Wrestlers prepare for divisionals
Camren Ross wrestles against Braydon Stone of Columbia Falls during the Whitefish Duals on Friday at Whitefish High School. (Daniel McKay/Whitefish Pilot)
Jack Eisenbarth fights off Wildcat wrestler Nathan Hader during the Whitefish Duals on Friday at Whitefish High School. (Daniel McKay/Whitefish Pilot)
It’s now or never time for Whitefish wrestlers as they prepare for the Western A Divisional Tournament this week.
The tournament will be held at Columbia Falls High School on Friday and Saturday.
The Bulldogs are coming off some tune-up performances at their own Whitefish Duals on Friday.
As a team, Whitefish finished at the bottom with an 0-3 record. Eureka (2-0), Polson (2-0) and Browning (2-1) finished in places one through three for the meet.
Columbia Falls got the best of the Dogs in the first dual, winning 54-24.
Dean Kellogg (113), Jack Eisenbarth (145) and Robert Bertelsen (152) all won their matchups by pins.
“We wrestled Columbia Falls really well, I thought,” head coach Ryan Boyle said. “We were tied with them going into 116 pounds. We were so thin [in other weight classes], but it was competitive in the matches that we were in.”
Kellogg notched another win against Thompson Falls. Polson won their dual with the Dogs 63-6 and Thompson Falls 42-24.
Boyle said the duals were the end of a tough week of two-a-day practices, and while his team was a little drained from the conditioning, they’ll be in good shape heading into divisionals next week.
“We pushed it pretty hard that week, and as a team you could definitely tell. We just weren’t as active as we had been, and that’s OK, that’s what we’re going for. Our philosophy is work hard up to then, taper off and feel good going into divisionals,” he said.
“We’re a young team, we’re a little banged up ... but everybody that’s in there is working hard. They’re pushing each other, they’re having fun. They’re practicing hard and looking forward to what’s to come.”
Whitefish Duals
Team Results
Eureka 2-0, Polson 2-0, Browning 2-1, Thompson Falls 2-1, Columbia Falls 1-1, Glacier JV 1-1 Libby 1-2, Bigfork 0-2, Whitefish 0-3
Columbia Falls 54, Whitefish 24
103 — Jackson Carson, W, won by forfeit; 113 — Dean Kellogg, W, pinned Kevin Maldonado, 2:42; 120 — Austin Nelson, CF, pinned Nathan Buckley, 2:29; 126 — Thomas Peters, CF, pinned Leroy Orel, :19; 132 — Brandon Thomas, CF, won by forfeit; 138 — Easton Sempf, CF, pinned Max Grimes, :23; 145 — Jack Eisenbarth, W, pinned Nathan Hader, 3:34; 152 — Robert Bertelsen, W, pinned Isaac Balla, 2:19; 160 — Braydon Stone, CF, pinned Camren Ross, 2:59; 170 — Ben Windauer, CF, won by forfeit; 182 — Colten McPhee, CF, won by fofeit; 205 — Jakob Freeman, CF, won by forfeit; 285 — Kyler Koski, CF, won by forfeit
Polson 63, Whitefish 6
103 — Maysn Cowell, P, pinned Nathan Sproul, 1:31; 113 — RJ Pierre, P, dec. Dean Kellogg, 10-4; 120 — Mateo Quinones, P, pinned Leroy Orel, :17; 126 — Kedrick Baker, P, won by forfeit; 132 — Bridger Wenzel, won by forfeit; 138 — Dakota Flannery, W, pinned Jarrod Farrier, 1:32; 145 — Cameron Brown, P, pinned Jack Eisenbarth, 1:57; 152 — Parker Adler, P, pinned Robert Bertelsen, 3:05; 160 — Caleb Pierre, P, pinned Camren Ross, 2:34; 170 — Hunter Pittsley, P, won by forfeit; 182 — Justice Moore, P, won by forfeit; 205 — Jasper Drake, P, won by forfeit; 285 — Double Forfeit
Thompson Falls 42, Whitefish 24
103 — Roman Sparks, TF, pinned Nathan Sproul, :33; 113 — Dean Kellogg, W, pinned Garrett Jones, 3:15; 120 — Double forfeit; 126 — Leroy Orel, W, won by forfeit; 132 — Lucas Andersen, TF, won by forfeit; 138 — Dakota Flannery, W, won by forfeit; 145 — Jack Eisenbarth, W, won by forfeit; 152 — Peyton Irvine, TF, pinned Robert Bertelsen, 2:33; 160 — Sam Ostwald, TF, pinned Camren Ross, 1:17; 170 — Jase Sorenson, TF, won by forfeit; 182 — Dakota Irvine, TF, won by forfeit; 205 — Austin Cooper, TF, won by forfeit; 285 — Double forfeit