2023 State Wrestling Preview: Pony grapplers ready for the big stage

After several months of tournaments, duals and hard work, the Havre High wrestling teams will finally wrap up the season with the Class A State Wrestling Tournament at the Metra in Billings this weekend. As the Blue Ponies look to bring home a trophy, the expectations remain the same.

"We just want to go out, compete hard and get ourselves in the best position we can to be as successful as we can," HHS head coach Beau LaSalle.

The Ponies will compete against the best wrestlers in Class A from across the state of Montana. The Ponies will wrestle against tough schools from the west such as Columbia Falls and Frenchtown. But LaSalle believes their toughest competition will be Eastern A rivals such as Miles City, Laurel, Sidney, Lockwood and Lewistown.

The Ponies enter the tournament after finishing fifth at the Eastern A Divisional last weekend. Many wrestlers placed at that tournament and will look to take that momentum into this tournament.

Kale Van Campen finished first at the Eastern A Divisional wrestling in the 182-pound weight class. At last year's state tournament, he finished fifth in his bracket, so he will look to do better this year.

Matt Lemer heads to state after taking second at 113 pounds at divisionals. Lemer has been to the state tournament before, so the big stage should be nothing new for him. Reinhard Bold took second at 152 pounds at divisionals to qualify for state. He will look to improve on his fifth-place finish at last year's state tournament.

Tristian Stygles is coming off a third-place finish at 138 pounds at divisionals. He is another returning state placer for the Ponies as he finished fourth at last year's tournament. Tommy Lewis will be heading to his first state tournament after taking third at 285 pounds at divisionals.

Reed Mantle will head to state after taking fourth at 126 pounds at divisionals. This will also be his first appearance at the state tournament. Carson Harris finished sixth at 132 pounds at divisionals and will look to improve on his fifth-place finish from last year's state tournament.

Pierce Caplette placed sixth at 170 pounds at divisionals to qualify for state. He is another returning state placer for the Ponies after taking sixth at last year's state tournament. Teegan Solomon will head to his first state tournament after a seventh-place finish at 113 pounds at divisionals.

Colter Solomon will head to state once again after finishing seventh at 126 pounds at divisionals. Landen Caplette took eighth at 160 pounds at divisionals to qualify for the state tournament again. Mason Wilting will head to his first state tournament after taking eighth at 205 pounds at divisionals.

The HHS girls wrestling team will head to state after finishing second at the Eastern A Divisional. Aliyah Stiffarm heads to state after taking first at 235 pounds at divisionals. She returns to state after finishing fourth at last year's tournament.

Clara Laird and Maleigha Azure will both head to state once again for the Ponies. Laird qualified after taking first at 185 pounds at divisionals and Azure made it after finishing first at 126 pounds at the Eastern A. After taking first at 145 pounds at divisionals, Aubree Erickson will head to her first state tournament.

The state tournaments will be held at the Metra in Billings, one of the most exciting sports venues in the Treasure State. While such a big stage might be overwhelming for young athletes, LaSalle is confident that the Ponies will be ready for it.

"We're younger but we've got a lot of kids with state tournament experience," LaSalle said. "Even the ones that haven't wrestled there, they've all wrestled in the Metra growing up so I think they're ready for the atmosphere and are just excited to go out and get after it."

The HHS wrestling teams will begin the Class A State Tournament at the Metra in Billings this Friday. The first matches should get going around 10 a.m.