Three grapplers go 6-0 on the weekend

Three Columbia Falls wrestlers went undefeated and the team took third last weekend at the Western Montana Duals tournament held in Ronan.

Kelly Houle, 215, Joe Gross, 160 and Justin Whitman, 119 all went 6-0 in the tourney, which pitted teams against teams in dual action, rather than individuals wrestling their way through a bracket.

The Cats dropped the Glacier JV team to take third, 39-36.

Coach Jessie Schaeffer said it was a fun weekend, with JV wrestlers getting plenty of matches as well — JV wrestled in between duals.

“The team wrestled well,” he said. “We were in a good pool … Every kid left with a win. It’s fun to see them coming together as a team.”

On Tuesday the Cats gave No. 3 Ronan all they could handle, but fell just short, 43-41, in a dual away.

Adam Richardson, 125, Jarrett Smith, 145, and Houle had pins. Also getting wins for the Cats were Seth McCall, 98, who beat Lukas Conklin, 10-8, and Sal Baccacaro , 112, won by major decision over Andrew Tiegan, 13-4.

The real test for the Cats’ top wrestlers comes this weekend at the Rocky Mountain Classic in Missoula.

Schaeffer said Houle’s goal is to get to the finals.

“He’ll have his hands full,” the coach admitted.

The tournament draws wrestlers from across the Northwest, including Idaho and Washington. School classes go out the window in this tourney.

It’s wrestler against wrestler. Taking home a championship at Jug Beck is, in many respects, tougher than a state title. Last year Houle took third at 189.

As a side note, sign-ups for Little Guy wrestling are at the home dual Jan. 21 from 6 to 9 p.m. in the foyer. Little Guy wrestling is for athletes from elementary school through junior high.

Third-fourth place match,

Ronan Tourney

Columbia Falls 39, Glacier JV 36

98-A. Mitchell (Glacier JV) pin S. McCall (Columbia Falls) 1:18; 105- C. Knopp (Glacier JV), forfeit; 112- S. Bacarro (Columbia Falls) dec. Z. Barber (Glacier JV) 8-6; 119- J. Whitman (Columbia Falls) dec. J. Barber (Glacier JV) 6-1; 125- A. Richardson (Columbia Falls) pin R. Angcon (Glacier JV) 1:45; 130- N. Lavicoli (Glacier JV) dec. K. Thompson (Columbia Falls) 6-5; 135- C. Hader (Columbia Falls), forfeit; 140- B. Moseman (Columbia Falls), forfeit; 145- B. Bagley (Glacier JV) dec. J. Smith (Columbia Falls) 13-12; 152- L. Cummings (Glacier JV) pin B. Gross (Columbia Falls) 1:54; 160- J. Gross (Columbia Falls) pin L. Armstrong (Glacier JV) 5:53; 171-A. Howland (Columbia Falls) dec. A. Mitchell (Glacier JV) 8-6; 189- R. Martin (Glacier JV) pin J. Babcock (Columbia Falls) 3:12; 215- K. Houle (Columbia Falls) pin M. Sutherland (Glacier JV) 1:52; 285- J. Horn (Glacier JV), forfeit.