Wrestlers headed to state tourney
By DAVID ERICKSON
Whitefish Pilot
Half a dozen Bulldogs will be on the road this weekend for the state Class A wrestling tournament in Billings.
Representing Whitefish will be Zach Berger (112 pounds), Jonathan Reimer (119), Dalton Rice (130), Tanner Benedict (145), Kaleb Prestegaard (152) and Derek Crittenden (215).
The six young men will compete Friday and Saturday in a 16-man bracket in their weight class.
To earn the trip to state, each wrestler placed in the top four in his weight class at the Northwest Class A divisional tournament on Saturday in Libby, which was no easy task.
The divisional tournament featured some hard-fought, often bloody battles as each wrestler struggled to keep his season alive.
Prestegaard won a decision over Libby’s Kyle Sweedman while blood poured out of the nose of the Logger grappler.
“That was pretty bad,” head coach Ryan Hoffman said. “We had to wrestle well at divisionals and nobody backed down. They fought to the end. It was good to see everybody wrestle hard.”
Hoffman said he was pleased to have six guys make it to state, the same number as last year. Reimer, a sophomore, will be the youngest Bulldog on the team.
“Having Zach (Berger) and Jon (Reimer) in the finals was really nice to see,” Hoffman said. “Dalton Rice came through and made it, and obvously having Derek Crittenden get in was good.”
Jacob Washer (189) and Geoff Streeter (171) just barely missed the cut to go to state, placing fifth and sixth respectively in their weight classes.
Benedict and Prestegaard will be the two to watch at state, as both wrestled well last year in the tournament.
Northwestern Class A divisional
Teams: Ronan 192 1/2, Polson 180, Libby 166, Columbia Falls 150 1/2, Whitefish 63.
Championship: 112 — Nick Howell, P, pinned Zach Berger, W, 2:16; 119 — Dilan Starkel, R, pinned Jonathan Reimer, W, 0:52; 145 — Mick Cheff, R, dec. Tanner Benedict, W, 12-0; 152 — Kyle Sweedman, L, dec. Kaleb Prestegaard, W, 6-3.
Third/Fourth: 130 — Tate Wilson, L, dec. Dalton Rice, W, 2-0; 215 — Josiah Clairmont, P, won by default over Derek Crittenden, W.
Fifth-place finishers: 189 — Jacob Washer, W.
Sixth-place finishers: 140 — Chris Cote, P; 160 — Geoff Streeter, W.