Wrestling second at Superior Invite
Whitefish wrestling continued its strong start to the season with a second-place finish at the Bob Kinney Invitational wrestling tournament on Saturday at Superior.
The Dogs were initially awarded first-place, but tournament organizers on Monday realized they miscalculated the final score, putting Thompson Falls in first with 144 points and Whitefish second with 141.
“That was a real kick in the pants,” Whitefish coach Ryan Boyle said about the scoring error. “But, still, our kids wrestled great.”
The team was led by individual winner Travis Catina at 205 pounds. Catina pinned Libby’s Clancy Gout at 1:18 for the win.
“Travis just ran through the competition,” Boyle said.
Runners-up finishers were Dillon Thorsteinson at 126 pounds and James Buckley at 138 pounds.
Placing third for Whitefish were Parker McWhirter at 113, Triston Knopp at 182 and heavyweight Steven Quimby.
Boyle says the team continued with its goal of constant improvement.
“We took another step forward,” he said. “They’re focused and everyone is working hard. We’ve got good synergy.”
Boyle says a few former Bulldog wrestlers have joined the program as assistant coaches, including Nick O’Dell, Brad Watterud and Kevin McDowell. Their presence in the wrestling room is paying off, he said.
“These guys are coming back and volunteering their time to make the program better,” Boyle said. “They’re bringing different angles and techniques — it’s working for us.”
Whitefish next wrestles Saturday at the Buzz Lucey in Eureka. They take on Polson and Libby next Tuesday before Christmas break.
“I just want to keep seeing improvement,” Boyle said. “Even if they’re not placing as high, I want them wrestling better against competition that is better.”
Bob Kinney Invitational
At Superior
Team standings – 1, Thompson Falls 144; 2. Whitefish 141; 3, Frenchtown 121; 4, Plains 97.5; 5, Cut Bank 94; 6, Browning 84; 7, Libby 80; 8, Superior 76.5; 9, Mission-Charlo 72; 10, Arlee 60.5; 11, Drummond-Philipsburg 24; 12, Kalispell Glacier JV 13.