, won by default over Brad Steele, Beach.
125
Championship - Joe Carlson, Glendive, d. Beau LaSalle, Havre, 5-3.
Third-fourth - Ty Moncur, Belle Fourche, d. Dallaen Madsen, Gillette, 7-3.
Fifth-sixth - Brent Sorenson, Sidney, won by default over Pat Schlosser, Hettinger.
130
Championship - Ryan Hecker, Sidney, d. Jeff Wood, Gillette, 5-2.
Third-fourth - Leo Pattison, Glasgow, p. Andrew Bettenhausen, Bismarck Century, :43.
Fifth-sixth - Nate Harada, Havre, d. James Ringler, Cody, 4-2.
135
Championship - Dustyn Eder, Poplar, d. William Bagley, Baker, 5-1.
Third-fourth - Craig Dunn, Sidney, d. Bo Leonard, Gillette, 3-2.
Fifth-sixth - Derek Lee, Bismarck Century, won by default over Casey Cook, Miles City.
140
Championship - Byron Kuylen, Sidney, p. Tate Ashton, Gillette, 1:11.
Third-fourth - Brooks Kmetz, Miles City d. Bill Olson, Laurel, 16-1.
Fifth-sixth - Daniel Valenzuela, Cody, p. Joe Shipp, Glasgow, 2:58.
145
Championship - Derek Fritz, Sidney, d. Brady Burgess, Gillette, 9-6.
Third-fourth - Brian Schultz, Belle Fourche, d. Cole Plouffe, Glasgow, 6-4.
Fifth-sixth - Witt Williams, Broadus, p. Curtis Eder, Poplar, 2:59.
152
Championship - Gresh Melby, Sidney, d. Trey Wassenburger, Gillette, 12-2.
Third-fourth - Mikah Kadera, Sheridan, d. Myles Kittleson, Glasgow, 6-3.
Fifth-sixth - Jake Dschaak, Belle Fourche, p. John Peterschick, Lewistown, 2:58.
160
Championship - Matt Dow, Glendive, d. Dan Collins, Sidney, 13-8.
Third-fourth - Eric Jacobs, Powell, d. Mitch McIntyre, Glasgow, 16-2.
Fifth-sixth - Robert Walters, Sheridan, d. Nate Webster, Billings Central, 11-9.
171
Championship - Evan Hinebauch, Havre, p. Wyatt Williams, Broadus, 3:21.
Third-fourth - Andy Anderson, Gillette, p. Chance Rauscher, Glasgow, 2:32.
Fifth-sixth - Tyler Mack, Laurel, d. Dennis Letka, Sidney, 4-0.
189
Championship - Wade Weppler, Des Lacs, d. Mak Jones, Powell, 11-4.
Third-fourth - Mitch Ritchey, Lewistown, p. Josh Ryan, Glendive, 4:43.
Fifth-sixth - Beau Melby, Sidney, p. Bobby Grinsell, Colstrip, 1:37.
215
Championship - Andy Jacobs, Powell, d. R.J. Boylan, Gillette, 9-4.
Third-fourth - Nathan Beck, Baker, d. Cody Seely, Havre, 8-4.
Fifth-sixth - Mike Webster, Central, p. Cody Williams, Sidney, 2:42.
Hwt
Championship - Matt Schnittgen, Havre, d. Brian Hastig, Baker, 16-6.
Third-fourth - Matt Johnson, Bismarck, Century, d. Trevor Getchell, Sidney, 8-1.
Fifth-sixth - Colton Hill, Glasgow, won by default over Derrick McMillan, Cody
