HHS State Wrestling Keepsake Edition 2017

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2017 Class A

Monday, Feb. 27, 2017

STATE WRESTLING CHAMPS

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HISTORICALLY HAVRE

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Havre High rolls to its fifth consecutive Class A state championship in Billings

Blue Ponies Parker Filius, Jase Stokes become four-time state champs in record-setting fashion

Chris Peterson

Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Havre High's Martin Wilkie celebrates after winning the 126-pound Class A state championship Saturday night in Billings. Wilkie was one of five individual champions and 11 placers for the Blue Ponies, which easily won its fifth straight Class A team title.

Chris Peterson

Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com BILLINGS — Over the years, the Havre High wrestling team has had some memorable state tournaments inside the Rimrock Auto Arena at the Metra, but there was never a day quite like the one the Blue Ponies enjoyed Saturday.

That’s because Havre made history at the 2017 All-Class State Wrestling meet and it did so without batting an eye. HHS ran away with the team competition, securing a school-record fifth consecutive state championship with 257.5 points. Columbia Falls finished a way distant second with 131.

But even though Havre tied Ronan for the all-time mark in Class A for consecutive wrestling championships, that wasn’t the history-making moment that will be remembered from the 2017 state tournament. That moment, or moments — the ones Havre wrestling fans will never

forget — came courtesy of Parker Filius and Jase Stokes, who each delivered on their opportunity to join the exclusive club of four-time individual state champions.

Technically, Stokes wound up doing it first, as he got the first opportunity to wrestle on finals night and when he pinned Travis Catina of Whitefish in 1:57 to win the 205-pound weight class, Havre had its first ever fourtime state champion.

“It’s indescribable,” Stokes said. “You know it wouldn’t have mattered to me if it was me or Parker, but it’s awesome, it’s the best feeling in the world.”

While Stokes technically did it first, he remained Havre’s only four-timer for an hour and 33 minutes. That’s when his long-time friend and former wrestling partner, Parker Filius joined him, following his pin over Ben Windauer of Columbia Falls in 1:24 to win the 145-pound final.

“It feels good,” Filius said after his match. “I am pretty

happy right now.”

“It was kind of anti-climactic,” HHS head coach Scott Filius added. “I was confident coming in and (Parker) was confident coming in. The same with Stokes. We were confident coming in that we just had to come out and wrestle and everything would take care of itself.”

While Stokes and Filius finishing off their quests to be four-time champions was the highlight of the weekend for the Ponies, it was far from the only signature moment. One of the others, was the individual championship of senior Dane Flammond.

Flammond had finished third at the state tournament the past two years and was still searching for that elusive first individual title that had alluded him. But after three dominant victories (he got a first-round bye), he finally got his moment in the sun, thanks to a 15-0 technical fall in the 160-pound final against

■ See 5-peat Page A3

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Havre senior heavyweight Jared Sienkowski, left, fights his way to a fifth-place finish at the Class A state tournament Saturday in Billings. Eleven Blue Ponies placed in the tournament, and 12 scored points. For full state wrestling photo galleries, go to www.havredailynews.com.

BILLINGS — The accomplishments of the Havre High wrestling program are hard to fathom.

But what’s even harder to fathom is that before this p a s t weekend, the Blue Ponies had never had a four-time individual s t a t e champion.

O f c o u rs e, t h a t changed w h e n J a s e Stokes a n d Parker Filius made Havre High h i s t o r y Saturday night inside the Rimrock Auto Arena at the Metra, doing something no Blue Pony has ever done — become a four-time champ.

“It’s bittersweet,” HHS head coach Scott Filius said.

“But these guys are ready to move on, ready to go onto other things. They did what we have come to expect them to do. They just always show up.”

Stokes was the first to do it, only because the draw on finals night started things off at 170 pounds. That meant Stokes, who wrestled at 205 pounds this season, got the first bite at the apple, while Filius, who wrestled at 145, had to wait.

Stokes, like he seemingly always does, took care of business, despite falling behind early. Then, shortly after he became the first Havre wrestler to achieve the feat, Filius matched him.

“I think growing up with a buddy and being able to accomplish that, it’s

prett y special,” Stokes said. “ N o t a lot of people have even won one state championship, but to be able to do that four times with your best friend, that’s unbelievable.”

Filius, who won his match with ease just more than an hour after Stokes did, expressed similar sentiments.

“It has been awesome,” Filius said. “Jase and I have been best friends for a long time. We were training partners and we played football together. We grew up playing in the b a c k ya rd, running a ro u n d, so it’s awe-

some. It’s a cool way to go out.”

Since their freshman season, Stokes and Filius have been great. They each won championships back in 2014, when they weren’t necessarily expected to.

In each subsequent state tournament, they have been overwhelming favorites and each time, they delivered.

“It has taken a whole lot of work,” Filius said. “In this sport, you have to continue to work hard to keep doing what you have been doing. You saw tonight, there were guys that were the favorites and they were supposed to win and they didn’t win.

So you have to keep working to make sure things like that don’t happen.”

While Stokes and Filius are the first Ponies to win four individual champions, they join a group of now 31 wrestlers that have achieved the feat in Montana wrestling history, as Bel-

many points as they can.”

Obviously, winning four consecutive state titles is impressive. But what makes the accomplishment even greater for each wrestler is the dominance with which they did it.

Of the 16 wins Filius, who also capped a perfect season, racked up during his state tournament career, 14 of the 16 came by pin or technical fall. This past weekend in Billings, he three got pins, pushing his total in the state tournament to 11. He also got one technical fall, where he won 16-1.

That was the only match of the meet that went beyond the first period and it ended in 3:49. Only two of his 16 state tournament matches went the distance and both were in his freshman year.

“There is something about the atmosphere here,” Filius said referring to the Metra.

“And with our fans

grade’s Sawyer Degan and Colstrip’s Clayton Currier also accomplished the feat Saturday.

They are also just the second pair of teammates to become four-timers in the same season, which was done previously by Beau Malia and Joe Lauer of Billings Skyview back in 2004.

However, there is one thing Stokes and Filius achieved Saturday, that no pair has ever done on the mat, as they be-

came the first fourtime individual champions to also be part of four consecutive team championships.

“It really means a lot,” Filius said. “When your team is doing well, it really pushes everyo n e to try a n d g e t a s

here, it makes you want to do your best.”

Stokes’ state tournament resume is equally strong. Eleven of his first 12 victories came via pin. On Friday, he pinned opponents in 8 seconds and 1:28 respectively. In the semifinals, he won an 11-5 decision, before getting a pin in the final over Travis Catina of Whitefish in 1:57. Just like Filius, only two of his 16 matches at the Metra went the distance, proving the they didn’t just win, they dominated. Stokes also became the heaviest wrestler to ever be a four-time champion.

“There is just something about the Metra that’s just special,” Stokes said. “To come out here as a freshman and win it, just all the hard work paid off.”

The hard work certainly paid off for Stokes and Filius, who stand together, not just as the two most accomplished wrestlers in the history of Havre High, but as two of the greatest individual competitors Montana wrestling has ever known.

“This one is the best one,” Stokes said. “For sure. It’s a big sigh of relief. I really can’t describe it, it’s crazy.”

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2017 Class A

STATE WRESTLING CHAMPS

Monday, Feb. 27, 2017

www.havredailynews.com

5-Peat: Havre High wrestling dynasty rolls through Billings with team title, five champs and 11 medals ■ From Page A2 Hunter Fritsch of Polson.

“A ton, a ton,” coach Filius said when asked how happy he was for Flammond. “That was one of the things from the weekend that was probably my brightest moment.”

“It feels great, I am so happy right now,” Flammond said after his championship match.

“Just to end the year that way, I have never felt anything like it.

“It feels very special,” Flammond added about winning another team title. “There are a lot of teams that have never won one state title, so it just feels very special and I am glad that I am part of it.”

In addition to getting individual titles from Stokes, Filius and Flammond, the Ponies crowned two other individual champions and had two other finalists.

In all, HHS placed 11 wrestlers and nine of them, including four freshmen finished in the top three of their respective weight classes.

“I was really pleased with the kids,” coach Filius said. “They did a great job in the placement matches. I think we lost a couple, we were overmatched in one and lost a heartbreaker, but the kids competed well all weekend, it was a lot of fun.

“It feels pretty good right now,” he added about the team championship. “It’s a little bittersweet. I have had a lot of fun with this group of kids, but they are ready to go, though. They are ready to move on.”

In terms of four-time individual champions, Martin Wilkie completed the second leg of that journey Saturday, capturing his second state title after pinning Clay Fisher of Butte Central in 2:48.

“It was fun. I need to go get some ice cream,” Wilkie said after his match. “But the sea-

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Havre's Martin Wilkie, left, takes Butte Central's Clay Fisher to the mat during their 126-pound state championship match Saturday night in Billings. With the win, Wilkie needs two more titles to become a four-time state champion. son is far from over. I still have some tournaments to do before the summer, so I am looking forward to those.”

When asked if he had thought about being a four-timer Wilkie responded: “I am trying not to put too much thought into (that)

right now, just trying to take it one year at a time.”

Wilkie set himself up for a run at winning four and so did freshman Quinn Reno, as he won the 103-pound state championship, knocking off fellow Havre freshman Cameron Pleninger in the final.

“It feels great,” Reno said.

“It’s the best feeling in the world.”

Pleninger settled for second, as did Lane Paulson, a sophomore who lost in the championship round to John Mears of Belgrade. In addition to Pleninger and Paulson, four other Havre wrestlers found the podium.

Freshmen Connor Harris (132) and Mason Dionne (152) both got through the wrestle backs to finish third, while junior Ryan Stewart finished fourth at 113 pounds, and Marc Ramirez came within one match Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Havre sophomore Lane Paulson, left, tries to fight off Belgrade's John Mears during their 120-pound Class A state title match Saturday night in Billings. After not placing a year ago, Paulson made it all the way to finals night.

of placing at 113. And finally, senior Jared Sienkowski, who was

making his first appearance at the state tournament, rallied from an opening-round defeat Friday, to take fifth place, thanks to a pin over Eli Marley of Glendive in just 19 seconds in his final high school match.

“It was just great to be able to come through like that and come all the way back through the bracket,” Sienkowski said.

“It was amazing and it just meant that much more that I proved to myself that I could do it.”

“Jared, he has been with us for a few years now,” coach Filius said. “And that early part of the season was rough on him, but he came back and had the best tournament of his career.”

Amazing is a word that gets used often when it comes to Havre wrestling, and after two spectacular days in Billings, it’s easy to see why. Under Filius, Havre has won 12 state championships, and Saturday was the school’s 13th, which is now second all-time to Butte High’s 17.

