Whitefish wrestling has two divisional champions

The Whitefish Bulldogs delivered a strong performance at the MHSA A Western Divisional Wrestling Tournament in Browning over the weekend, with standout performances across multiple weight classes.

Leading the charge was Landree Aurand at 144 pounds, who dominated his bracket to capture the divisional championship. Other Bulldogs also made their mark, with Carter Olson (150 lbs.) finishing third, Logan Heyne (157 lbs.) securing sixth, and Sam Akey (HWT) earning fifth place.

On the girls side of things, Taylor Dorvall was a divisional champion at 130 pounds. She opened the tournament with a 24-second pin over Ronan’s Amani Antoine. In the quarterfinals, she won over Browning’s Margret Weatherwas via a technical fall score of 15-0. Dorvall then pinned Polson’s Skyla Nielsen in 50 seconds to reach the first-place match, where she won over injury default over Ronan’s Destiny Finley.

“I wouldn’t say I was surprised by any performance we came out and battled like I knew they could,” Whitefish Head Coach Tom Gaultier said. “Taylor Dorvall actually taking her first divisional tournament as well. And battling through some different injuries/mental blocks, and we are now talking five to state of the seven we took to divisionals.”

Whitefish’s Landree Aurand pinned his way to the finals and capped off his championship run with a tech fall victory in the title match. In the first round, Aurand wasted no time, pinning Loui Mohr (Polson) in just 27 seconds. He scored another quick victory against Kale Schaeffer of Columbia Falls, earning a fall in 1:03 in the quarterfinals. Aurand then battled Connor Benson (Libby/Troy), securing a pin at 5:18 to reach the finals. In the championship match, Aurand proved unstoppable, dominating Labraun Shooter (Browning) with a technical fall (20-3) at 5:43.

“Landree had a great tournament walking in and taking now his second divisional tournament and getting set up very nicely for state,” Gaultier said.

Another standout for the Bulldogs was Carter Olson (22-14), who navigated a tough 150-pound bracket to secure a third-place finish. In his first match, Olson edged out Ryatt Maley of Polson in a hard-fought 10-8 decision. He followed it up with a pin over Frenchtown’s David Brant. In the semifinals, Olson faced Boe Miles (Libby/Troy) but fell via pin at 2:55 but rebounded with a 2-1 decision in the consolation semifinals. In the third-place match, he capped off his tournament with an 11-8 decision victory over Browning’s Kas Whiteman.

Whitefish’s 157-pounder Logan Heyne had a promising tournament but was forced to medically forfeit his final two matches, finishing in sixth place. In the first round, Heyne started strong with a pin over Polson’s Gabriel Houston in 2:19. After falling in the quarterfinals, he scored a pin over Ronan’s Tobias Cantlon in 58 seconds and then scored a tech fall over Libby/Troy’s Tristen DeShazer 16-0. Heyne was forced to medically forfeit against Castin Borkholder (Corvallis) ,and another medical forfeit placed him in sixth.

In the heavyweight bracket, Sam Akey earned a fifth-place finish, scoring three pins. In the first round, Akey pinned Couper Estep of Beaverhead Co. in 1:48. He followed up with another fall over Jacob Kurpius (Frenchtown) in 2:55. After falling in the semifinals and consolation semifinals, Akey finished strong, pinning Kurpius again in 3:48.

With multiple top finishes, the Bulldogs are now focusing on the state tournament in Billings. Led by divisional champion Landree Aurand, Whitefish wrestlers will look to carry this momentum onto the biggest stage in Montana high school wrestling.

“The team is excited they are all in great positions to succeed and go and place if not win the tournament,” Gaultier said. “If there are any fans out there that can make it to Billings to help support and cheer us on. I know the kids would love to hear some noise in the crowd rooting for them.” 

    Sam Akey works his opponent during the Western A Divisional Tournament in Browning this past weekend. Seth Anderson Photo.
  

    Taylor Duvall wins the Womens A Divisional 130# division. Seth Anderson Photo.