Ishler becomes state champ

Nick Ianniello

Mineral Independent

An Alberton student wrestling with the Frenchtown Broncs through an athletic cooperative took first place in the state wrestling tournament in Billings Saturday Feb. 14.

Freshman Cody Ishler, one of the inaugural wrestlers for the Frenchtown-Alberton wrestling coop, became a state champion in the 98-pound wrestling class after beating out Laurel High School’s Kolter Kukes in an exciting final match.

"He was in total control the whole match all the way up until the last 20 seconds and then he put a scare in me," said Frenchtown Broncs Head Wrestling Coach Bob Henderson.

According to Hendrson, Ishler has ahead 5 – 0 in the match when he stepped on his own foot and was taken to the mat by Kukes with 20 seconds left on the match clock.

"Prior to that he was wrestling incredibly well," Henderson said.

Ishler then freed himself and just before the buzzer went off managed to score two points for win the match 7 – 5.

Ishler was one of six Frenchtown wrestlers to place in the tournament, and a win as a freshman with no wrestling experience prior to this season is an impressive feat.

"He’s a very exciting wrestler and very smart," Henderson said.

Henderson said that overall he was pretty pleased with the turnout from the Broncs and was excited that Ishler was a big part of the team’s seventh place finish in the tournament.

"If we’d had a little more depth it would have been nice but we had six great state wrestlers and they wrestled up to their potential," Henderson said.

Henderson said that well before leaving for the state wrestling tournament he was confident of Ishler’s potential.

"He’s the total package in a state champ. Before we left for the championship I told him and another wrestler ‘You guys are ready, you guys have done everything, the cogs are in place and you’re going to be state champs,’" Henderson said.

Henderson said that he’s very excited to see the wrestling coop between the two schools continued and for the opportunity to continue to coach Ishler in the coming years.

"He’s one of Alberton’s products. He’s a starting quarterback for them and he’s total athletic package" Henderson said.

The Superior Bobcats wrestling team also sent two wrestlers to the event who did not place. Mason Chatterly and Taylor Gatchel made it to the tournament after taking third and second place at the divisional wrestling tournament in Mission last week.

Chatterly wrestled in the 125-pound wrestling class and Gatchel wrestled in the 112-pound wrestling class.

Havre won the state wrestling championship as a school while Belgrade and Ronan took second and third.