Sparks, Thilmony, Vanderwall earn state wrestling medals

Three Sanders County wrestlers were place winners at the Montana High School Association All-Class State Wrestling Tournament held last Friday and Saturday at MetraPark in Billings.

Roman Sparks of the Thompson Falls/Noxon team finished the season strong, earning second place at 120 pounds in Class B/C. Freshman teammate Trae Thilmony, in his first high school state tourney, placed third at 113 pounds.

Josiah Vanderwall, one of two seniors on the Plains/Hot Springs squad, earned a medal by placing fifth at 138 pounds.

St. Ignatius (Mission)/Charlo had three state place winners. Isaiah Alik (17) was fourth, and Darwin Adams (145) and Issac DuMontier (152) were both sixth.

Trey Green (182) of Superior/Alberton (Clark Fork) placed fourth.

For the Class B teams, Thompson Falls/Noxon came in 16th, and Plains/Hot Springs was 20th. Colstrip dominated to win the team crown with 233 points. Glasgow was a distant second with 130, and Columbus/Absarokee was third with 128 and Huntley Project (Worden) fourth with 109.

There were 11 squads that fell into Class C in terms of team finishes. Circle was the state champion with 102 points. Superior/Alberton (Clark Fork) was runner-up with 32 points, with Valier third and Simms fourth.

SPARKS, WHO finished second at the Western B-C Divisional tournament, won by fall in his first state tourney match and by a 7-2 decision in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Sparks squeaked out a 4-3 decision over Camron Reilly of Forsyth. Sparks lost an 8-0 major decision to Gunnar Smith of Lincoln County-Eureka) in the 120-pound title match Saturday. He had a 30-7 season record.

Thimony, who was unopposed at 113 pounds and was awarded first place at the divisional, opened state with a win by fall and won an 11-1 major decision in the quarterfinals. However, Thilmony was pinned by Tanner Cook of Columbus/Absarokee in 3:00 in the semifinals. Bouncing back, the Bluehawk won by fall in one minute flat in the consolation semifinals, and earned a 12-7 decision over Tugg Taylor of Circle to capture the third-place medal. He finished with an impressive 35-4 season record.

Dakota Irvine (182) of Thompson Falls/Noxon won his first state tourney match, but lost his next two and was eliminated.

Shane Reishus (126) lost his first two matches at state.

VANDERWALL HAD finished sixth at state as a junior, and did it one better this year — earning fifth place.

He reached the championship semifinals with two wins by fall, but three-time defending state champion Jackson Currier of Colstrip stood in his way of earning a berth in the 138-pound title match. Currier made quick work of Vanderwall, pinning him in just 40 seconds.

Vanderwall won an 11-9 decision in the consolation semis, then won by a 17-1 technical fall over Ron Barnhill of Conrad to claim the fifth-place medal. The senior went out with a 40-7 season record.

“We were hoping to get him into the championship match,” Plains/Hot Springs head coach Jeff Kujala said. “When you get to the state tournament, nothing is easy. It’s a meat grinder. You really have to be on top of your game and be prepared to keep advancing … Josiah put in the time and the work.”

The coach spoke about how difficult it is to even get into a state championship match.

“You have to win in the semis to be in the state finals. If you lose, it’s extremely tough to bounce back,” Kujala said. “There is nobody easy the second day.”

Peter Carey (120) of Plains/Hot Springs won his first state tourney match by fall, but was pinned in his next two outings.

Conrad Vanderwall, who placed sixth at state a year ago, lost his opening match by a 6-3 decision. He won his next two, but was eliminated and did not place.

“I thought Peter and Conrad would place,” Kujala said. “They both got into the second day (Saturday).”

Taylor Angle (103) and Steven Yother (285) both went 0-2 at state.

“THE KIDS from the east pretty much dominated,” Kujala said.

“The last few years the west was able to be pretty competitive, not so much this year.

“Overall, we had a good season. The kids performed well,” the coach said. “If you want to step to that next level you have to put more into it, put in the time.”

Hampered by an injury Savage Horsemen senior Kenzie Angle was unable to qualify for state, but she went to state to serve as a manager.

Kujala had words of praise for his two seniors, Josiah Vanderwall and Angle.

“They’re a couple of great individuals. They’re good young people who are great team leaders,” the coach said.

According to Kujala, who was assisted this season by Jake Lile and Rocky Wagner, several Plains/Hot Springs grapplers will compete in the Montana Open in about five weeks, and those who go depend on “who puts in the time and the work.”

This season “shows where we have to do some more work,” Kujala said, who would like to see more students come out for wrestling. “We need more practice partners,” he said.

CLASS B TEAMS

THOMPSON FALLS/NOXON

113

Trae Thilmony (31-3) placed 3rd and scored 19 team points.

