Savage Horsemen wrestling going strong

The Savage Horsemen are continuing a strong season.

Assistant coach Jake Lile said that after the 2018 Choteau Classic the coaching staff continued to be impressed by all wrestlers on the team.

“Last year, we won the tournament with only a small handful of hard-working wrestlers. This year, we placed fourth out of 31 teams, 2.5 points away from taking home a trophy,” he said.

He said the team’s performance at Choteau was a testament to the quality of wrestlers they have this year.

“This year we only had six wrestlers in the varsity tournament,” said Lile.

“Of our six wrestlers in the varsity tournament, five placed in the top six; additionally, freshman Peter Carey wrestled extremely well and was one match away from placing,” he continued to say.

Other placings saw Luke Lile take 5th at 160 pounds, Austin Stafford 4th at 145 pounds, Conrad Vanderwall 2nd at 120 pounds, Daniel Uli took 1st for the second year in a row, this time at 126 pounds, and Josiah Vanderwall also became a two-time Choteau Classic Champion, pinning his way through the tournament for a second year in a row, this time at 132 pounds.

Vanderwall has wrestled eight matches at the Chotaeu Classic winning each match by pin. Furthermore, Vanderwall earned the cumulative quick pin trophy, the second student-athlete from Plains ever to earn the honor in Choteau.

He has now earned cumulative quick pin awards in Superior and Choteau this year. Following Kenny’s (former head coach Kenny Marjerison) tradition, both Daniel and Josiah earned themselves cheesecake for their victories.

Lile also added that he was confident that before Peter Carey’s high school career comes to an end he would also be digging into the Choteau cheesecake tradition himself.

Other match highlights included senior Austin Stafford, who had an exemplary showing that weekend; winning multiple tough matches at 145 pounds.

Stafford is a wrestler who Lile says gains momentum as the season progresses. Adding Choteau was indicative of this steady improvement.

Stafford is also seen as a fun wrestler to watch, and has proven he belongs at 145 pounds after bumping up from 138 pounds.

“He wrestled with a level of intensity late in each match that was hard for his opponents to keep up with,” said Lile of the young wrestler.

With the Savage Horsemen in full swing and boasting plenty of steam, Lile said they are more than ready for the Ted Kato Invitational at Thompson Falls.