Mat Cats fall just short of Class AA Glacier

Kelly Houle, Justin Whitman, Jarrett Smith and Sal Baccaro wrestled to wins for Columbia Falls during a 47-30 loss to Class AA Glacier on Saturday in Kalispell.

The Mat Cats built an early 21-0 lead, taking the first four weight classes. Baccaro (98 pounds) won by a second-period fall. Whitman (105) took a 4-3 decision over Zach Barber, getting an early lead and holding on for the win.

Adam Richardson (112) and Brady Richardson (119) both picked up forfeit wins for the Mat Cats, but Glacier won the next four matches to get within 21-20.

Jarrett Smith (145) won a 9-4 decision over Braydon Bagley for a four-point Mat Cat lead, but the Wolfpack took five of the last six matches to claim the team victory.

“We’re just not firing on all cylinders now,” CFHS head coach Jessie Schaeffer said. “Some of the kids were flat, content. We did have some good individual efforts.”

The only win for the Mat Cats in the last six matches came from Houle (189). The undefeated junior pinned Randy Martin with three seconds left in the first period to improve his record to 17-0.

“He dominated his match,” Schaeffer said. “He did all the little things right.”

Kodie Kenfield (215) led John Frandsen 2-1, but Frandsen scored five points in the final 20 seconds for a 6-2 decision.

“He got sloppy on top,” Schaeffer said, “but he wrestled solid all the way through.”

Mat Cat heavyweight Cody Bartos suffered what could be a season-ending knee injury in the final match of the evening. Schaeffer said Bartos caught a foot in the mat and could have torn his medial collateral ligament (MCL).

In junior varsity action against Glacier, the Mat Cats won six matches by fall and gave up only two pins.

“The JV kids did an outstanding job for us,” Schaeffer said. “They went out and wrestled hard.”

The Mat Cats compete in a dual tournament Friday and Saturday in Ronan. They will have six or seven duals in the new tourney.

Glacier 47, Columbia Falls 30

98 — Sal Baccaro, CF, pinned Christian Knopp, 2:50. 105 — Justin Whitman, CF, dec. Zach Barber, 4-3. 112 — Adam Richardson, CF, forfeit win. 119 — Brady Richardson, CF, forfeit win. 125 — Cooper Sipe, G, dec. Travis Pete, 6-2. 130 — Shane St. Onge, G, pinned Virgil Matt, 1:04. 135 — Jordan Nelson, G., forfeit win. 140 — Riley Pisk, G, tech fall Russell Plevel, 18-2. 145 — Jarrett Smith, CF, dec. Braydon Bagley, 9-4. 152 — Larry Francis, G, pinned Joe Gross, :53. 160 — Tanner Woodland, G, pinned Will Joubert, 1:13. 171 — Clayton Hamilton, G, forfeit win. 189 — Kelly Houle, CF, pinned Randy Martin, 1:57. 215 — John Frandsen, G, dec. Kodie Kenfield, 6-2. 285 — Joel Horn, G, win by injury default over Cody Bartos.