The Ponies have also won four or more in a row twice in the last decade. Havre had a fourpeat from 2007-2010, and now has a five-peat. The Ponies also now have 20 trophies from the state meet, which puts them fifth all time.

And the 2016-17 team, the one that walked out of the Metra Saturday night with yet more hardware and wrestling glory, is going to be a team Filius won’t soon forget.

“This was a great group of kids,” coach Filius said. “They put the work in, the older kids showed great leadership and worked with the younger kids and helped them come of age.

It’s bittersweet, but it was a lot of fun.”

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Havre High head coach Scott Filius, who has now led the Ponies to 13 titles in his incredible career, consoles Ryan Stewart after his loss in the 113-pound semifinals Saturday in Billings.

Stewart would battle back to finish fourth.

2017 Class A State Wrestling Results Team scores: Havre 257.5, Columbia Falls 131, Glendive 125, Hardin 111.5, Polson 109, Frenchtown 109, Corvallis-Darby 94.5, Belgrade 90, Hamilton 90, DillonTwin Bridges 89.5, Sidney 81, Lewistown 73.5, Laurel 70.5, Stevensville 62, Livingston 52, Browning 39.5, Butte Central 34.5, Whitefish 33, Billings Central 23, Miles City 18.5.

Placing Results 103 - Championship: Quinn Reno (Havre) 35-5 won by fall over Cameron Pleninger (Havre) 29-6 (Fall 3:59); Third: Walker Dyer (Frenchtown) 21-1 won by decision over Kedrick Baker (Polson) 12-7 (Dec 13-7); Fifth: Braxton Scheeler (Miles City) 21-18 won by fall over Roy Russell (Butte Central) 9-6 (Fall 0:39).

113 - Championship: Jake Bibler (Frenchtown) 21-0 won by decision over Matthew DeWitt (Laurel) 44-6 (Dec 7-6); Third: Michael Golden (Hamilton) 22-5 won by decision over Ryan Stewart (Havre) 34-9 (Dec 3-2); Fifth: Mateo Quinones (Polson) 13-6 won by decision over Austin Nelson (Columbia Falls) 10-6 (Dec 8-4).

120 - Championship: John Mears (Belgrade) 38-5 won by fall over Lane Paulson (Havre) 36-13 (Fall 5:24); Third: Keagan Campbell (Laurel) 48-9 won by decision over Dante Venema (Corvallis/Darby) 22-6 (Dec 7-0); Fifth: Winfield West (Columbia Falls) 14-4 won by tech fall over Tanner Mannin (Lewistown) 18-25 (TF-1.5 5:00 (15-0)).

126 - Championship: Martin Wilkie (Havre) 43-1 won by fall over Clay Fisher (Butte Central) 11-2 (Fall 2:48); Third: Bridger Wenzel (Polson) 8-5 won by major decision over Bridger Williams (Hamilton) 24-9 (MD 14-1); Fifth: Ayden Role (Columbia Falls) 14-5 won by decision over Sean Comstock (Billings Central) 27-13 (Dec 3-1).

132 - Championship: Riley Gurr (Frenchtown) 18-0 won by major decision over Caleb Birdwell (Lewistown) 28-6 (MD 12-0); Third: Connor Harris (Havre) 30-20 won by decision over Travis Kinn (Glendive) 37-10 (Dec 7-4); Fifth: Kwin Stoddard (Dillon/Twin Bridges) 13-4 won by fall over Hunter Peterson (Columbia Falls) 12-6 (Fall 2:41).

138 - Championship: Sawyer Degen (Belgrade) 38-0 won by decision over Parker Adler (Polson) 13-3 (Dec 4-0); Third: Ben Stortz (Glendive) 34-11 won by decision over Jace Winter (Sidney) 42-16 (Dec 5-4); Fifth: Cooper Hoffman (Dillon/Twin Bridges) 13-6 won by decision over Cade Livoti (Frenchtown) 17-6 (Dec 6-3).

145 - Championship: Parker Filius (Havre) 40-0 won by fall over Ben Windauer (Columbia Falls) 15-1 (Fall 1:24); Third: Bryce Roan (Hardin) 18-6 won by fall over Cameron Brown (Polson) 7-3 (Fall 4:52); Fifth: Jace Johnson (Sidney) 32-19 won by decision over Brandon

132 – Connor Harris (3rd Place)

Held (Glendive) 33-14 (Dec 6-4).

152 - Championship: Brent Tezak (Dillon/Twin Bridges) 13-0 won in sudden victory - 1 over Brenden Roan (Hardin) 20-7 (SV-1 6-4); Third: Mason Dionne (Havre) 31-19 won by decision over Calvin Racine (Browning) 21-15 (Dec 5-3); Fifth: Brandt Ackerman (Glendive) 2619 won by fall over Avery Gurney (Sidney) 27-21 (Fall 0:26).

1st rd – pinned Adrian Garcia, HAM, :46; Quarterfinals – lost dec. Travis Kinn, GLE, 9-5; Consolation 2nd rd – dec.

Kaid Campbell, MC, 13-6; Consolation 3rd rd – pinned Dakota Flannery, WF, 2:16; Consolation Semi – pinned Kwin Stoddard, DIL, 2:11; Consolation Final – dec. Travis Kinn, GLE, 7-4.

145 – Parker Filius (State Champion)

160 - Championship: Dane Flammond (Havre) 38-6 won by tech fall over Hunter Fritsch (Polson) 10-1 (TF1.5 2:31 (15-0)); Third: Tyler Clapp (Glendive) 33-8 won in sudden victory - 1 over Alex Wickens (Lewistown) 4110 (SV-1 6-1); Fifth: Kye McCollaum (Corvallis/Darby) 19-8 won by decision over Colton McPhee (Columbia Falls) 12-6 (Dec 9-5).

1st rd – pinned Kaleb Unger, POL, 1:02; Quarterfinals – tech. fall Brandon Held, GLE, 16-1; Semifinals – pinned Cameron Brown, POL, 1:40; Final – pinned Ben Windauer, CF, 1:24.

152 – Mason Dionne (3rd Place)

170 - Championship: Patrick Griffin (Dillon/Twin Bridges) 15-1 won by fall over Ben Crews (Stevensville) 13-5 (Fall 3:36); Third: Nelson Crisafulli (Glendive) 35-11 won by tech fall over Justin Zier (Hardin) 26-15 (TF-1.5 3:19 (16-0)); Fifth: Storm Kemppainen (Columbia Falls) 11-4 won by fall over Wyatt Blythe (Lewistown) 32-9 (Fall 3:28).

1st rd – pinned Isaac Maxfield, STV, :35; Quarterfinals – pinned Mason Fetters, CF, 3:42; Semifinals – lost tech. fall Brendan Roan, HAR, 16-0; Consolation Semifinal – dec. Brandt Ackerman, GLE, 8-4; Consolation Final – dec.

Calvin Racine, BRO, 5-3.

160 – Dane Flammond (State Champion)

182 - Championship: Manny Rivera (Hamilton) 26-6 won by decision over Shane Gibson (Livingston) 30-11 (Dec 6-4); Third: Jerry Cassidy (Stevensville) 15-3 won by decision over Jemal Williams (Belgrade) 13-11 (Dec 4-2); Fifth: Sawyer Thogerson (Sidney) 35-22 won by fall over Jakob Freeman (Columbia Falls) 12-5 (Fall 0:40).

205 - Championship: Jase Stokes (Havre) 38-1 won by fall over Travis Catina (Whitefish) 26-2 (Fall 1:57); Third: Justin Hinson (Hamilton) 20-3 won by decision over Tyler Laverty (Livingston) 36-11 (Dec 2-1); Fifth: Will Caprata (Hardin) 25-18 won by fall over Brady Boyce (Lewistown) 35-19 (Fall 2:44).

285 - Championship: Garret Hunt (Corvallis/Darby) 20-1 won by fall over Wacey Zuback (Browning) 13-10 (Fall 0:00); Third: Grant Scalpcane (Hardin) 34-14 won by decision over Kyler Koski (Columbia Falls) 13-6 (Dec 3-1); Fifth: Jared Sienkowski (Havre) 28-22 won by fall over Eli Marley (Glendive) 26-14 (Fall 0:19).

Havre Individual Results

103 – Quinn Reno (State Champion)

1st rd – bye; Quarterfinals – tech. fall Gidion Herbel, HAR, 18-2; Semifinals – pinned Colton McPhee, CF, :19; Final – tech. fall Hunter Fritsch, POL, 15-0.

170 – Taylor Gopher 1st rd – pinned by Patrick Griffin, DIL, 1:56; Consolation 1st rd – pinned by Coltor Stillwagon, BUC, 3:26.

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Havre freshman Connor Harris, top, holds down Glendive's Travis Kinn during their 132-pound consolation final at the Class A state tournament Saturday in Billings. Harris beat Kinn, who had won the Eastern A the week before, to finish third in his first state tourney appearance. For full state tournament photo galleries, go to www.havredailynews.com.

– maj. dec. Kaiden Cline, SID, 12-1; Semifinals – dec.

Walker Dyer, FTN, 7-4; Final – pinned by Quinn Reno, HAV, 3:59.

113 – Ryan Stewart (4th Place)

1st rd – pinned Garhet Salminen, CF, :51; Quarterfinals – maj. dec. Caleb Olson, STV, 12-1; Semifinals – pinned Kedrick Baker, POL, :58; Final – pinned Cameron Pleninger, HAV, 3:59.

1st rd – tech. fall Luke Huffaker, DIL, 16-1; Quarterfinals – tech. fall Austin Nelson, CF, 17-2; Semifinals – lost dec.

Jake Bibler, FTN, 7-4; Consolation Semi – dec. Mateo Quinones, POL, 5-2; Consolation Final – lost dec. Mike Golden, HAM, 3-2.

103 – Cameron Pleninger (2nd Place)

113 – Marc Ramirez

1st rd – pinned Will Flowers, COR, 2:38; Quarterfinals

1st rd – pinned Kelson Bauman, FTN, 5:12; Quarterfinals – lost dec. Mike Golden, HAM, 6-5; Consolation 2nd rd

– pinned Luke Huffaker, DIL, 2:31; Consolation 3rd rd – lost dec. Mateo Quinones, POL, 5-2.

120 – Lane Paulson (2nd Place) 1st rd – pinned Auston Stevens, FTN, 1:04; Quarterfinals – maj. dec. Keagan Campbell, LAU, 12-4; Semifinals – dec. Dante Venema, COR, 5-3; Final – pinned by John Means, BEL, 5:24.

126 – Martin Wilkie (State Champion) 1st rd – pinned Sidney Cooke, WF, :43; Quarterfinals – pinned Ayden Roles, CF, 1:44; Semifinals – dec. Bridger Wenzel, POL, 6-0; Final – pinned Clay Fisher, BUC, 2:48.

