Havre, Hi-Line girls part of wrestling history

History was made this past weekend as Montana held its first state girls wrestling tournament at Lockwood High School in Billings. From across the state, 148 girls from 47 schools competed, including four girl wrestlers from Havre High School. The Ponies finished in 18th place with 33 points.

Havre head coach Beau LaSalle did not know what to expect from the inaugural tournament but he was impressed by the event’s energy.

“It was good to be in a tournament and there was a lot of energy with all the girls and all the fans that were there,” LaSalle said.

Brooke Nelson competed in the 126-pound weight class for the Blue Ponies. Nelson’ highlight came in the third round of the consolation bracket as she won by a major decision over Allie Murphy from Belgrade.

Maleigha Fuzesy also competed for the Ponies in the 126 class. In the third round of the consolation bracket, Fuzesy won by a decision over Maya Smith from Glacier (Kalispell).

Clara Laird got the farthest in the championship bracket for the Ponies as she competed in the 170 class. In the first round of the championship bracket, Laird won by a fall over Trisity Deason of Miles City. After losing in the championship bracket, Laird went to the second round of the consolation bracket where she won by a fall over Delanie Schultz from Glacier (Kalispell).

Aaliyah Stiffarm had the most success for the Ponies as she finished third in the 205 class. In the second round of consolations, she won by a fall against Keaghan Krebs from Glacier (Kalispell). In round three, she won by a fall over Haylee Fetters from Cut Bank.

In her last two matches of the tournament, Stiffarm also won by falls. In the consolation semifinals, she won over Lucille Libby from Flathead and in the consolation final, she won by a fall over Skye Smith from Cascade.

“She pinned her way back to third one match at a time and capitalized on opportunities when they were there,” LaSalle said.

Havre was not the only school from the Hi-Line represented at the tournament as Chinook and Harlem made it as well. As a team, Chinook finished the tournament in 13th place with 44 points and Harlem finished 31st with 18 points.

Chinook senior Rebecca Stroh finished second in the 113 class. In her first match, she won by a fall over Madyson Gilbert from Glacier (Kalispell). She then won by fall against Cierra Norton from Circle. In the quarterfinal, she won by fall over Aydin Gonzalez from Butte. In the semifinal against Ruste Torres from Billings Skyview, she also won by a fall.

Ryley Hofeldt took fourth place at 132 for Chinook. In the first round of the championship bracket, Hofeldt won by decision over Emma Gambino from Flathead. In the quarterfinal, she won by fall over Lily Conover from Flathead. In the consolation semifinal against Ryleigh Warner from Anaconda, Hofeldt again won by a fall.

The most successful Harlem wrestler for the tournament was Amilia Blackcrow, who placed fourth in the 145 weight class. In the championship bracket, she won by falls over McKenna McCarthy from Glacier (Kalispell) and Sadie Grove from Choteau. In the consolation semifinal, she faced McCarthy again and won by a fall.

The tournament concluded the first season of girls wrestling as an official sport in Montana, and LaSalle believes the sport will continue to grow across the state.

“It’s going to be something that grows, and I think it’s going to grow quickly now that we’ve had it, now that we’ve gone through the first official season,” LaSalle said. “I think it’s something that’s going to be on the rise and there seems to be a lot of interest with the younger age groups.”

Now that LaSalle and his wrestlers know how tough their competition from around the state is, he hopes that it motivates his team to improve and build up the girls wrestling program at Havre.

“We know what to expect and we know what’s out there. It just gives us another avenue to set goals and build the program,” LaSalle said.

Havre (18th 33 pts)

126 Brooke Nelson

Champ. Round 1 - Brooke Nelson (Havre) 5-7 received a bye () (Bye) Champ. Round 2 - Jacey Gorder (Baker) 11-5 won by fall over Brooke Nelson (Havre) 5-7 (Fall 1:54) Cons. Round 2 - Brooke Nelson (Havre) 5-7 received a bye () (Bye) Cons. Round 3 - Brooke Nelson (Havre) 5-7 won by major decision over Allie Murphy (Belgrade) 1-5 (MD 13-4) Cons. Round 4 - Evija Cagle (Billings Skyview) 9-5 won by fall over Brooke Nelson (Havre) 5-7 (Fall 2:16).

126 - Maleigha Fuzesy

Champ. Round 1 - Maleigha Fuzesy (Havre) 6-9 received a bye () (Bye) Champ. Round 2 - Evija Cagle (Billings Skyview) 9-5 won by fall over Maleigha Fuzesy (Havre) 6-9 (Fall 3:11) Cons. Round 2 - Maleigha Fuzesy (Havre) 6-9 received a bye () (Bye) Cons. Round 3 - Maleigha Fuzesy (Havre) 6-9 won by decision over Maya Smith (Glacier (Kalispell)) 4-7 (Dec 7-6) Cons. Round 4 - Jacey Gorder (Baker) 11-5 won by fall over Maleigha Fuzesy (Havre) 6-9 (Fall 3:13)

170 - Clara Laird

Champ. Round 1 - Clara Laird (Havre) 6-7 won by fall over Trisity Deason (Custer Co. (Miles City)) 5-2 (Fall 4:26) Quarterfinal - Sophia Dulin (Baker) 4-0 won by decision over Clara Laird (Havre) 6-7 (Dec 9-3) Cons. Round 2 - Clara Laird (Havre) 6-7 won by fall over Delanie Schultz (Glacier (Kalispell)) 0-4 (Fall 0:56) Cons. Round 3 - Juna Ashby (Frenchtown) 8-3 won by fall over Clara Laird (Havre) 6-7 (Fall 2:56)

