Milender, Vulles lead Bobcats at A-AA tourney

This was a strong test for the Superior wrestlers.

As the only Class B-C school in the field of Class AA and A wrestlers from throughout the Northwest, it was a chance for a handful of Bobcat wrestlers to test their mettle against some of the best wrestlers in the region.

That being said, the Bobcats finished 20th in the prestigious wrestling event, which attracted 33 traditional wrestling powers. Flathead of Kalispell won the meet with 233 team points, followed by runner-up Billings West, which had 217.5 points.

Superior, boosted by top-five finishes from Decker Milender at 126 pounds and Chandon Vulles in the 285 pound/heavyweight division, finished the two-day event with 61 points.

Milender was the top Superior wrestler to medal at the meet. The senior standout, who is now 28-4 in matches this year, lost a 14-7 decision in the third-place match to Aiden Downing from Flathead.

Milender opened the tourney with a bye, then advanced to the next round when he pinned a wrestler from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho at the 4:52 mark. He lost his next match when he was pinned in the second round at 2:45 by a competitor from University High in Spokane.

Vulles, meanwhile, used a pair of pins in the early rounds of the heavyweight category to advance to the fifth place match. He beat Phillip Herald of Frenchtown to pick up the fifth place honor.

In his first match of the meet, Vulles won by pin at the 1:22 mark of the first round, then recorded another win by fall at 2:42. He lost his third match via a 5-2 decision to a wrestler from Frenchtown.

The Bobcats also got a strong effort from eighth grader Turner Milender, younger brother of Decker, who won his first match of the tournament with a 2:32 fall over a wrestler from Bozeman. The younger Milender was then pinned at the 2:26 mark of the second round in his next bout.

Another point getter for the Bobcats was junior Jaxson Green, who won his first match by fall at 205 pounds before being pinned in his second round match.

Lucas Kovalsky also participated for the Bobcats, getting a bye in the first round at 145 pounds, then dropping a close 4-2 decision in the next round.

This week the Bobcats wrestlers will host the Superior Mixer tonight (Tuesday), then travel to Thompson Falls to take part in the Ted Kato Invitational this Saturday.