- Champ. Round 1 - Trae Thilmony (Thompson Falls/Noxon) won by fall over Lily Grismer (Cascade) (Fall 1:10)

- Quarterfinal - Thilmony won by major decision over Bryson Bartelson (Circle) (MD 11-1)

- Semifinal - Tanner Cook (Columbus / Absarokee) won by fall over Thilmony (Fall 3:00)

- Cons. Semi - Thilmony won by fall over Brady Ellison (Columbus / Absarokee) (Fall 1:00)

- 3rd Place Match - Thilmony won by decision over Tugg Taylor (Circle) (Dec 12-7)

120

Roman Sparks (27-6) placed 2nd and scored 20 team points.

- Champ. Round 1 - Roman Sparks (Thompson Falls/Noxon) won by fall over Cody St. Clair (Jefferson) (Fall 1:20)

- Quarterfinal - Sparks won by decision over Ashton Christman (Huntley Project (Worden) (Dec 7-2)

- Semifinal - Sparks won by decision over Camron Reilly (Forsyth) (Dec 4-3)

- 1st Place Match - Gunnar Smith (Lincoln Co. (Eureka)) 7-0 won by major decision over Sparks (MD 8-0)

126

Shane Reishus (15-16) scored 0 team points.

- Champ. Round 1 - Trenton Walker (Whitehall) 25-20 won by fall over Shane Reishus (Thompson Falls/Noxon) (Fall 3:59)

- Cons. Round 1 - Canyon Casterline (Circle) 23-14 won by fall over Reishus (Fall 4:20)

182

Dakota Irvine (17-16) scored 4 team points.

- Champ. Round 1 - Dakota Irvine (Thompson Falls/Noxon) won by fall over Carter Morgan (Choteau) (Fall 4:49)

- Quarterfinal - Nakoda Siegel (Colstrip) 29-1 won by fall over Irvine (Fall 3:27)

- Cons. Round 2 - Trey Green (Superior/Alberton) 35-8 won by fall over Irvine (Fall 1:48)

PLAINS/HOT SPRINGS

103

Taylor Angle (16-13) scored 0 team points.

- Champ. Round 1 - Brad Connolly (Anaconda) 18-12 won by fall over Taylor Angle (Plains/Hot Springs) (Fall 1:38)

- Cons. Round 1 - Robbie Burns (Colstrip) 28-28 won by fall over Angle (Fall 2:30)

120

Peter Carey (26-14) scored 4 team points.

- Champ. Round 1 - Peter Carey (Plains/Hot Springs) 26-14 won by fall over Cooper Cook (Columbus / Absarokee) 33-13 (Fall 3:31)

- Quarterfinal - Camron Reilly (Forsyth) 35-9 won by fall over Carey (Fall 4:18)

- Cons. Round 2 - Riley Richtmyer (Broadwater (Townsend)) 45-7 won by fall over Carey (Fall 2:59)

132

Conrad Vanderwall (25-12) scored 4 team points.

- Champ. Round 1 - Cole Becker (Circle) 24-13 won by decision over Conrad Vanderwall (Plains/Hot Springs) (Dec 6-3)

- Cons. Round 1 - Vanderwall won by fall over John Hughes (Harlem) (Fall 4:17)

- Cons. Round 2 - Vanderwall won by decision over Ty Curry (Valier) 41-13 (Dec 10-4)

- Cons. Round 3 - Mike Wilkinson (Whitehall) 32-13 won by fall over Vanderwall (Fall 2:15)

138

Josiah Vanderwall (37-5) placed 5th and scored 14.5 team points.

- Champ. Round 1 - Josiah Vanderwall (Plains/Hot Springs) won by fall over Blake Zimmerman (Huntley Project (Worden)) 34-23 (Fall 1:24)

- Quarterfinal - Vanderwall won by fall over Connor Schnabel (Fort Benton/Big Sandy) (Fall 2:47)

- Semifinal - Jackson Currier (Colstrip) 11-3 won by fall over Vanderwall (Fall 0:40)

- Cons. Semi - Kaden Zimmerman (Glasgow ) 38-17 won by decision over Vanderwall (Dec 11-9)

- 5th Place Match - Vanderwall won by tech fall over Ron Barnhill (Conrad) (TF-1.5 3:11 (17-1))

285

Steven Yother (1-21) scored 0 team points.

- Champ. Round 1 - Jacob Kingsolver (Shelby) 17-22 won by fall over Steven Yother (Plains / Hot Springs) 1-21 (Fall 2:16)

- Cons. Round 1 - Cody Best (Whitehall) 23-14 won by fall over Yother (Fall 0:46)

CLASS B TEAM SCORES

1. Colstrip 233. 2. Glasgow 130. 3. Columbus/Absarokee 128. 4. Huntley Project (Worden) 109. 5. Lincoln County-Eureka 104.5. 6. Broadwater (Townsend) 70. 7. Cut Bank 65. 8. Malta/Whitewater. 9. Forsyth 63. 10. Whitehall 61. 11. Florence-Carlton 55. 12. St. Ignatius (Mission)/Charlo 49. 13. Fairfield 48.5. 14. Shepherd 48. 15. Conrad 46. 16. Thompson Falls/Noxon 43. 17. Choteau 37. 18. Shelby 35. 19. Jefferson 33. 20. Plains/Hot Springs 22.5. 21. Poplar 21. 22. Manhattan 19. 23. Powell County (Deer Lodge) 9. 24. Anaconda 8. 25. Baker 6. 26. tie, Bigfork 0, Harlem 0 and Three Forks 0.

