Bulldogs drop Wildcats, Blue Hawks at home
The Bulldogs capped off the regular season with two wins and a loss at their home invite on Friday.
The team beat Thompson Falls 46-18 and Columbia Falls 48-30, but fell to Polson 57-18.
Dean Kellogg (120) and Robert Bertelsen (160) both won by pins against the Wildcats.
Nathan Sproul (103), Dakota Flannery (138) and Bertelsen also pinned their opponents in the matchup with Polson.
Head coach Ryan Boyle said the invite was a good way to get the team ready for the postseason.
“We got matches and that’s what we’re looking for at the end of the year. We got some good competitive matches out of it,” he said.
Boyle pointed to Kellogg, Bertelsen, Flannery and Sproul for strong performances as well.
“They were super focused on going out and proving themselves at the end of the year and putting the finishing touches on the end of the season,” he said. “They really went after it in those matches.”
Now it’s on to divisionals for the Bulldogs.
The Western A Divisional Tournament will start on Saturday at 9 a.m. in Butte.
After solid improvement throughout the regular season, Boyle said he’s hoping to see his wrestlers put it all together and make a run.
“We’ve stopped showing them new stuff a long time ago, and we’re just trying to get better at the stuff we do,” he said. “Practices are more focused, we’re really trying to look at what we do well and work on what we don’t do well, but really focus on what we can do to win those matches.”
His team returns four wrestlers who made it to the state tournament — Sproul, Kellogg, Flannery and Bertelsen — along with a slew of underclassmen wrestling in the postseason for the first time.
“I think the kids are ready, but I hope they don’t get too nervous about being in the divisional tournament,” he said. “We have eight freshmen, and I think all but two will be wrestling in the divisional tournament, so they’re going to be nervous. They can wrestle pretty well, but they just need the confidence. If they can go out and compete as hard and they can and leave the nerves here in Whitefish, everything is going to work out.”
Whitefish 46, Thompson Falls 18
103 — Nathan Sproul, W, won by forfeit; 113: Tray Thilmony, TF, pinned Jackson Carson, 5:25; 120 — Dean Kellogg, W, won by forfeit; 126 — Shane Reishus, TF, pinned Noah Cooke, 2:28; 132: Jack Akey, W, won by forfeit; 138 — Dakota Flannery, W, won by forfeit; 145 — Carlitos Bertelsen, W, maj. dec. Lucas Andersen, 9-0; 152 — Camren Ross, W, won by forfeit; 160 — Robert Bertelsen, W, won by forfeit; 170 — Double forfeit; 182 — Double forfeit 205 — Dakota Ervine, TF, pinned Ashton Akey, 1:49; 285 — Brian Sweeney, W, won by forfeit.
Whitefish 48, Columbia Falls 30
103 — Nathan Sproul, W, won by forfeit; 113 — Jackson Carson, W, won by forfeit; 120 — Dean Kellogg, W, pinned Colten Hogan, 1:33; 126 — Noah Cooke, W, won by forfeit; 132: Thomas Peters, CF, pinned Jack Akey, 1:02; 138 — Dakota Flannery, W, won by forfeit; 145 — Issac Balla, CF, pinned Carlitos Bertelsen, 4:53; 152 — Camren Ross, W, won by forfeit; 160 — Robert Bertelsen, W, pinned Jordan Knapton, 1:15; 170 — Lucas Thacker, CF, won by forfeit; 182 — DeeJay Laycock, CF, won by forfeit; 205 — Ashton Akey, W, won by forfeit; 285 — Taylor Gladeau, CF, pinned Brian Sweeney, 1:03.
Polson 57, Whitefish 18
103 — Nathan Sproul, W, pinned Gavin Knutson, 1:10; 113 — Rene Pierre, P, pinned Jackson Carson, 3:03; 120 — Kedrick Baker, P, dec. Dean Kellogg, 8-5; 126 — Maysn Cowell, P, pinned Noah Cooke, 1:32; 132 — Jarod Farrier, P, pinned Jack Akey, 1:16; 138 — Dakota Flannery, W, pinned Dugan Davis, 1:58; 145 — Caleb Pierre, P, pinned Carlitos Bertelsen, 1:10; 152 — Bridger Wenzel, P, pinned Camren Ross, 3:30; 160 — Robert Bertelsen, W, pinned Kaleb Unger, 3:08; 170 — Hunter Fritsch, P, won by forfeit; 182 — Hunter Pittsley, P, won by forfeit; 205 — Aaron O`Roake, P, pinned Ashton Akey, :05; 285 — Jasper Drake, P, pinned Brian Sweeney, :27.