Ponies tangle with Rustlers on the mat

Last weekend, the Havre High wrestling team proved once again that it's a force and a favorite in the Class A. Now, after a short turnaround, the Blue Ponies will match up against an up-and-coming Class AA program.

The Class AA CMR Rustlers house a lot of talented wrestlers, but they're still young. They have improved as a program a lot in recent years, and continue to take positive strides. But with both programs wrestling almost non stop since the start of the season, a Tuesday dual is making coaches tired just thinking about it.

CMR and Havre will face off tonight at the Havre High gymnasium in Havre at 5.

"We are beat up and tired," Havre High head coach Scott Filius said. "They are beat up and tired, and we are both going to leave even more beat up and tired. But we should be fine, and we know that program is getting better. We could both probably use the rest and practice, but we are going to hook it up because that is just what we do."

The Ponies should come away with the win tonight. Havre is much deeper than the Rustlers, and still maintains their position as one of the top prep programs in the state, in any class.

CMR, coached by former Blue Pony and Northern standout Aaron Jensen, has just two seniors this season, but does have some very talented grapplers near the middle of the lineup. Riley Wavra (112), Tanner Grubb (130), and Jarod Dickson (145) should test the Ponies the most tonight, but HHS knows they still have to wrestle well overall. The Ponies run into the Rustlers every year, including the off season, so while CMR is down, they are not going to roll over for the Ponies.

"I would like to see our kids stay sharp and wrestle well on the edge," Filius said. "I would also like them to show their conditioning and win the close ones. It is the same stuff we have been looking for all year long, but now we just need to make sure we get it done in our own gym."

The Ponies were finally back at full strength last weekend, and should face CMR the same way. Keegan Kennelly (98), Logan Pleninger (105), Grayson Brenna (112), Dylan Stewart (119), Thomas Gruber (130), Gilbert Bara (135), Kody Pribyl (140), Gunnar Aageson (145), Jordan Schroeder (152), JT Belcourt (160), Jake Williams (171), Grant Pattison (189), Tyler Adams (215) and Dustin Odegard (HWT) will all take the mat tonight for the Ponies.

The Ponies and CMR will face off tonight at the Havre High gymnasium at 5.HHS is also home to to dual Conrad on Friday night.