CLASS B/C INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

113

- 1st Place - Tanner Cook of Columbus / Absarokee

- 2nd Place - Roper Mycke of Conrad

- 3rd Place - Trae Thilmony of Thompson Falls

- 4th Place - Tugg Taylor of Circle

- 5th Place - Brady Ellison of Columbus / Absarokee

- 6th Place - Jase Frederick of Poplar

120

- 1st Place - Gunnar Smith of Lincoln Co. (Eureka)

- 2nd Place - Roman Sparks of Thompson Falls

- 3rd Place - Camron Reilly of Forsyth

- 4th Place - Riley Richtmyer of Broadwater (Townsend)

- 5th Place - Zach Valdez of Colstrip

- 6th Place - Cooper Cook of Columbus / Absarokee

126

- 1st Place - Colten Fast of Glasgow

- 2nd Place - Clayton Donally of Huntley Project (Worden)

- 3rd Place - Kyle Durden of Lincoln Co. (Eureka)

- 4th Place - Canyon Casterline of Circle

- 5th Place - Matt Connelly of Valier

- 6th Place - Dalton Brown of Conrad

132

- 1st Place - Connor Johnson of Whitehall

- 2nd Place - Nathan Schmidt of Lincoln Co. (Eureka)

- 3rd Place - Kolter Schipman of Malta / Whitewater

- 4th Place - Cole Becker of Circle

- 5th Place - Mike Wilkinson of Whitehall

- 6th Place - Oden Hallock of Glasgow

138

- 1st Place - Jackson Currier of Colstrip

- 2nd Place - Pete Henderson of Choteau

- 3rd Place - Kaden Zimmerman of Glasgow

- 4th Place - John Cremer of Glasgow

- 5th Place - Josiah Vanderwall of Plains / Hot Springs

- 6th Place - Ron Barnhill of Conrad

145

- 1st Place - Rylin Burns of Colstrip

- 2nd Place - Trey Taylor of Circle

- 3rd Place - Hank Dunn of Lincoln Co. (Eureka)

- 4th Place - Andrew Andersen of Cut Bank

- 5th Place - Callan Mears of Malta / Whitewater

- 6th Place - Darwin Adams of Saint Ignatius / Charlo

152

- 1st Place - Michael Weber of Forsyth

- 2nd Place - Wyatt Brusven of Shelby

- 3rd Place - Austin Vanek of Cut Bank

- 4th Place - Ty Steele of Broadwater (Townsend)

- 5th Place - Dylan Raihl of Columbus / Absarokee

- 6th Place - Isaac DuMontier of Saint Ignatius / Charlo

160

- 1st Place - Ty Bradley of Colstrip

- 2nd Place - Sam Schmidt of Huntley Project (Worden)

- 3rd Place - Avery Meinzen of Florence-Carlton

- 4th Place - Kyle Evans of Cascade

- 5th Place - Paden Vannattan of Forsyth

- 6th Place - Kameron Rauser of Broadwater (Townsend)

170

- 1st Place - Dylan Nieskens of Glasgow

- 2nd Place - Cody Blaede of Colstrip

- 3rd Place - JR Seewald of Cut Bank

- 4th Place - Isaiah Alik of Saint Ignatius / Charlo

- 5th Place - Dillon Anderson of Fairfield

- 6th Place - Stran Selman of Huntley Project (Worden)

182

- 1st Place - Nakoda Siegel of Colstrip

- 2nd Place - Nate Gorham of Shepherd

- 3rd Place - Andres Lopez of Malta / Whitewater

- 4th Place - Trey Green of Superior / Alberton

- 5th Place - Justin Denton of Broadwater (Townsend)

- 6th Place - Henry Koch of Huntley Project (Worden)

205

- 1st Place - Spencer Jones of Florence-Carlton

- 2nd Place - Beau Petersen of Colstrip

- 3rd Place - Brett Monroe of Valier

- 4th Place - Lane Hinderager of Simms

- 5th Place - Jadon Lamb of Broadwater (Townsend)

- 6th Place - Kolter Bouma of Fairfield

285

- 1st Place - Trey Yates of Colstrip

- 2nd Place - Journey Grimsrud of Huntley Project (Worden)

- 3rd Place - Mayson Phipps of Glasgow

- 4th Place - Terry Spotted Wolf of Colstrip

- 5th Place - Carter Beer of Columbus / Absarokee

- 6th Place - Ruebin Swenson of Chester-Joplin-Inverness