205 – Jase Stokes (State Champion) 1st rd – pinned Bailey Hayes, HAM, :08; Quarterfinals – pinned Austin Ratliff, HAV, 1:28; Semifinals – dec. Justin Hinson, HAM, 11-5; Final – pinned Travis Catina, WF, 1:57.

205 – Austin Ratliff 1st rd – pinned Jordan Thomas, STV, 5:08; Quarterfinals – pinned by Jase Stokes, HAV, 1:28; Consolation 2nd rd – maj. dec. Matt Fulton, GLE, 15-6; Consolation 2rd rd – lost maj. dec. Brady Boyce, LEW, 15-1.

285 – Jared Sienkowski (5th Place) 1st rd – pinned by Kyle Anderson, HAM, 2:58; Consolation 1st rd – pinned Archie Swift, MC, 1:46; Consolation 2nd rd – dec. Keegan Mires, GLE, 3-2 in SVO; Consolation 3rd rd – dec. Ryan Horner, SID, 5-2; Consolation Semis – pinned by Kyler Koski, CF, 2:40; Fifth-Sixth – pinned Eli Marley, GLE, :19.

A4

2017 Class A

Monday, Feb. 27, 2017

STATE WRESTLING CHAMPS

www.havredailynews.com

Historically Havre: Saturday night belonged to the Blue Ponies Chris Peterson

Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com Billings — As far as high school sports in Montana go, there is no single event that can rival finals night at the All-Class State Wrestling meet, and Saturday inside the Rimrock Auto Arena at the Metra, the Havre Blue Ponies once again owned the night.

While the Blue Ponies have always had a big presence on finals night, HHS outdid itself this year, with a school-record tying seven finalists and five state champions, which also tied a previous high for the Ponies, done most recently in 2015.

Much of the excitement surrounded Havre seniors Jase Stokes and Parker Filius, who were each gunning for their fourth individual state championships. And, ultimately, it was Stokes who got the first shot at being a four-timer.

Over the years, Stokes has been a dominant force at the state tournament, with nearly all of his victories coming via pin.

Yet his semifinal match went all three periods, and even though he won 11-6 over Hamilton’s Justin Hinson, it proved to be one of his toughest matches.

“I have to give that kid credit,” Stokes said. “He battled hard.”

Yet it wasn’t enough to slow down Stokes, who advanced to the championship match at 205 pounds against Travis Catina of Whitefish. During the season, Catina had just one loss, just like Stokes, but the Havre senior remained a heavy favorite, at least until Catina scored an early takedown, that put Stokes behind at the state tournament for the first time since finals night 2016.

“I think everyone got a little nervous there for a second,” Stokes said. “He came out and surprised me early. I had to refocus a bit and I was able to come back.”

Stokes recovered thanks to his brute strength. After an escape got him within a point at 2-1, he lifted and slammed Catina down on the mat to take a 3-2 lead.

Soon after, he pinned him, with just three seconds remaining on the first-period clock. It was classic Stokes and the perfect ending to an illustrious career.

“It’s crazy to think that’s my last match in the Metra,” Stokes said. “My last match ever. But it

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Havre's Dane Flammond points to the crowd after winning the 160-pound Class A state championship Saturday night in Billings.

Flammond had finished third the last two years, but was one of five Ponies to win state titles this weekend. was a good way to end the season and my career.”

After Stokes won at 205, Havre was guaranteed to get its second champion of the weekend at 103 pounds because the final featured two Pony freshmen as Quinn Reno battled Cameron Pleninger.

The freshmen met one week ago in the Eastern A Divisional championship and just like in that match, it was Reno who came out on top thanks to a pin just before the second-period buzzer.

“It feels good,” Reno said afterward. “It’s the best feeling in the world right now. It was kind of hard to wrestle (Pleninger), but we have faced each other the last three weekends. But we are really good friends.”

“There are no hard feelings,” Pleninger added. “It’s just hard because we are practice partners and know our moves so well. But I am glad that I made it to this point and it is only going to make me want to come back and win it even more next year.”

After the all-Havre final at 103 pounds, Lane Paulson was the next finalist at 120 pounds.

And even though the sophomore came up short in his bid for an individual title, losing by pin to John Mears of Belgrade, he said it was still a positive experience.

“It was really fun,” Paulson said of wrestling on finals night.

“Last year, I came here and I didn’t place and it really made me want to work hard. Right now, losing sucks, but it has made me

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Havre freshmen Quinn Reno, right, and Cameron Pleninger do battle in the 103-pound Class A state championship match Saturday night in Billings. Reno won the match, but both grapplers helped HHS win another team title. For more photos, go to www.havredailynews.com.

really want to come back and get it next year.”

Right after Paulson left the mat, Martin Wilkie took center stage and the sophomore, who rolled through the 126-pound weight class, took on Clay Fisher of Butte Central in his bid to become a two-time individual champion. After getting two victories by pin in under three minutes and getting another win by way of an 8-5 decision, Wilkie cruised again in the finals, pinning Fisher in 2:48 to capture his second crown.

“I’d say that I had a lot more confidence than I did last year,” Wilkie said. “I wrestled these kids a lot all year long, and so the difference between this year and last year was just I had more confidence.”

Thanks to the random draw starting things at 170, Filius had

to sit through 10 rounds of finals, before he took his turn on the mat. But the Havre senior is always cool and collected, and against Ben Windauer of Columbia Falls, he was his normal steel-nerved self.

And with machine-like efficiency, with what seems like zero wasted movements, Filius made quick work of his opponent, pinning him in 1:24. It was his second pin on finals night and when the official slammed hand to mat to signal it was finished, Havre had its second ever four-time state champion.

While Filius said the state championship he won as a freshman was still his most memorable because it was more unexpected, the soon-to-be Purdue Boilermaker said it was special to share the moment with his

father and head coach Scott Filius.

“Yeah it was really cool,” Parker Filius said. “After the match, I hugged all my coaches and thanked them. They have all done a lot for me, and I couldn’t have done this without them.”

To most observers, nothing could top being a four-time champion. But for Dane Flammond, a senior who had come close with two third-place finishes but had never won one prior to Saturday, winning on finals night was a dream come true.

Scott Filius never won a state championship in high school, so he understands better than most, the pain of falling short, which is maybe why he wanted Flammond to win so badly, saying afterward, it was one of the highlights of his weekend.

Much like his senior counterparts, Parker Filius and Stokes, Flammond’s championship match offered little drama. It was apparent early that Hunter Fritsch of Polson was overmatched and early in the second period, it was over. Flammond scored a technical fall in just 2:34 and at that point, the dream he sought, seemingly forever, was realized at last. And at end of the day, he said the semifinal losses in 2015 and 2016, only made his triumph that much sweeter.

“It really did,” Flammond said. “It just showed that everything I went through to get here, all the losses, all the hard work, all the 6 a.m. workouts, it’s finally paying off.”

The 160-pound final, which will be the last match of Flammond’s career, also brought about mixed emotions.

“It’s bittersweet,” Flammond said. “Part of me is glad that it’s over. Now I can go out and eat some junk food, but at the same time, I am already missing it and wish I had another year at it.”

After reaching his long-time goal of being an individual state champion, Flammond’s next objective will be to satisfy his sweet tooth.

“I just want something with sugar in it,” Flammond said.

“Anything that is sweet, that’s all I want right now.”

Of course, all of Havre’s seven finalists can enjoy some sweets now. Especially after such a sweet night in what is the greatest couple of house in Montana high school sports. Yes, finals night once again belonged to the Ponies.

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Havre's Parker Filius, top, goes for the pin during his historic 145-pound Class A championship match Saturday night in Billings. Filius joined teammate Jase Stokes as a rare member of the four-time state champion club. He also finished off an unbeaten season with the win.

Passing the Torch: Ponies aren't going away Chris Peterson

Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com Billings — Any time the Havre High wrestling team heads to the Rimrock Auto Arena in Billings, great things happen.

This past weekend, the Blue Ponies won their fifth consecutive team championship and crowned five individual champions. Parker Filiius and Jase Stokes each became the first four-time champions in school history and Havre lapped the field, winning by 136.5 points.

It was truly a performance for the ages. Faced with mounting pressure to make history, Filius and Stokes delivered in ways only they can. But in case you missed it, they were far from the only Pony wrestlers to acquit themselves well on the big stage.

Certainly, the focus was on Filius and Stokes, as it should have been. They earned it. They put in the time and the work and forged their own destinies. Being a fourtime state champ is one of the hardest things to do in wrestling, and the standing ovations both got Saturday night were welldeserved. But as both put the finishing touches on their legacies, one thought kept creeping in my

mind and it was in terms of being a dynasty.

Havre wrestling is far from finished.

And with a number of young, talented wrestlers on the roster, along with one of the winningest coaches in Montana wrestling history, as well as a staff that does as good a job as any at developing talent, the run the Ponies have been on won’t end any time soon.

“The thing about our program is that we have fun,” long-time assistant coach and former Havre wrestler Cliff Springer said. “We get to teach these kids accountability, responsibility and how to be good humans. And along the way, they get to learn this great sport of wrestling.”

While Springer’s words may seem like classic coach speak, when it comes to Havre wrestling, his words absolutely ring true. The Ponies don’t just train their wrestlers to be great athletes and competitors, they teach them how to be men.

That’s why, when things get tough, when the pressure is on and when the lights are brightest, they always seem to deliver.

It’s also why, year after year, the Ponies’ young wrestlers seem poised beyond their years.

And there was no better exam-

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Havre's Mason Dionne holds down a Columbia Falls rival in the 152-pound quarterfinals Friday at the state wrestling tournament in Billings. Dionne was part of a big freshman-sophomore contingent to help the Blue Ponies win their fifth straight state championship. Dionne finished third. ple of that than this past weekend. Certainly, Filius, Stokes and Dane Flammond performed on the big stage with the cold-blooded efficiency you’d expect from seniors. They have been there and done that. What you don’t expect is to see freshmen handle that same stage with the compo-

sure and mental toughness that Havre’s youngsters did at the Metra.

Whether it was freshmen Quinn Reno and Cameron Pleninger who met in the 103-pound final or other freshmen such as Connor Harris or Mason Dionne, who battled through the wrestle backs

to get third, it was still the Blue Pony way.

“I think our coaches do a good job of preparing us,” Harris said.

“We have been working with coach Filius for a long time and he works us hard so we are ready for these moments.”

Dionne, who lost in the semifinals Saturday morning, then turned around and won three consecutive matches to take third, pushed through fatigue, in part, because he was trained to.

“Coach Filius, he has us running all the time,” Dionne said.

“He makes sure that we are in really good shape and he pushes us hard, but (Saturday) it paid off.

It prepared me.”

