Shorthanded Blue Ponies finish strong in the Mining City

After placing fifth at the season opening Havre Invitational, the Havre High wrestling team was prepared for one of the biggest competitions of the year, the Mining City Duals at the Butte Civic Center, which took place last Friday and Saturday.

The Blue Ponies had a rough first day, losing to Billings Senior 52-10, falling to Columbia Falls 39-35 and losing to Glacier 39-34. But, the second day went a lot better for Havre, who beat Missoula Sentinel 33-33 for criteria and won over Helena High 45-30.

HHS head coach Beau LaSalle was proud of his teams efforts throughout the weekend.

"We wrestled better our last dual Friday and our two on Saturday," said LaSalle. "We forfeited four weights, so we started in a big hole in each dual but improved every dual."

In the Billings Senior duals, there were quite a few wins, Riley Pleninger beat Daylan Forshee by a 7-4 decision, Cameron Pleninger won over Jayden Ramirez 10-2, and senior Connor Harris beat Coltin Bernhart 12-6.

In the Columbia Falls duals, there were some more wins from the Ponies. Mick Chagnon beat Justin Windauer 16-0, Riley Pleninger pinned Orion Barta, Hunter Velk won by forfeit, Cameron Pleninger pinned Ty Allen, Kendall Pleninger pinned Jaxon Hinze and Randy Tommerup pinned Trey Torpen.

Against Glacier, Havre collected some more wins. Riley Pleninger pinned Cody Frost, Cameron Pleninger pinned Bridger Beach, Kale VanCampen pinned Kyle McCollam, Wyatt Hanson pinned Vlad Voitav and Orion Thivierge won over Caden Gilmond 16-8.

Day one of the duals was very tough for the Ponies, but LaSalle was still glad to see some good fight in his team.

"We're young," said LaSalle. "We got a little beat up with injuries, but we're improving each match."

Day two was a series of wins for the Havre grapplers. Against Missoula Sentinel, the Ponies stayed neck and neck with the Spartans, but it was a decision by criteria that managed to give Havre the victory. Up against the Bengals, the Blue Ponies had five pins and multiple victories by decisions.

But, LaSalle had one wrestler that stood out in the Butte Civic Center over the weekend.

"I thought Kendall Pleninger had a great weekend," said LaSalle. "He had a lot of fire and wrestled well."

Havre's next meet will take place in Great Falls for the exciting CMR Holiday Classic this Friday and Saturday.

Mining City Duals

Friday

Billings Senior def. Havre 52-10

103: Holden Howe, Senior, by forfeit; 113: Jalen Vladic, Senior, dec. Mick Chagnon, 2-0; 120: Riley Pleninger, Havre, dec. Daylan Forshee, 7-4; 126: Cameron Pleninger, Havre, md. Jayden Ramirez, 10-2; 132: Matthew DeWitt, Senior, p. Dominic Perkins, 1:15; 138: Idren Peak, Senior, p. Kendall Pleninger, 1:25; 145: James Roan, Senior, md. Kale VanCampen, 11-0; 152: Connor Harris, Havre, dec. Coltin Bernhart, 12-6; 160: Isaiah Murch, Senior, p. Randy Tommerup, 0:35; 170: Thomas Klepps, Senior, p. Wyatt Hanson, 1:45; 182: Peyton Morton, Senior, by forfeit; 205: Sylas Dillon, Senior, by forfeit; 285: Noah Campbell, Senior, dec. Cole Adams (SV).

Columbia Falls def. Havre 39-35

103: Jerry Maldanado, Columbia Falls, by forfeit; 113: Michael Chagnon, Havre, tf. Justin Windauer, 16-0; 120: Riley Pleninger, Havre, p. Orion Barta, 0:51; 126: Hunter Velk, Havre, by forfeit; 132: Cameron Pleninger, Havre, p. Ty Allen, 1:22; 138: Kendall Pleninger, Havre, p. Jaxon Hinze, 1:47; 145: Isaiah Roth, Columbia Falls, dec. Kale VanKampen, 8-6 (SV); 152: Randy Tommerup, Havre, p. Trey Torpen, 5:26; 160: Lucas Thacker, Columbia Falls, p. Wyatt Hanson, 2:28; 170: Josh Bertram, Columbia Falls, by forfeit; 182: DJ Laycock, Columbia Falls, by forfeit; 205: Thomas Phelps, Columbia Falls, by forfeit; 285: Thomas Phelps, Columbia Falls, p. Cole Adams, 0:46.

Glacier def. Havre 39-34

103: Josh Melton, Glacier by forfeit; 113: Teegan Vasquez, Glacier p. Michael Chagnon 2:54; 120: Riley Pleninger, Havre p. Cody Frost 3:00; 126: Cameron Pleninger, Havre p. Bridger Beach 1:29; 132: Lance Fretwell, Glacier p. Dominic Perkins 3:33; 145: Kale VanCampen, Havre p. Kyle McCollam 5:34; 152: Royce Conklin, Glacier dec. Randy Tommerup 5-1; 160: Wyatt Hanson, Havre p. Vlad Voitav 1:55; 170: Orion Thivierge, Havre md. Caden Gilmond 16-8; 182: Skiler Hitt, Glacier by forfeit; 205: Alec Thomas, Glacier by forfeit; 285: Camryn Vergeront, Glacier p. Cole Adams 0:45.

Saturday

Havre 33, Missoula Sentinel 33

103: Kegan Crosby, Sentinel, by forfeit; 113: Mick Chagnon, Havre, by forfeit; 120: Hunter Velk, Havre, by forfeit; 126: Cameron Pleninger, Havre, p. Bryson Danzinger, 3:14; 132: Novik Thomas, Sentinel, p. Dominic Perkins, 1:31; 138: Kendall Pleninger, Havre, p. Jackson Bakken, 1:10; 145: Justin Kovalicky, Sentinel, dec. Kale VanCampen, 6-4; 152: Jesse Horner, Sentinel, p. Randy Tommerup, 2:59; 160: Orion Thivierge, Havre, p. Simon Kaldor, 1:09; 170: Wyatt Hanson, Havre, dec. Reece Thompson, 13-6; 182: Kris Musick, Sentinel, by forfeit; 205: Josh Gunter, Sentinel, by forfeit; 285: Ramsey Knowles, Sentinel, p. Cole Adams, 1:29.

Havre def. Helena High 45-30

103: Jason Mandy, Helena, by forfeit; 113: Mick Chagnon, Havre, p. Nathan Elmose, 0:28; 120: Riley Pleninger, Havre, p. JT Gehring, 2:14; 126: Cameron Pleninger, p. Ian Mehrens, 4:41; 132: Dominic Perkins, Havre, p. Westin LaPierre, 0:53; 138: Kendall Pleninger, Havre, dec. Camron Wyant, 5-2; 145: Kale VanCampen, Havre, by forfeit; 152: Randy Tommerup, Havre, by forfeit; 160: Justice Seamons, Helena, p. Wyatt Hanson, 1:31; 170: Orion Thivierge, Havre, p. Kaleb Kirlin, 1:50; 182: Kaleb McKay, Helena, by forfeit; 205: Sean O'Connell, Helena, by forfeit; 285: Ruger Young, Helena, p. Cole Adams, 1:20.