Wrestlers Looking Good At No. 7, But Coach Wants More

As a rebuilding program demonstrating growth, Scottie wrestling makes the cut. Last week it happened at Cut Bank.

The Scotties placed seventh among 29 teams last weekend at the CB Invitational. Cody King made it to the championship match at 138, losing an 8-4 decision to Choteau's JJ Werdal. Heavyweight Joe Doney decisioned Choteau's Denver Krone, 7-2, in a third place match.

"I didn't know know to expect at the beginning of the season," coach Jory Casterline told The Courier. "I guess I'll take it. Seventh place, yeah, it's good, but we can't rest on it. We have to keep moving forward."

The Scotsmen also advanced from eighth to seventh someplace else last week – in the Montana Class B/C Wrestling Rankings.

Six Scotties occupy individual state rankings: Kasey Seyfert fourth at 120, Mick Reyling sixth at 126, King fifth at 138, Jake Hentges sixth at 145, Tanner Roness sixth at 182 and heavyweight Joe Doney fourth at 285.

Coach Casterline said his wrestlers are "fighting adversity and creating good luck" by being battle tested and building character. The team, for example, faced four top seeds in the first round at Cut Bank and could see more of the same this weekend at the Cowboy Invitational in Miles City.

This is, in part, due to the Cowboy invite's seeding process coupled with Glasgow lacking two of three criteria for being seeded. No eligible Scottie wresters placed at the invite or State last year, a status factoring in the seeding. The final criteria is head-to-head victories this season, so some Scotties could possibly get seeded that way.

Seyfert placed sixth at State last year, but Casterline plans on resting him at Miles City due to illness. Seyfert also was held out of the Chester mixer last week and was pulled at Cut Bank after winning twice by pin.

It's more important, the coach explained, for Seyfert to be ready for State in a month than for him to compete now when he's hurting.

"Well have our work cut out for us at the Cowboy," Casterline said. "We're heading in the right direction. As long as we continue heading in the right direction, things will pay off."

Casterline said his team's "grueling practices over break" are beginning to yield W's. The team beat Glendive, 54-21, on Senior Night and then showed well at the Chester mixer last Thursday and Cut Bank.

Casterline commended several of his wrestlers:

• "King, he just doesn't quit. He comes from behind for victories and in the final at Cut Bank he put (champion) Werdal on his back twice."

• "Doney, he just comes out and quietly goes to work and gets the job done."

• "Tony Kaiser grinds matches out. He's physical. He's had some come-from-behind wins that were impressive."

• "Kevin Schinder really turned the corner this weekend" – showing improvement in not getting turned over, getting to the third period and wrestling physically.

Varsity wrestlers winning at Chester were Mick Reyling by fall and major decision at 132, Schindler by fall at 152, Roness by fall at 182, Matt Reyling by fall at 103, King by fall at 138, Hentges by fall at 145, Kaiser by fall at 160, and Doney with two falls at 285.

Cut Bank Invitational Top 10

1 Havre 238, 2 Flathead 217, 3 Choteau 191.5, 4 Eureka 131, 5 Great Falls High JV 111.5, 6 Ronan 108, 7 Glasgow 102, 8 Cut Bank 95, 9 Townsend 91.5, 10 Chinook 9

Montana Class B Top 10

1. Choteau, 2 Forsyth, 3 Colstrip, 4 Huntley-Project, 5 Conrad, 6 Ronan, 7 Glasgow, 8 Cut Bank, 9 St. Ignatius, 10 Fairfield Simms

Championship

103 Cody DeVall, Flathead p. Chase DeBoo, Choteau, 1.35

113 Trae Vasquez, Flathead p. Trevor Moore, Choteau, 1:57

120 Zach Durden, Eureka p. Austin McArthur, Broadwater, 2.24

126 Garrett White, Eureka d. Dyan Guzman, Flathead, 4-2

132 Grayson Brenna, Havre d. Tate Niederegger, Chinook, 3-2

138 JJ Werdal, Choteau d. Cody King, Glasgow, 8-4

145 Parker Filius, Havre p. Colton McElhinney, GFH JV, 1.35

152 Reid VandenBos, Cut Bank p. Chase Short, GFH JV, 3:32

160 Jase Stokes, Havre p. Brenden Johnson, Harlem, 3.57

170 Walker Ferda, GFH JV tf. Evander Wilbur, Broadwater, 3RD PERIOD

182 Steeler French, Choteau md. Logan Wilson, Flathead, M 11-2

205 Jace Billy, Havre p. Eli Hohn, Townsend, :39

275 Travis Adams, Havre p. Michael Irvine, Ronan, 5.41

Third place

103 Slade Martinez, Wolf Point p. Hunter Rush FLA, Renegade, 4.18

113 Caleb Birdwell, Lewistown p. Trey Simanton, Malta, 2:30

120 Keaton Anderson, Cut Bank d. James Buckley, Whitefish, 9-5

126 Logan Pleninger, Havre d. Cole Snyder, Ronan, 7-4

132 Trevar McAllister, Ronan d. Payton Hume, Flathead, 5-2

138 Tyler Davis, Flathead p. Randon Anderson, Cut Bank, 1:51

145 Jared Neiss, Ronan d. Taner Stone, Choteau, OT 2-0

152 Ben Rauscher-CON, Renegade p. Kody Pribyl, Havre, 6:15 OT

160 Anthony Wright, Flathead d.Dec Trey Stone, Choteau, 6-5

170 Hunter Mycke, Conrad d. Tyler Schaub, Havre, 9-8

182 Devin Blythe, LEW d. Joe Fehr, Eureka, 5-1

205 Kevin Young, Chinook d. Streeter Stirling, Shelby, 6-2

275 Joe Doney, Glasgow d. Denver Krone, Choteau, 7-2

Fifth place

103 Ryan Stewart, Havre p. Dillon Dejean, CMR JV, 2.46

113 Hunter Peterson, Ronan d. Jimmy Smith, Belt, 4-3

120 Brodey White, Shelby d. Isaac Ramos, Valier, OT 12-10

126 Kenyon Fretwell-FLA, Renegade d. Jack Dolan, Broadwater, 8-1

132 Jamie Mullins, St. Ignatius p. Connor DeBruycker, Fort Benton, 1.46

138 James Dunn, Eureka d. Tyler Meyer, Great Falls High JV, 8-2

145 Jace Berkram, Cut Bank d. Jake Norby, Chinook, 7-6

152 John Pepos, Cascade p. Skyler Bowerman, Whitefish, 1:43

160 PJ Ayers, Highwood md. Judah Prestegaard, Whitefish, 13-0

170 Cody Lucke, Browning p. Brett Henke, Chester-Joplin-Inverness, 2:34

182 Jesse Dannels, Chinook md. Roman Lorance, Cascade, 11-2

205 Payton Boyce, Flathead p. Travis Field, Choteau, 2:01

275 Ethan Goss-Dickie, St. Ignatius p. Tyler Norstedt, Belt, 4.53