205 - Aaliyah Stiffarm (3rd Place)

Champ. Round 1 - Jenavieve Lynch (Bozeman) 4-3 won by fall over Aaliyah Stiffarm (Havre) 6-4 (Fall 3:58) Cons. Round 1 - Aaliyah Stiffarm (Havre) 6-4 received a bye () (Bye) Cons. Round 2 - Aaliyah Stiffarm (Havre) 6-4 won by fall over Keaghan Krebs (Glacier (Kalispell)) 0-3 (Fall 1:14) Cons. Round 3 - Aaliyah Stiffarm (Havre) 6-4 won by fall over Haylee Fetters (Cut Bank) 4-3 (Fall 2:06) Cons. Semi - Aaliyah Stiffarm (Havre) 6-4 won by fall over Lucille Libby (Flathead) 6-5 (Fall 1:44) 3rd Place Match - Aaliyah Stiffarm (Havre) 6-4 won by fall over Skye Smith (Cascade) 10-6 (Fall 1:52).

Chinook (13th, 44 pts)

113 - Rebecca Stroh (2nd Place)

Champ. Round 1 - Rebecca Stroh (Chinook) 20-5 won by fall over Madyson Gilbert (Glacier (Kalispell)) 0-11 (Fall 2:00) Champ. Round 2 - Rebecca Stroh (Chinook) 20-5 won by fall over Cierra Norton (Circle) 2-21 (Fall 0:47) Quarterfinal - Rebecca Stroh (Chinook) 20-5 won by fall over Aydin Gonzalez (Butte) 7-7 (Fall 1:27) Semifinal - Rebecca Stroh (Chinook) 20-5 won by fall over Ruste Torres (Billings Skyview) 10-3 (Fall 3:02) 1st Place Match - Jazmin Gorder (Poplar) 16-3 won by fall over Rebecca Stroh (Chinook) 20-5 (Fall 3:08).

132 - Ryley Hofeldt (4th Place)

Champ. Round 1 - Ryley Hofeldt (Chinook) 9-10 won by decision over Emma Gambino (Flathead) 8-3 (Dec 6-2) Quarterfinal - Ryley Hofeldt (Chinook) 9-10 won by fall over Lily Conover (Flathead) 9-3 (Fall 3:20) Semifinal - Skylar Connelly (Valier) 12-3 won by fall over Ryley Hofeldt (Chinook) 9-10 (Fall 0:15) Cons. Semi - Ryley Hofeldt (Chinook) 9-10 won by fall over Ryleigh Warner (Anaconda) 4-7 (Fall 2:21) 3rd Place Match - Paige Gershmel (Billings Senior High School) 13-3 won by fall over Ryley Hofeldt (Chinook) 9-10 (Fall 0:26).

Harlem (31st 18 pts)

126 - Kaitlyn Johnson

Champ. Round 1 - Cheyenne D`aigneau (Billings Senior High School) 11-4 won by fall over Kaitlyn Johnson (Harlem) 3-9 (Fall 1:11) Cons. Round 2 - Bella Arriaga (Flathead) 11-3 won by fall over Kaitlyn Johnson (Harlem) 3-9 (Fall 2:00).

145 - Amilia Blackcrow (4th Place)

Champ. Round 1 - Amilia Blackcrow (Harlem) 5-3 won by fall over Mckenna Mccarthy (Glacier (Kalispell)) 4-4 (Fall 2:41) Quarterfinal - Amilia Blackcrow (Harlem) 5-3 won by fall over Sadie Grove (Choteau) 14-8 (Fall 2:45) Semifinal - Aleeyah Derlatka (Flathead) 10-2 won by fall over Amilia Blackcrow (Harlem) 5-3 (Fall 1:34) Cons. Semi - Amilia Blackcrow (Harlem) 5-3 won by fall over Mckenna Mccarthy (Glacier (Kalispell)) 4-4 (Fall 0:42) 3rd Place Match - Gracy Jones (Billings Senior High School) 7-4 won by decision over Amilia Blackcrow (Harlem) 5-3 (Dec 13-10).

152 - Tia Kuntz

Champ. Round 1 - Lindsey Faldzinski (Cascade) 12-6 won by fall over Tia Kuntz (Harlem) 0-5 (Fall 0:44) Cons. Round 2 - Anna Stutz (Choteau) 18-5 won by fall over Tia Kuntz (Harlem) 0-5 (Fall 1:38).

170 - Kaaliya Schmitt

Champ. Round 1 - Chi Gushi (Belgrade) 5-5 won by fall over Kaaliya Schmitt (Harlem) 2-4 (Fall 0:34); Cons. Round 1 - Juna Ashby (Frenchtown) 8-3 won by fall over Kaaliya Schmitt (Harlem) 2-4 (Fall 0:37)

170 - Savanna Buckman

Champ. Round 1 - Trinity Karls (Billings Senior High School) 3-8 won by fall over Savanna Buckman (Harlem) 0-5 (Fall 2:35); Cons. Round 2 - Chi Gushi (Belgrade) 5-5 won by fall over Savanna Buckman (Harlem) 0-5 (Fall 0:30).