Yet according to Filius, it’s not just the coaches who mentor the young wrestlers, it’s the upperclassmen and the seniors, too.

“I thought our older kids did a great job this year with their leadership,” Filius said. “They are ready to move on, but before they did, they also did a hell of a job working with these younger kids. Now, they are ready to pass the torch to them and move on.”

The big storyline from the weekend was obvious, it was Parker Filius and Stokes making Havre High wrestling history.

But if you look a little deeper, the

other story was how this freshman class, along with the sophomores came of age.

“They really did,” coach Filius said. “The first part of the year, some of those guys got knots on their heads. But the second half of the year, they came around and really did a great job.”

With Stokes, Filius and Flammond all graduating, it was time to pass the torch, time for someone else to carry the program.

Martin Wilkie, a two-time state champion after Saturday and Reno, who won his first the same day, are logical choices as both have chances to be four-timers now. And with others such as Pleninger, Lane Paulson, Dionne and Harris, who all finished in the top three, as well the return of Ryan Stewart and Tyler Schaub, who will be seniors next year, the days of Havre dominating aren’t ending anytime soon.

And if people think Havre’s dynasty is going away, just because two of the best wrestlers to Havre put on a Blue Pony singlet are now gone, Wilkie had a message for them “We are just getting started,” he said as a smile crept across his face.

After the past weekend’s performance, it’s hard to argue with him.

A5

2017 Class A

Monday, Feb. 27, 2017

STATE WRESTLING CHAMPS

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I'm proud and lucky to know Parker and Jase From the Fringe...

George Ferguson Sports Editor Dear Parker Filius and Jase Stokes: First, congratulations on your incredible accomplishment Saturday night in Billings. Fourtime state champions. What an amazing and incredible feat.

I am writing this column not only to honor the both of you for being four-time state champions but akso to tell you how much respect and admiration I have for the both of you.

I have watched the both of you wrestle, play football, become great students in the classroom and become great young men, and that has been a privilege.

I have had the opportunity to know both of you, in many different ways, and that has been an honor.

Also, as both the sports editor at the Havre Daily News and as the head tennis coach at Havre

High, I have had the opportunity to have a rare insight into what the two of you have gone through, and what you’ve accomplished.

In many ways, tennis is like wrestling. It takes incredible skill, incredible athletic ability and an incredible desire to work hard and sacrifice things, to not only become great but also to achieve what the both of you have achieved. Both sports are also very lonely at times. It's just you out there on the mat, or just you out there on the court.

There are pressures that can be maddening. And for how you both have handled those pressure, I am truly impressed. And it's very inspiring.

At the start of my coaching career, I had the privilege of coaching Havre’s Kyle Baltrusch. In four seasons of Class A high school tennis, Kyle never lost a postseason match. Not a divisional match and not a state tournament match. It’s a feat that, in Montana high school tennis, has only been accomplished nine times, and, like the two of you, a Blue Pony was one of them.

So, from that standpoint, I

fully understand what the two of you have achieved. I know exactly how difficult it was, how much time and effort you put into your accomplishments. I know the sacrifices you both made, I know the pressures you had to deal with. I’ve seen it first-hand.

Knowing exactly what the two of you have gone through and seeing the greatness that comes with what you’ve accomplished, doing it with class and dignity and sportsmanship on and off the mat, as a coach, the two of you have my utmost respect and admiration.

Looking at it from a sportswriter’s perspective, again, I am lucky enough to see things in a different way. I have been covering wrestling for nearly two decades now, and have covered many special nights in the Metra. I was there to see Billings Skyview teammates Joe Lauer and Beau Malia become fourtime champions together. I was on the mat the night Chinook’s Ben Stroh did it. I have felt the excitement and the electricity that comes with that magical moment.

So, being a Blue Pony, a huge

fan of Havre High wrestling, and someone who has so much respect for the sports itself, I can’t tell you how thrilled it made me feel when the two of you got your moment in the Metra.

There really is nothing like that feeling when the famed Metra announcers says “A fourtime state champion” as you get that medal around your neck and the bracket handed to you and the crowd rises to its feet for a standing ovation, is there? You guys know exactly how that feels now, and as a big fan of the Blue Ponies, a big fan of high school wrestling, and a big fan of the both of you, I say, thank you for letting all of us share in that moment with you.

Through your hard work, your sacrifices, through the blood, the sweat and the tears, yes, there are always some tears in wrestling, with the help and support of your great coaches and your parents and family, the two of you truly earned that remarkable moment. That moment, on top of the podium, all eyes on you, the entire crowd, not just Havre fans, not just your friends and family, but ALL Montana wrestling fans

inside the grand old Metra, showing respect and admiration for what you just accomplished.

I am so happy for the both of you that you got that moment.

It’s one of the greatest moments in high school sports, and I can’t think of two more deserving guys than the two of you.

All this weekend, as your moment approached, many different things were going through my mind. I remember the two of you as youngsters, sneaking down onto the arena floor, to get a closer look at the wrestlers you admired growing up. I thought about how much I’ve gotten to know the two of you, as your time as Blue Ponies progressed.

I thought about all the matches I’ve seen, and the football games, and you guys hanging around the tennis courts once in a while and all of that over the last few years.

Again, it’s been an honor getting to know, write about and watch the two of you do what you’ve done.

And, now, as I write this, and the both of you get to embark on your next journey, I think not as much about the great wrestlers that you are, and you are great,

I think not as much about how great of athletes you are, and you are great, instead I am just thinking about what great young men you’ve become. You are what student-athletes are supposed to be.

You handle yourselves, on and off the mat with class and dignity, you are fun to be around, you are leaders, good teammates, role models for younger generations of Blue Pony student-athletes, and most of all, you are genuinely two very good kids.

For that, and for all of your great wrestling achievements, I just want you to know that I respect and admire the both of you so much. It has been my honor to know the both of you for as long as I have. I'm proud to know the both of you.

Congrats, Parker and Jase, thank you for becoming four-time state champions, for making your dreams come true and, most of all, for being exactly who you are. Thank you, Parker and Jase, for representing Havre High, the Blue Ponies and our community in the manner in which you do.

Thank you and best of luck with the incredibly bright futures both of you now have in front of you.

State Wrestling 2017

The Drive for Five

Ponies poised for yet another Class A wrestling title run in Billings Chris Peterson

Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com Over the years, the Havre High wrestling team has made plenty of history under head coach Scott Filius. But this weekend, the Blue Ponies, as both a team and as individuals, will have a chance to break new ground.

As a team, the Ponies will head to the Rimrock Auto Arena at the Metra in Billings in search of a school-record fifth straight Class A state championship.

That’s one record-setting possibility. The other is one that will captivate the entire audience at the All-Class state tournament as HHS seniors Parker Filius and Jase Stokes try to achieve the rare feet of becoming fourtime individual champions. They will also become the first Havre wrestlers to ever do so.

Havre’s drive for five state championships, along with the four-time pursuit by Stokes and Filius will get underway Friday at 10 a.m., with the parade of athletes. Matches at the AllClass state tournament start at 10:20. Finals night is set to begin Saturday at 3:30 p.m.

“I try to think about this team like I do all the teams I have taken down there,” HHS head coach Scott Filius said. “We want to go down there and wrestle to our ability and hopefully good things

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Havre High sophomore Martin Wilkie, right, is a returning Class A state champion, and one of the top wrestlers in all of Montana. Wilkie is also one piece of a powerful Blue Pony team gunning for its fifth straight state championship Friday and Saturday in Billings. For more on the Ponies, see Page B2.

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Havre High senior, Dane Flammond is gunning for his first state championship Friday and Saturday in Billings.

will happen.”

After cruising to another divisional championship last week in Glendive, the Ponies head to the Metra on a roll. They will bring three returning state champions into the competition Friday and a total of 14 wrestlers.

Havre was slated to bring 15 wrestlers to the tournament, but 182-pounder Tyler Schaub, who won an individual state championship in 2016, was a late scratch due to an injury he suffered during football season.

“He’s pretty tore up about it,” Filius said of Schaub. “But he just couldn’t do it. He just wasn’t healthy.”

Schaub would have given Havre four returning state champions, instead HHS will wrestle with three: Parker Filius (145), Stokes (205) and Martin Wilkie (126).

Yet the Ponies have a slew of other wrestlers with previous success at the state tournament under their belt. Ryan Stewart placed as both a freshman and

sophomore. He will man the 113pound weight class this week.

Dane Flammond, who wrestles at 160 pounds is another.

Flammond has finished third in his last two state tournament appearances. This time around, the senior is hoping to cap his career by doing a couple things he never has: wrestle on finals night and win an individual championship.

“I expect him to,” Filius said.

“I think with those three seniors (Flammond, Stokes, Parker Fil-

ius) you would expect them all to. Over the last two years, they have lost two matches. Dane lost at the state tournament once, two years in a row. The other kids haven’t but that’s a pretty good group of kids right there.”

Flammond will be going for that elusive first championship, which is something some wrestlers never get. Stokes and Filius, on the other hand, are looking for their fourth championships, which would put them in elite company with the 27 previous wrestlers in the history of Montana high school wrestling to achieve the same feat. It would also set them apart as the first and only Havre wrestlers to do so. In all, four wrestlers are trying for the four-peat, with three in Class A. Stokes and Filius of course, as well as Belgrade's Sawyer Degan.

“It’s pretty exciting,” Parker Filius said. “But I am not just looking at it from a Havre perspective, other people have done it before. I am just going to try and treat it like another match.”

Yet with everything Havre has achieved under coach Filius over the last two decades and with all the great wrestlers that have been part of the Pony program, it’s hard to imagine any firsts still remaining.

“The big thing is that you can’t have an off day,” coach Filius said. “The first couple of years that (Stokes and Filius) went down there, they weren’t necessarily favored in their weight class, they just went down there without any mental

baggage and they continue to do that. But it’s hard. I have had a lot of great kids that missed one year or another and these guys just haven’t had an off day in the Metra yet.”

When asked how he always avoided those off days, Parker Filius said: “I have been around wrestling a lot, and my freshman year before the semis I made sure I looked up and saw everyone in the crowd and it just kind of put it in perspective that it’s just a match like anywhere else and that’s there a bunch of people here, so put on a show for them.”

With Filius, Stokes, Wilkie and Flammond all favored to take home individual titles, Havre could have a chance at tying its previous record of five, which is how many HHS captured in 2015 and 2016.

Wilkie, who won as a freshman last season, will be looking to reach the halfway mark of becoming a four-timer in his own right. The journey also starts for much-heralded freshman Quinn Reno, who will wrestle at 103 pounds and could run into his teammate, Cameron Pleninger at some point in the same weight class.

