George Ferguson: Nothing really compares to the All-Class State Wrestling Tournament

When I say there’s nothing else like the All-Class State Wrestling Tournament in Billings, I really mean it. It’s not cliche’, it’s not an exaggeration and it’s not hyperbole.

At least, in the world of sports journalism, there really is nothing else like what’s about to go down in the First Interstate Bank Arena at the Metra in Billings Friday and Saturday, because it is one of the biggest and most exciting sporting events Montana puts on every single year for a variety of reasons.

At the top of those reasons for me is how much media coverage there is. It's easily the most attended sports media event of the year. Now, while it’s true that the annual Brawl of the Wild football game is arguably the Treasure State’s biggest sporting event, for sheer media coverage, state wrestling tops it.

The number of media requests the MHSA receives for state wrestling is well over 100, which is far more than even Cat-Griz games get. From television to print, to internet and even radio, the state wrestling tournament in Billings is a sports media extravaganza and it grows every single year.

And with the media spotlight shining bright on Billings, that only amplifies the intensity of the event for the wrestlers.

Yes, the pressure and the tension inside the Metra for state wrestling is palpable. You can feel it on the floor, you can see it on the wrestler’s faces. You can see it in the coach's eyes. It is, in a nutshell, intense.

It’s also intense because of the fans in the stands. When it comes to the fans, the crowds, there’s nothing else like state wrestling. That’s because, in one form or another, nearly every town in Montana that offers wrestling is represented, whether its 20-plus kids and huge throngs of fans from Flathead High in Kalispell, or a lone grappler and his parents from small Class C schools, state wrestling is just like the name says, it truly brings the state of Montana to Billings. Of course, the wrestling fans themselves are awesome, too, and they create an electric atmosphere in the Metra.

There’s also the traditions and the competition itself for the wrestlers. From weigh-ins, to the Parade of Athletes, the opening national anthem, the Parade of Champions on finals night to all of the matches themselves, for a high school wrestler in Montana, Friday and Saturday at the Metra will be unlike anything they’ve experienced before. It’s just an emotional, intense and wild two days.

Of course, there are plenty of great sporting events in Montana. The Cat-Griz game is way up there, state basketball tournaments, the Montana Pro Rodeo Finals, those are big ones, too. But, state wrestling is unique, it’s just different, and if you have never experienced it, I suggest going, because if you’re a sports fan, then you’ll love the All-Class State Tournament.