Bluehawks capture third at Deer Lodge

The Thompson Falls Bluehawks flew to third place with 114 points, only three points behind second place Deer Lodge at the Deer Lodge Invitational Wrestling Tournament Saturday. The Boulder boys took first place with nine points. The Plains-Hot Springs Savage Horsemen finished in seventh place with 78 points.

The Bluehawks had two tournament champions and the Savage Horsemen had one. A dozen teams competed in the day-long tournament.

For the second week in a row, Matt Hojem, competing in the 119-pound weight class, went home with a championship under his belt. Hojem chalked up two pins, before claiming victory in the finals match in overtime 10-8 with a take-down in the final seconds, said Thompson Falls head coach Colby Cline.

Jason Shaw nabbed top honors in the heavyweight division after he pinned Boulder's Jesse Johnson in the third period. Shaw also pinned a Whitehall wrestler earlier in the tournament.

Rio Crismore, one of two girls on the Plains-Hot Springs wrestling team, grabbed the championship in the 98-pound class after pinning teammate Conner Stobie, a freshman, in 49 seconds, said head coach Kenny Marjerrison. "He got a little out of position and she capitalized on it," said Marjerrison. "She's got a lot of experience and she'll take advantage of something like that." Crismore, a sophomore, took fourth at Superior a week earlier.

Kenneth Beech of Plains-Hot Springs took second in the 105-pound class after being pinned late in the second period by a Florence wrestler for the championship. Teammate Wes Goodwin, competing in the 152-pound class, finished second when he lost to Superior's Mike Avila by one point. Previously, Goodwin had pinned a Deer Lodge athlete and Rod McKenzie of Thompson Falls in 1:28.

Mike Hines, wrestling in the 189-pound class, pinned a Butte athlete in 25 seconds, but finished in second place after losing 13-3 to Florence. Savage Horseman Kyle Steinebach took third after first winning against Deer Lodge 11-10, which he won in last 15 seconds of the match, said Marjerrison. Steinebach then lost 13-3 against Boulder, came back to beat Whitehall 11-2, then defeated the same Deer Lodge wrestler he faced in the first round by pinning him this round in 1:51 for third place.

Chris Stobie of the 171-pound class, took fourth after losing to Florence 4-2. In his first match, he was pinned by John Garrison of T-Falls in 3:42. In his second round, he defeated teammate Austin Thompson 13-6, then lost to Florence 4-2 in the final seconds of the match. Marjerrison said Thompson was one match away from placing Saturday.

Garrison went on to finish in second place after being defeated by pin in the championship round by a Boulder wrestler. Bluehawk Richard Lyons finished in third in the 140-pound class. He won his first match by pin against Drummond, but lost to a Boulder athlete. He won his third match against Whitehall. He defeated a Florence Falcon by pin in two minutes for third.

Competing in the 160-pound weight class, Michael Glover of Thompson Falls took third when he pinned teammate Brandon Olean in the third period. Glover lost his first match of the day, but won the next two.

Bluehawk Shawn Sacchi, wrestling in the 125-pound class, went away with a fourth place after losing his final match 9-5 to Superior. Sacchi claimed victory by pin against Drummond in his first face-off, but then lost to Whitehall 7-5. He pinned his Butte opponent in match three.

The T-Falls team travels to Mission duals Thursday, then goes to Ronan Jan. 4-5. On Jan. 19, the Bluehawks host the Ted Kato Memorial Invitation, which begins at 10 a.m. and includes Plains-Hot Springs and Noxon.

The Savage Horsemen travel to Eureka Thursday, but will host matches Saturday starting 1 p.m., which will include Arlee, Loyola, Noxon, and Superior.