In addition to Reno and Pleninger, the Ponies will have two other freshmen making their first appearance at state in Connor Harris (132) and Mason Dionne. Senior Jared Sienkowski will wrestle in the heavyweight division for HHS, while Lane Paulson, who will be at 120 pounds, is another strong candidate to make the podium

Saturday night. Two other sophomores, Taylor Gopher at 170 pounds and Austin Ratliff, along with freshman Marc Ramirez (113), round out the rest of the roster for HHS. If Havre had its full roster of 15 wrestlers, it would rank second outright among Class A teams. However, Columbia Falls leads the way with 16 entered.

The Ponies are then tied with Polson and Frenchtown for the second highest number of entrants with 14. Hamilton, Dillon, Belgrade, Laurel, Sidney, Browning, Whitefish and Hardin all have at least 10.

But even with fewer wrestlers than Columbia Falls, Havre is the heavy favorite to win a fifth straight title and if it does, the only thing left to judge will be its place in history. Columbia Falls, Frencthown, Sidney, Glendive and Polson are all chasing the Ponies, but, none of them will likely catch up.

“I don’t know if it’s any more special than the year before,” coach Filius said. “Without the year before or the year before that you are never really on a streak so they are all special in their own right and every team is a little bit different, so it’s fun in its own way.”

Havre will begin its quest for a fifth straight Class A state championship Friday morning at 10:20 a.m. The championship round will take place Saturday at 3:30 p.m. All the action takes place in the Rimrock Auto Arena at the Metra in Billings.

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Monday, Feb. 27, 2017

STATE WRESTLING CHAMPS

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State Wrestling 2017 New faces, same powerful Ponies Havre has its big guns ready to make history, but the Ponies are also bringing a talented crop of state tourney newcomers

pretty easily, especially considering he has a bye in the first round. And while it won’t come easy overall, Flammond has likely saved his best for last, and no one should be surprised if he’s standing at the top of the podium Saturday night.

170 – Taylor Gopher, 7-10 Another youngster making his first trip to state, Gopher is probably a long shot this weekend. But he does wrestle for the Ponies and that means he’ll wrestle well. The bracket is tough however, with two state champs in Dillon’s Patrick Griffin and Stevensville’s Ben Crews, as well as Eastern A champ Wyatt Blythe. So this weekend will be a good experience for Gopher, and he certainly can’t be overlooked in the wrestlebacks either.

Gopher opens against Griffin, who won the 160-pound title last year.

George Ferguson

Havre Daily News sports editor gferguson@havredailynews.com Going into this weekend’s Class A state tournament in Billings, most experts, fans and even coaches from other schools probably feel that Havre High’s fifth straight state championship is a foregone conclusion. That’s what happens when you’ve been as dominant as the Blue Ponies have over the last 10-plus years.

In fact, just look at all the records Havre has already set.

With a team title this weekend, the Ponies will have 13, which will put them second all time to Butte High’s 17. A fifth straight title would also tie HHS for the third-longest winning streak in Montana at the state tournament, though the Ponies have some chasing to do as Butte High won 13 straight from 1980-1992. The Ponies also own the top three points totals in Class A history in 15 weight classes, including the record they set in 2009 when they scored 294.5 points. With 13 weight classes, Havre scored an incredible 297 points in 2015.

And those are just some of the remarkable feats the HHS wrestling team has already accomplished. And while the Ponies are the heavy favorites this weekend, they won’t take anything for granted, especially when Havre is taking eight of its 14 grapplers to state for the first time. Havre also brings back three returning state champs, and six wrestlers who scored points on last year’s title team. So, while the Ponies have dominated the competition all year long, and are set to make history yet again, this is certainly a new-look Havre High state team.

Here’s a glance at each Havre wrestler’s upcoming state tournament.

103 - Quinn Reno, 31-5 In his first season, Reno has been spectacular, winning an Eastern A title, and setting himself up for a run at a state championship as a freshman. As usual, there are no returning state champs in the weight class that is usually freshman heavy. And Reno is certainly a favorite.

However, Frenchtown’s Walker Dyer is unbeaten on the season, and he and

182 – Tyler Schaub, 3-4 Schaub suffered a knee injury during football season, and while he tried to give it a go the last two weeks, it just didn’t work out. So while he did qualify for state, he won’t be in the field this week. He won the 205-pound title a year ago, and his plan now his to come back strong for his senior season.

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Blue Pony Ryan Stewart, top, is just one of many Havre High grapplers who have a shot at an individual Class A state title this weekend. The Ponies are deep, talented and poised to put a plethora of grapplers on the medal stand by the end of the All-Class State Tournament, which runs Friday and Saturday in Billings. fellow HHS frosh Cameron Pleninger will probably be Reno’s biggest challengers. Reno begins his first state tourney with Columbia Falls’ Garhet Salminen.

103 – Cameron Pleninger, 26-5 A year ago, Havre won a state title without a 103-pounder. Now, the Ponies have two stalwarts there. Pleninger has been the backup most of the season at 103, but in this tournament, he’s anything but a backup. His goal is certainly to face teammate Quinn Reno in the final, just like they did a week ago in Glendive. And Frenchtown’s Walker Dyer might be the only one to stand in the way of that happening. They would meet in the semifinals. Pleninger starts his state tourney against Corvallis’ Will Flowers.

113 – Ryan Stewart, 31-7 Stewart is coming off a sixth-place finish at 113 a year ago. Now however, he comes in as one of the favorites.

Stewart has had a big junior season, and while he fell to Laurel’s Matt DeWitt in the Eastern A championship, there’s no reason to think Stewart doesn’t have a great shot at making it to finals night.

DeWitt is on the opposite side of the bracket, as is Hamilton standout Mike Golden and Polson’s Mateo Quinones. So Stewart’s first big test should come in the semis where he will likely see Frenchtown’s Jake Bibler, who is unbeaten this season. Stewart starts his state tourney against Dillon’s Luke Huffaker.

113 – Marc Ramirez, 23-11 One of Havre’s big group of first-timers at state, Ramirez is hoping to score big bonus points for the Ponies. He finished third at the Eastern A, but his bracket in Billings is tough with DeWitt and Golden in his half. He also opens with Frenchtown backup Kelson Bauman in the first round, and that match won’t be easy either. Still, Ramirez should find his way to plenty of points this weekend, and possibly even a spot on the podium.

120 – Lane Paulson, 33-12 Paulson has grown by leaps and bounds this season. Not only physically, but in his wrestling, too. He’s been one of the top-ranked 120-pounders all season long, and while he dropped a heartbreaker to Belgrade’s John Mears last week in Glendive, Paulson has aspirations of getting to final’s night. His road will be tough with Dillon’s Dante Venema on his half of the draw, while Mears and Columbia Falls’ Winfield West are the big guns on the other side. But there’s no doubt, Paulson has an excellent chance to get to, and even win the final, only adding to Havre’s immense firepower this weekend. Paulson starts his state tourney against Frenchtown’s Auston Stevens.

126 – Martin Wilkie, 39-1 After winning the 120-pound state title as a freshman, Wilkie is now on his four-time quest officially. His sophomore campaign has been nothing short of dominant, with only a loss at the Tri-

State Tournament on his resume. And in Billings this weekend, there are no real threats either, as Wilkie is simply the best 126-pounder in Montana, in any classification. As for potential challengers, only Butte Central’s Clay Fisher and Hamilton’s Bridger Williams stand out on the other half of the draw. Wilkie starts his quest for a second straight state title against Whitefish’ Sidney Cooke.

gunning for not only a perfect season, but also to join the four-time state champion list. So he’ll see potential threats in unbeaten Ben Windauer of Columbia Falls and Dillon’s Drew Schmitt. But the bottom line is, Filius is the man, and that won’t change this weekend. He begins his quest for four against Polson’s Caleb Unger.

132 – Connor Harris, 25-19

Another first-timer for the Ponies, Dionne should make a push for the podium this weekend. He’s a big, strong talent with length which makes him hard to wrestle. His bracket does include defending state champ Brent Tezak of Dillon, as well as standout Mason Fetters of Columbia Falls, who he would see in the second round. But Dionne certainly has the firepower to make a lot of noise this weekend, and set the tone for a bright future in the Metra.

Dionne opens the state tourney against Stevensville’s Isaak Maxfield.

Harris mans Havre’s 132-pound spot alone, and he could be one of the Ponies’ real dark horses this weekend. The finals probably aren't in the cards as Harris will see defending state champion Travis Kinn of Glendive in the quarterfinals. Kinn and Lewistown’s Caleb Birdwell are expected to meet in the finals of this bracket, a bracket that also includes unbeaten Riley Gurr of Frenchtown. However, after finishing third at the Eastern A, Harris could score plenty of bonus points for the Ponies, and he’s certainly capable of a top-six finish. Harris faces Hamilton’s Adrian Garcia in the first round.

145 – Parker Filius, 36-0 There isn’t much to say about Filius’ bracket. Simply put, Filius is probably the single best wrestler to step on the mat in the Metra this weekend, and that’s at any weight and in any class.

He’s unbeaten on the season, and outside of a couple of finals in Idaho and Missoula, he hasn’t even been pushed.

Of course, Filius won’t take a single match for granted, especially when he’s

152 – Mason Dionne, 27-18

160 – Dane Flammond, 35-6 If any Blue Pony is going to feel some pressure this weekend, it’s Flammond.

But that’s also OK with him. Flammond has suffered heartache in the semifinals the last two seasons, and now, as a senior, he has one last shot at an elusive state championship. Flammond is coming off a divisional title, and the opponent he beat, Glendive’s Tyler Clapp, may be his biggest challenger, though Polson’s Hunter Fritsch is the top seed from the West and is undefeated. Flammond wouldn’t see either of those two until the finals, a spot he should get to

205 – Jase Stokes, 34-1 Havre has two wrestlers attempting to make history this weekend in Billings.

Stokes is one of them. In his previous three state championships, he’s won every match but one by pinfall. This season, with just one loss on his resume, Stokes has been incredibly dominant, while moving up in weight. He was even undefeated in four heavyweight matches. So don’t be surprised if he makes his fourth state title look like a breeze, too.

Still, there are challengers, including Whitefish star Travis Catina and Hamilton’s Justin Hinson. But at the end of the day, Stokes towers above all, and on Saturday night, there’s no reason to think it won’t be a very historic night for him, and the Blue Ponies. Stokes begins his quest for four against Hamilton’s Bailey Hayes.

205 – Austin Ratliff, 15-14 Ratliff is making his first appearance at state, and being in Stokes’ bracket means he won’t have a chance at a state championship. But he could definitely reach the podium this weekend.

If he gets past Stevi’s Jordan Thomas in the first round, he’ll have to face Stokes in the quarters, but after that, Ratliff should be on track to place.

