By Tiffany L. Rehbein
Havre Blue Pony senior Willie Hulett, the No. 1-ranked grappler in the state at 171 pounds, gets to watch from the sidelines this weekend.
Havre hosts Glasgow in a dual meet tonight at the high school gymnasium, beginning at 6 p.m., and junior Jordan Anderson will wrestle in Hulett's place. He is out with a shoulder injury.
Last weekend at Butte, after pinning a Billings Skyview grappler in :50, Hulett went on to be pinned in 3:00 by a Bozeman wrestler. He forfeited the next match, and Garrett Hanson filled the spot in the consolation match.
"Willie is tough right now, so we will miss him," head coach Scott Filius said.
At the dual, Glasgow will be open at 160, 171, and 189 pounds.
"They've got a really good, young team," Filius said. "We could have our hands full."
Sophomore Ryan Chagnon is ranked third in the state and second in the Central A at 98 pounds. He won a 17-2 technical fall in the consolation finals last weekend at Butte and will wrestle that weight Thursday.
Senior Nick Newell is ranked fifth in the state at 105 pounds, and will wrestle that weight Thursday. He is ranked first in the weight class in the Central A.
Junior Travis Velk (112), junior Chad Maney (125), junior Cody Hanson (140), junior C.J. Reichelt (189), and sophomore Cliff Springer (Hwt) will each get the call this weekend. Garrett Hanson, the sixth-ranked grappler in Montana, will go at 160 pounds.
Sophomore Chad Hedges is ranked fourth in the state and second in the Central A poll at 119 pounds. Hedges pinned his opponent in :39 in the consolation round last weekend.
Second-ranked junior Nick Holt will get the call at 130 pounds. He is the top-ranked wrestler in that weight class in the Central A.
Sophomore Jacob Szudera, who is ranked fourth in the state, will wrestle at 135 pounds. Szudera pinned his opponent last weekend.
Junior Aaron Jensen is ranked sixth at 145 pounds. He is ranked second in the Central A.
Sophomore K.P. Fisher, the top-ranked wrestler at 152 pounds in the Central A, is ranked third in the state. Fisher, who wrestled at 160 pounds last weekend, is behind Ryan Hagen of Sidney, who is ranked first.
Havre defeated Sidney 45-26 last weekend to claim third place at the Mining City Duals. Sidney's Hagen won by forfeit at 152 pounds, while Fisher won a 17-5 major decision at 160.
Against Glasgow, Filius would like to see some techniques fine tuned.
"In some of the newer kids, I would like to see them solidify the performances they had last weekend," Filius said.
Friday, the Ponies will head to Great Falls to participate in the CMR Holiday Classic, held at the C.M. Russell Fieldhouse.
"That is a huge tournament," Filius said. "It is about as good as it gets."
The tournament, one of the toughest in the state, will host such greats as top Class A-ranked Columbia Falls and Ronan, and Class B Conrad.
"I would like to be able to go in and still compete for the title at the A and B level," Filius said.
The junior varsity will also wrestle at Great Falls both days. Any varsity member who does not qualify for the Saturday rounds, will wrestle at the Bison Fieldhouse, which is across town at Great Falls High.
"You would like to think we could get three to four kids to the finals," Filius said.
The action kicks off at 11 a.m. Friday.
By The Associated Press
Here are the results of the weekly prep poll of Montana high school wrestling teams. The ratings are determined by a vote of coaches in each class:
Class AA
1. Great Falls Russell
2. Great Falls
3. Butte
4. Billings Skyview
5. Bozeman
Class A
1. Columbia Falls
2. Ronan
3. Havre
4. Corvallis
5. Sidney
6. Dillon
7. Laurel
8. Whitefish
9. Browning
10. Hardin
