By Jean Schurman
The All Class state-wrestling tournament will be held this weekend in Billings. State champions will be crowned in AA, A, and B/C ranks. The top five wrestlers in each weight bracket will advance in Class A. The top four in each weight will advance in Class B.
The Western A Divisional was held in Dillon over the weekend with all three Bitterroot Class A teams competing. Corvallis finished fourth behind Columbia Falls (227 points), Polson (203 points) and Frenchtown (193 points). The Blue Devils finished with 179 points. Stevensville was right behind in fifth place with 148 points. Hamilton finished behind the host team with 131 points. Whitefish and Butte Central finished 8th and 9th respectively.
Corvallis had two champions. Garret Hunt won by an 8-1 decision over Hamilton’s Kyle Anderson at 285 pounds. At 120 pounds, Dante Venema won an 8-3 decision over Columbia Falls’ Winfield West. Kye McCollaum finished second at 160 pounds after losing toe Hunter Fritsch of Polson. Drew Schmitt finished second after being pinned by Ben Windauer of Columbia Falls. Benji Opat took third at 120 pounds with a 10-9 decision over Frenchtown’s Zach Blanchard. Will Wissenbach finished fourth after Cooper Hoffman of Beaverhead County topped him in a 8-6 decision at 138 pounds. In fifth place, Aaron Christensen won a 6-1 decision over Adrian Garcia of Hamilton at 132 pounds; Tristan Davis won by pinning Kelson Bauman of Frenchtown at 113 pounds; and Hunter Barron pinned Shawn Horner of Beaverhead County at :36 seconds.
Stevensville will be sending eight wrestlers on to the next level. Kellen Robbins finished fourth at 103 pounds with a loss to Roy Russell of Butte Central. Caleb Olson took 5th at 103 pounds with a pin of Anwar Mirsa of Whitefish. At 120 pounds, Elliot Vanosdell pinned Carlitos Bertlesen of Whitefish at 37 seconds. Ben Crews finished second at 170 pounds with a loss to Patrick Griffin of Beaverhead. Jerry Cassidy lost to Manny Rivera of Hamilton at 182 pounds and finished second. At 205 pounds, Chase Krone pinned teammate Jordan Thomas at 4:08 for third. Cody Coleman finished fifth at 285 pounds with a pin at 1:40 Ryan Borland of Polson.
Hamilton will be sending six wrestlers on to Billings. Manny Rivera won a 10-5 decision over Stevensville’s Cassidy at 182 pounds. Kyle Anderson finished second after losing to Corvallis’ Garret Hunt at 285 pounds. Michael Golden finished second at 113 pounds to Frenchtown’s Jake Bibler in a 7-4 decision. Justin Hinson finished second after losing a 9-6 decision to Travis Catina of Whitefish at 205 pounds. Bridger Williams took third at 126 pounds with a 10-3 decision over Ayden Role of Columbia Falls. Dustin Copeland finished fourth at 152 pounds after losing a 1-0 decision to Michael Edwards of Frenchtown.
Florence will send two on to state. Kyler Alm and Kyler Pancake will both wrestle at 145 pounds.