285 – Jared Sienkowski, 24-20 Havre has had a lot of success at heavyweight in the state tournament. And Sienkowski is hoping to carry on that tradition. It’s his first trip to state, but he’s had a strong senior season, and his bracket is really wide open. Corvallis’ Garret Hunt is probably the favorite, but there are a handful of wrestlers in this bracket who could contend and Sienkowski is certainly one of them.

He’ll open against Hamilton’s Kyle Anderson.

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2017 Class A

Monday, Feb. 27, 2017

STATE WRESTLING CHAMPS

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Four-timers aren't new to the Hi-Line, but this week is different From the Fringe...

George Ferguson Sports Editor

There are plenty of distinguished records when it comes to high school athletics in Montana. But perhaps no list is as distinguished as the one two Havre High wrestlers are on the verge of joining this weekend.

As it stands, 27 wrestlers in Montana high school history have won four consecutive individual state championships.

It’s a list that spans generations, and started over 50 years ago when Missoula’s Gene Davis became the first to do it in 1963.

Now, Havre High’s Parker Filius and Jase Stokes have the opportunity to etch their names into the most prestigious list in high school wrestling, and high school sports for that matter.

Should Filius and Stokes win their respective weight classes Saturday afternoon inside the Rimrock Auto Arena in Billings, they’ll not only become four-timers, but they’ll somewhat become Havre High’s first four-time state champions.

It’s funny to think that way given all the success the Blue Pony wrestling program has had over the years, and I even got an email from a resident Blue Pony fan not long ago saying he just couldn’t believe Havre has never had a fourtime champion before.

Well, mostly, it’s completely true. Havre has had a plethora of three-time champs, including Chris Recio most recently, as well as Matt Schnittgen, Evan Hinebauch, Terry Richardson and Nate Flesche, who was the first Blue Pony to accomplish that feat in 1990. Of course, Filius and Stokes are already on that list, too.

However, the incredible list of four-time state champs in Montana wrestling history actually

Havre Daily News/File Photo Chinook's Ben Stroh brought the four-time state wrestling champions list to the Hi-Line when he completed the feat in 2012. Two Havre Blue Ponies, Parker Filius and Jase Stokes, are looking to join the list at this weekend's state tourney, which runs Friday and Saturday at the Metra in Billings. For much more on the state tournament, see Thursday's Havre Daily News.

does have Havre High’s name on it, not once, but twice.

In 1979 and 1980, Matt Campbell won back-to-back Class AA state championships for the Blue Ponies, and in 1984 and 1985, his younger brother T.J. did the same. However, both Campbell brothers would eventually move from Havre and complete their four-time careers. Matt won his last two state titles at Missoula Hellgate, while T.J. completed his four-time run with Flathead High in Kalispell.

So while Filius and Stokes could be the first all Havre High four-timers, the list still has plenty of Hi-Line names on it.

Interestingly, it took 10 years after Davis became the first four-time champion for it to happen again. And then, the third member of the list was from the Hi-Line, as Chester’s Colin Lybeck won four tiles from 1974-1977. Matt Campbell was just the fifth Montanan to complete the feat and T.J. was the next. From there, it would be quite a long stretch before another local product was able to accomplish it.

Between 1987 and 2012, 13 wrestlers joined the list, but none from Havre or the HiLine. Of course, in 2012, that all changed, as four grapplers

won their fourth straight state title on the same night. In that group was Chinook’s Ben Stroh, who won four straight titles from 2009-2012, and went undefeated for three straight seasons. Stroh, who now wrestles for MSU-Northern, also set the national high school record for pins in a career, among his many incredible accomplishments, and he brought the fourtime list to the Hi-Line.

There’s also been plenty of other four-time champions who have a connection to Havre through their collegiate careers at Northern. Currently, Stroh and Northern sophomore

Matt Weber are members of the Lights’ team on the list. Former Lights who have accomplished the feat also include the Campbell’s, Butte High’s Eric Dunmire and Poplar’s Hunter Azure.

But, one thing none of the guys who have done it that have any connection to the Hi-Line have in common is none of them were wearing a Blue Pony singlet their senior year when they accomplished the magical feat.

And it is a magical feat. In my years of covering the AllClass state tournament, I’ve actually witnessed the feat 13 times, starting with the night

when Skyview teammates Joe Lauer and Beau Malia did it together. What a night that was.

And Stroh, well, he finally gave me the opportunity to cover a four-time champion. I think, following his amazing accomplishment, I thanked him probably 100 times because I had wanted to write about a local product doing it for so long.

Yes, watching any wrestler achieve the four-time thing is amazing. It’s a historical moment, it’s as special as special gets, whether they are local or not. It’s an amazing achievement, and one that should never be taken lightly, no matter how big the list gets.

But this weekend in Billings will be different for Havre High and its fans. It will be different because for two days, Havre High’s crew at the state tourney will be on pins and needles, on the edge of their seats, waiting, hoping for that moment, that moment that’s been so long in the making.

Parker Filius and Jase Stokes each have four more matches to get there. Four more victories to put their names on that list.

And while I won’t jinx them by saying it’s a forgone conclusion, because nothing in sports ever is, Saturday night in Billings should be a special one for Havre High — even with all the incredible things the Pony wrestling program has already achieved over the years, this moment, this weekend is going to be extra special.

Yes, there’s been local wrestlers who have made their way onto the four-time list. And, yes, Havre fans who have been traveling to Billings for the better part of two decades have seen a grappler or two accomplish this incredible feat. But this time, thanks to Stokes and Filius, it’s Havre’s turn.

It’s Havre’s turn to feel what it feels like to stand up and applaud the greatest individual accomplishment in Montana high school sports.

And this time, hopefully, Havre fans will get to do it, get to see it twice.

A8

2017 Class A

Monday, Feb. 27, 2017

STATE WRESTLING CHAMPS

www.havredailynews.com

DESTINY FULFILLED Through a deep passion for the sport, one which runs deep in his family, and an unmatched work ethic, Parker Filius has achieved exactly the kind of high school wrestling career he always dreamed he would.

And, he's not done yet.

When talking about great athletes, a lot of times it’s said that they have “it,” without really knowing what it is referring to. But whatever “it” is, Parker Filius has it in bunches.

That so-called “it” factor alludes to talents and skills that are simply unmeasurable. One can measure height and find out weight on a scale, but how do you assess heart, passion, desire and competitiveness? How can you know if someone truly has what it takes to be a champion?

It’s a question that has fooled talent evaluators in every sport and at every level. But when it comes to Filius, it would take a fool not to see it.

“What sets him apart is his competitiveness,” Montana State University-Northern wrestling head coach Tyson Thivierge said. “And he’s a nerd. I’m going to flat-out call him a nerd. He studies wrestling, he watches wrestling, he talks to wrestling people, he watches them, I mean, the kid is a coach’s dream.

You are never going to have to worry about Parker because he is always going to do the right things, inside the room and outside of it.

He’s an all-around class act.”

It may seem funny to call Filius a nerd, but when it comes to wrestling, it’s true. He may be a technician on the mat, but he’s also a master tactician and that’s one of the reasons beating him has proven to be so difficult.

“Being a four-timer (state champion) really has nothing to do with the level that Parker is on,” Thivierge said. “He’s on that level because he’s a sponge. He eats, sleeps and breathes wrestling. He wants to be the best and that’s what sets him apart from everyone else. He doesn’t just talk the talk, he does everything he can to walk the walk.

“Parker, you can’t faze him. You can’t rattle him,” Thivierge added.

“And if you do, he’s back to the drawing board. He looks at every

match and just takes it one match at a time and doesn’t get too hyped up about it.”

The incredible mental and physical prowess Filius has on the mat, has served him well over the years.

At his first state tournament, despite going in as the No. 2 ranked wrestler in Class A at 138 pounds, Filius captured his first state championship. Since then, he has put together a record of 125-8, plus two more state championships.

“My freshman year the semis and the finals, those were probably my toughest matches at the state tournament,” Filius said. “In the semis, I beat a pretty tough kid from Corvallis. I ended up getting a major (decision), but it was a tough match. Then in the finals, I beat a pretty tough kid from Sidney. I don’t know if I was supposed to win or not. He had made the finals I think three times, but I got an early takedown and was able to get a fall in the second period.”

During his state tournament career, Filius has gotten quite a few wins by fall. As a freshman, he got three in an average of 2:47.

As a sophomore, he won three of his four matches by pin, and it took him just 58 seconds on average to do so. Then, as a junior, he got two pins in an average of 43 seconds, as well as two technical falls, in which he outscored his opponents 37-5 in just more than five minutes of wrestling.

“My goal is just to take it one match at a time,” Filius said. “And try to score as many points as I can.”

Part of what makes Filius so good is that he’s never satisfied.

He’s always looking for his next challenge. That drive to succeed is something that he’s had for a long time according to his mother, Kari Filius.

“He impresses me on how much he works all the time,” Kari Filius said. “He’s just never satisfied. At home, him and Scott (Filius) talk wrestling all the time. He just nev-

Story by Chris Peterson

Photos by Colin Thompson

er quits. At night, when we are all getting ready for bed, he will say, ‘Oh, I’ll get to bed. I just need to watch one more match.’ It’s been like that and it’s like that all the time. He just loves wrestling, and I’ve never seen anyone like that.

He just never gets tired of it.”

Kari Filius said it used to be her husband, Scott Filius, Parker’s head coach, who could never stop talking about wrestling — now it’s her son.

“Even Scott will get sick of it sometimes,” she said, chuckling.

“And Scott was the guy that we we would be sitting there saying ‘Do we have to talk about wrestling?’

And now even Scott will say something like, ‘I know Parker, I need a break.’ (Parker) is just over the top and he’s just never gets tired of talking about it or doing it. It’s just crazy. I've never seen anyone like that.”

For Parker, his love of wrestling goes back a long time. Yet his affinity for the sport, didn’t always translate to success, at least not early on.

“That’s the funny thing,” Kari Filius said. “He started out when he was 5 and he loved it. He had fun, but he lost a lot when he was 5 and 6. I’m not sure if he just didn’t quite understand it, but Scott would always ask him if he had fun and Parker would say ‘Yeah, I had fun,’ but he lost a lot. Then, all of a sudden, he got more motivated and figured it out and started working harder.”

After that, Parker started winning more, but as he did, he sought out more challenges, too.

“When he was around 7, 8 and 9, he won a lot more, but he still lost,” Kari Filius said. “But Scott always made sure, if he was undefeated in Montana, he would take him somewhere where someone could beat him and then he would know he still had work to do. Scott didn’t want him to think he was great and could beat everybody, and to Scott’s credit, I think that’s one of

the things that has really helped Parker see that there is more out there.”

While Parker Filius started to show his promise in grade school, middle school was when he really started to blossom. It was also when he started dreaming big.

“He went to North Carolina when he was in eighth grade for the Super 32, that was his first big tournament,” Kari Filius said. “He did really well and took fifth, but he still wasn’t satisfied. But that’s when he really started doing the extra things and working really hard.

And I don’t think he ever told Scott, but he told me in eighth grade that he wanted to be a four-time champion.

“I told him that was a good goal and I didn’t want to discourage him, but I knew that was a high goal,” she added. “But he has had those goals since around eighth grade and that’s kind of when I started thinking, he could be something.”

Of course, it’s one thing to set goals, it’s another thing to achieve them. And when it comes to achieving his goals, there have been two things that stand out for Parker Filius among the others: his desire and his work ethic.

“I have had some really good kids over the years,” Scott Filius said. “But the thing that has set Parker apart is that he really took ownership of his wrestling at a very early age. He has been very self-motivated to be a student of the sport. A lot of times, you will get kids that are hard to coach for one reason or another, and he can be a pain as well as anybody, but generally, he’s asking questions and pushing the envelope with technique far above what we have set for everyone else.”

Some people are just made to do certain things and it seems, with Parker Filius, he was made to wrestle.

“He just loves it and has set big goals for himself, Kari Filius said.

“He told me when he was a sopho-

more he wanted to be a D1 (NCAA Division 1) wrestler and then an All-American and a national champion. When he has a goal, I believe in him that he’s going to achieve it.”

While Filius has already achieved his goal of getting a scholarship from a division one school in Purdue, which resides in the Big Ten, he can achieve another goal this weekend in Billings, one he set out to get a long time ago.

“Right now, I think it would mean a lot,” Parker Filius said.

“But next year, I will just be a freshman in a new program and the new kid on the block and what I did in high school isn’t going to matter.”

His college career is fast approaching and his days as a Blue Pony are numbered. Yet he still has four matches to go and plenty left to do.

“I will be happy for him,” Kari Filius said. “But it will be sad, too.

We have been doing this for 12 years.

I don’t know if Scott feels the same way, but it will be kind of hard. But I will be happy to see him achieve what he has wanted for so long.”

As far as how Scott Filius feels, he said simply: “Ask me once it’s over.”

For Parker Filius, he’s ready for the end, too. Not just to achieve one of his biggest goals, but to get on to the next one, like always, Filius has a destiny. He’s already fulfilled some of it. He’ll fulfull more of it this weekend, and then a collegiate destiny awaits.

“It flew by pretty quick,” Filius said. “It feels like I was just a freshman. But (being a four-timer) would be a great way to end my high school career, it will be a lot of fun.”

Achieving one of your dreams, in front of the thousands who will watch finals night at the Metra sounds plenty fun and for Parker Filius, there couldn’t possibly be a better way to spend a Saturday night.

B1

2017 Class A

Monday, Feb. 27, 2017

STATE WRESTLING CHAMPS

www.havredailynews.com

Talent equals History Havre High senior Jase Stokes' true love might be football, but because of his incredible ability, he's still one of the greatest wrestlers in Blue Pony history. And this weekend in Billings, he is four wins away from becoming a rare, four-time state champion Story by Chris Peterson Photos by Colin Thompson If being a four-time state champion was easy, then more than 27 wrestlers would have done it in the history of Montana High School wrestling.

The fact is, winning state championships, as a team or as an individual, is incredibly difficult.

But being a four-time individual wrestling champion, which is what Havre’s Jase Stokes will be gunning for in Billings at the All-Class State tournament, is a different matter entirely.

Certainly, it’s not easy, not even close.

“It takes a lot of hard work,” Stokes said. “We have definitely put in a lot of hard work this year and we try to peak for the state tournament, so hopefully everything turns out good. The Metra is a special place and has always given me that extra boost to get it done.”

Stokes is right, it’s far from easy.

To be a four-time individual state champion, a wrestler must win 16 matches over four years; go from his freshman season through his senior year without an off night, without losing a match at the state tournament.

Yet through three years, Stokes has navigated that route to perfection. And now he finds himself, along with fellow senior Parker Filius, four wins away from doing something no Blue Pony has ever done before.

“They don’t just give them to you,” Havre junior Tyler Schaub said of individual state championships. “You have to earn them, and Jase has put in a lot of work over the years.

He works hard every single day and he deserves it.”

Schaub, who is Stokes’ stepbrother, knows a thing or two about state titles. He won one last season and over the years, he has gotten to know just how good Stokes has become.

“His cradle is deadly,” Schaub said referring to Stokes' patented move on the mat. “He could choke you out with that thing.

He’s just so strong.”

Of course, the biggest challenge for Stokes or any wrestler attempting to become a fourtime champion, is winning the first one. It’s almost always the hardest to get. But for Stokes, it seemed to come easy.

As a freshman, he wrestled at 160 pounds, and Stokes cruised to his first individual crown and did so with four pins, including a pin of Bryan Schaffer of Columbia Falls in 4:50 in the final.

“I was pretty shocked myself when I won my freshman year,” Stokes said. “I don’t think anyone was thinking that, maybe my coaches. Your freshman year, everyone is tough, everyone is stronger than you, you just have to technically beat them. So I definitely surprised myself.”

After getting his first state title in the 2014 state tournament, Stokes went for number two in 2015 and won in even more dominating fashion. As a sophomore, he again pinned all of his opponents, with the longest match lasting 3:29.

In the final, Stokes pinned Doug Rooney of Sidney and he did it in just 1:21. The victory gave him his second state title and also clinched a third-consecutive team title for the Ponies.

“Honestly, it was after my second year that I really started to think about it (four-time),”

honors on both sides of the ball and also earned a scholarship to play on the gridiron at Montana Tech.

Ultimately, because of his care-free spirit, Stokes’ work ethic is overlooked, but according to his head coach, you shouldn’t let his fun-loving attitude make you think twice

He's god-awful strong and super competitive. If Jase put the time into wrestling like he did in football, you'd be looking at a heavily recruited Division I athlete as well.

Tyson Thivierge MSU-Northern head wrestling coach

Stokes said. “That was when I thought I had a chance. But it was really after my freshman year that I really started to own my workouts. You have to put that extra work in to get to the top and that’s finally when I realized that I had that opportunity.”

Stokes, who has starred in both football and wrestling for the Ponies, is no stranger to working hard. That hard work has translated not just to success on the mat but on the football field as well. This past season, Stokes earned All-State

about his dedication.

“Jase loves to compete,” HHS head coach Scott Filius said.

“Jase wants to fool ya, but he very much enjoys working hard. The thing I enjoy the most about Jase is that he’s fun. We have a staff that is very versed in knowledge and we have a lot of fun-loving guys and Jase is very much involved with that, so he’s been a lot of fun to be around.”

Hard work is one thing, but talent is another, some have it, some don’t. Stokes has it and in terms of raw ability on the

mat, he has been blessed with talents few can equal.

“Jase is a very good high school kid,” Filius said. “But he’s just scratching the surface of what he could be. He’s put some efforts in other directions and he does well in those things, too, and I don’t want to take away from that, but if he had been eye-ball deep and in it (wrestling) like Parker, he would be in the same boat.”

Montana State UniversityNorthern wrestling head coach Tyson Thivierge, who recruited Stokes to wrestle for the Lights, happens to agree.

“He’s just got a lot of natural talent,” Thivierge said. “He’s a football player that has a lot of natural wrestling ability.

He’s god-awful strong and super competitive and those are pretty important things when you are looking at someone wrestling at the collegiate level. Jase has all the tools, and I don’t even think he has tapped into how truly good he could be as a wrestler, and I think that’s ’cause he wants to play football.

“Especially at our level both (Parker Filius and Stokes) could have been multiple-time national champions, they are just gifted,” he added. “If Jase put in the time to wrestling, like he did in football, you are looking at a heavily recruited Division I athlete as well.”

The thought that Stokes has massive amounts of untapped potential can’t be a comforting thought for the many opponents

who have tried to beat him over the years and failed. But it’s a testament to just how good he’s been. And even if he hasn’t reached his peak, it hasn’t stopped him from dominating the competition. This season, he has just one loss, for his career just a handful.

However, one match Stokes almost lost, was his final against Connor Murdoch of Hardin in the 2016 state tournament. After dominating his first three opponents en route to the championship, Stokes notched three pins and won his matches in a combined 2:13. But even still, his showdown with Murdoch would prove to be the most challenging of his career at state.

At one point, Stokes even trailed. But even without his best stuff, he was able to persevere and notch a 7-4 win by decision. It’s the only state tourney match the three-time state champion didn’t win by pinfall and it’s also the victory that set the stage for his shot at winning number four.

“That was definitely my toughest match,” Stokes said.

“He was even beating me at one point. I am not sure if it was something I ate, but I just felt off. The atmosphere was there, I just didn’t feel right, but I was able to put it together at the end and get it done.”

Unlike many others, Stokes was able to overcome his off night. He was able to win, when he wasn’t at his best. That’s what great athletes are able to do. And according to Thivierge,

that’s the kind of thing it takes to be a four-timer.

“Kids that don’t fold under pressure; kids that don’t shy away from the limelight,” Thivierge said when asked what makes a four-time champion.

“You need someone that doesn’t allow that pressure to get to them.”

With a perfect 12-0 mark at the state tournament, three state titles, four divisional championships and hundreds of victories, many coming by pin, Stokes has proven his ability to handle the pressure. The question is, with the chance to make history, can he do it one last time?

“I am excited for it and it’s something that will mean a lot,” Stokes said. “It’s going to be bittersweet, since it will be my last time wrestling and there is some pressure obviously, but I have been pretty comfortable at the Metra and I am just going to go in and try to wrestle like it’s any other match.”

Regardless of what Stokes says, his final trip to the state tournament won’t be like any other and if it goes as planned, for he and Parker Filius, their experience will be the first of its kind, for any Havre wrestler.

“Whichever one of us gets there first won’t really matter,” Stokes said. “Obviously, we have to get there first, but I don’t think it will matter which one of us does it. It will be special either way. It will be like nothing I have ever experienced before.”

B2

2017 Class A

STATE WRESTLING CHAMPS

Monday, Feb. 27, 2017

www.havredailynews.com

One down, one to go: Blue Ponies crush the Eastern A

Chris Peterson

Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com The Havre High wrestling team dominated the first installment of the Eastern A wrestling meet one year ago, and Saturday in Glendive, the Blue Ponies put together an impressive repeat performance.

Havre won the tournament going away, with 294 points, compared to 166 for second-place Hardin and 162 for third-place Glendive. The Ponies crowned five individual champions and qualified 15 wrestlers for the Class A state meet which starts Friday in Billings.

Both Parker Filius (145) and Jase Stokes (205) won their fourth-consecutive divisional titles at the tournament and are now set up as top seeds in their attempts to become four-time individual state champions.

Fellow senior Dane Flammond (160) joined them, also winning a second straight title at the Eastern A, as did Martin Wilkie in the 126-pound weight class. The other individual champion for Havre was Quinn Reno, who defeated teammate Cameron Pleninger in the 103pound championship, which was an all freshmen final.

“I thought that it was a good weekend for all of our kids,” HHS head coach Scott Filius said. “Our good kids did very well and our young kids wrestled up to their ability. I don’t think we had two matches all day that I felt bad about, so yeah, it was a good day.”

The Ponies had two others make the finals in Ryan Stewart at 113 pounds and Lane Paulson at 120 pounds. Both finished second in their respective weights, while Marc Ramirez (113), Connor Harris (132) and Mason Dionne (152) all finished third.

Havre also qualified four other wrestlers for the state tournament. One of them was defending state champion Tyler Schaub, who finished sixth at 182 pounds. At 205 pounds, Austin Ratliff finished fifth, and at 170 pounds, Taylor Gopher was eighth. In the heavyweight class, Jared Sienkowski finished seventh.

“Any time you can gets kids down there (Billings),” Filius said. “Some kids go down there and they embrace it, but more often than not, you have to look at the big lights a few times. So the sooner you get kids down

Reno

Wilkie

there, the more you will get out of them in the long run.”

Havre, the four-time defending Class A state champions, and who have now won divisional championships for more than a decade straight, will begin its title defense Friday at the AllClass state wrestling tournament. But that doesn’t mean that the Ponies will change their approach.

“We aren’t going to change much,” Filius said. “We practice every day and we try to hit all three, you know your technique, conditioning, and then just grinding and we will continue to do that.”

The action at the state tournament will take place Friday and Saturday inside the Rimrock Auto Arena at the Metra in Billings.

Northern B-C More local grapplers are also heading to Billings this weekend via Saturday’s Northern B-C divisional in Shelby.

At the tournament, Harlem finished eighth with 74 points, Chinoon was ninth with 69, Fort Benton was 10th with 43, Chester-Joplin-Inverness was 11th with 12 and Hays-Lodge Pole was last with five points. Fairfield-Simms edged Malta with 182 points. The Mustangs scored 178.

Harlem qualified six wrestlers for state, getting an individual title from Gavin Horn at 113 pounds. Reece Hutton finished second at 205 as well. As expected, Chinook’s Tate Niederegger won his fourth straight divisional title, as he won the 145-pound Northern B-C title. However, the Beeters are sending just three grapplers to state, so defending their 2016 Class C title will be difficult. Fort Benton also qualified three for state and CJI will send one wrestler to the meet, which runs Friday and Saturday at the Billings Metra.

Editor’s note: Havre Daily News sports editor George Ferguson con-

Jase Stokes ~ 4X State Champion

Filius

Flammond

tributed to this story.

Eastern A in Glendive Team Scores – 1. Havre 294.0; 2. Hardin 166.0; 3.

Glendive 162.5; 4. Laurel 161.0; 5. Belgrade 139-0; 6. Sidney 133.5; 7. Lewistown 129.0; 8. Livingston 102.0; 9. Browning 99.5; 10. Billings Central 66.0; 11. Miles City 50.5.

103 First – Quin Reno, Hav tf. Cameron Pleninger, Hav 15-0 Third – Kaiden Cline, Sid dec. Braxton Scheeler, MC 1-0 Fifth – Aden Rogge, Liv dec. Keith Pretty Weasel, Har 4-0 Seventh – Garret Sletten, Lau p. JC Larson, Bro 2:08 113 First – Matthre DeWitt, Lau p. Ryan Stewart, Hav 5:04 Third – Marc Ramirez, Hav dec. Adam Bankert, Liv 2-0 Fifth – Everett Johnson, Sid p. Austin Rollins, Bel :54 Seventh – Roystanlee Deguzman, Bel p. Alex Derbyshire, BC 2:54 120 First – John Mears, Bel md. Lane Paulson, Hav 10-2 Third – Keagan Campbell, Lau p. Tanner Mannin, Lew :37 Fifth – Gage Meyer, Bel, p. Caleb Gilliand, Liv 2:21 Seventh – Jake Murnion, MC forfeit over Trajen Calica 126 First – Martin Wilkie, Hav p. Sean Comstock, BC 1:47 Third – Ethan Boyce, BC dec. Brendan Gill, Liv 8-3 Fifth – Brandon Rockwell, Bel dec. Payten Batalden, Lau 3-1 Seventh – Keagan Thompson, Lau p. Tommy Campbell, Bro 2:45 132 First – Caleb Birdwell, Lew dec. Travis Kinn Gle 7-5 Third – Connor Harris, Hav p. Matt Glennon, Lau 2:38 Fifth – Jose Rodriquez, BC md. Kaid Campbell, MC 11-3 Seventh – Aaron Wells, Bro p. Ashton Swenson, Sid 2:43 138 First – Sawyer Degen, Bel dec. Ben Stortz, Gle 10-3 Third – Jace Winter, Sid p. Duane Otto II, Lew 2:53 Fifth – Conner Schwend, Har p. Austin NewBreast, Bro 2:24 Seventh – Jacob Morgan, BC dec. Kayne Johnson, Lau 5-1 145 First – Parker Filius, Hav p. Bryce Roan, Har 1:33 Third – Jace Johnson, Sid dec. Brandon Held, Gle 4-3 Fifth – Chase Farrar, Lew dec. RJ Gill, Lau 7-3

Stokes

Pleninger

Stewart

Paulson

Ramirez

Harris

Dionne

Schaub

Ratliff

Sienkowski

Gopher

Seventh – JJ Thomas, Bro p. Joel Raisler, MC 4.25 152 First – Brenden Roan, Har p. Mason Fend, Lau 1:34 Third – Mason Dionne, Hav p. Brandt Ackerman, Glen 5:25 Fifth – Calvin Racine, Bro p. Avery Gurney, Sid 2:40 Seventh – Ray Knerr, Liv p. Eric Amaya, Bel 3:45

NORTHERN B-C at Shelby

160 First – Dane Falmmond, Hav tf. Tyler Clapp, Gle 15-0 Third – Alex Wickens, Lew p. Gidion Herbel, Har 5:12 Fifth – Jett Jones, Sid p. Emmit Augare, Bro :30 Seventh – Nick Verlanic, Lau dec. Ryan Kipp, Bro 10-3 170 First – Wyatt Blythe, Lew dec. Justin Zier, Har 12-8 Third – Nelson Crisafuli, Gle dec. Cameron Younger, Lau 7-2 Fifth – Steven Adams, Bel dec. Trevor Dean, Sid 7-3 Seventh – Thomas Cooper, BC dec. Taylor Gopher, Hav 13-8 182 First – Shane Bigson, Liv dec. Sawyer Thompson Sid 5-2 Third – Uriah Turner, Har dec. Brett McBurney, Lau 8-4 Fifth – Jermal Williams, Bel inj. Tyler Schaub, Hav Seventh – Casimir Melton, Gle p. Tyler Harms, MC 3:15 205 First – Jase Stokes, Hav p. Tyler Laverty, 4:25 Third – Brady Boyce, Lew p. Jesse Murdock, :39 Fifth – Austin Ratliff, Hav p. Will Caprata, 2:30 Seventh – Will Blewett, Bel p. Matt Fulton, 3:42

Liv Har Har Gle

285 First – Wacey Zuback, Bro p. Keegan Mires, Gle 5:10 Third – Grant Scalpcane, Har p. Eli Marley, Gle 4:56 Fifth – Ryan Horner, Sid p. Archie Swift, MC 1:33 Seventh – Jared Sienkowski, Hav p. Mason Roberts, BC 3:37

Team scores – 1. Fairfield-Simms 182; 2. MaltaWhitewater 178; 3. Valier 94; 4. Choteau 90; 5.

Shelby 88; 6. Conrad 84; 7. Cut Bank 79; 8. Harlem 74; 9. Chinook 69; 10. Fort Benton 43; 11. CJI 7; 12. Hays-Lodgepole 5.

103 First place –Connelley, Valier, p. Stratton, Chelby :29.

Third place –Jackson, HAR, bye.

113 First place – Horn, Harlem, p. Sanders, FairfieldSimms, 1:17.

Third place – Kirkaldie, Harlem, bye 120 First place –Schipman, Malta, d. Henderson, Choteau 5-3 Third place – Schnabel, Fort Benton, p. Johnson, Fairfield-Simms, 4:38 Fifth place – Richter, Conrad, p. Whitson, Shelby, 1:16 126 First place – Romas, Valier, p. Mears, Malta 5:20 Third place – Mishler, Fairfield-Simms, p. Andersen, Cut Bank, 2:40 Fifth place – Todd, Fort Benton, p. Barnhill, Conrad 4:43 132 First place – Moore, Malta p. Brusven, Shelby 5:07 Third place – Hauer, Chinook, p. Entz, FairfieldSimms 4:40 Fifth place – Barsness, Cut Bank, p. Decker, Fairfield-Simms 4:24 138 First place – Simanton, Malta, p. Giles, FairfieldSimms 1:46 Third place – Running Crane, Valier, d. White, Shelby 10-4 Fifth place – Tran, CJI, d. Larsonb, Shelby 10-3 145 First place– Niederegger, Chinook, p. Mears, Malta 5:15

Third place – Taylor, Fort Benton, d. Hansen, Shelby, 4-3 Fifth place – Maples, Choteau, by fft. over Staigmiller, Fairfield-Simms 152 First place – Peterman, Fairfield-Simms d. Anderson, Cut Bank 10-5 Third place – Finley, Choteau, p. VandenBos, Valier, 1:13 Fifth place –Anderson, Fairfield-Simms, p. Runs Above, Hays-Lodgepole 160 First place – Stone, Choteau, p. Seewald, Cut Bank, 2:42 Third place – Gentillion, Fairfield-Simms, p. Monroe, Valier :59 Fifth place – Dailey, Conrad, p. Davis, Fort Benton 3:50.

170 First place – Rauscher, Conrad, d. Anderson, Fairfield-Simms 6-0 Third place – Schipman, Malta, p. Lopez Malta 3:37 Fifth place – Ballard, Choteau, md. Colby Chinook 14-3.

182 First place – Epperson, Malta, p. Like, FairfieldSimms 1:17 Third place – Taylor, Shelby, p. Monroe, Valier :33 Fifth place – McCrea, Fairfield-Simmer bye 205 First place – Mycke, Conrad, p. Hutton, Harlem 3:32 Third place – Daley, Choteau, p. MacDonald, Fairfield-Simms 3:56 Fifth place – Swanson, Chinook, p. Benk, Malta 1:50 285 First place – Pfeifer, Cut Bank, p. Vanderbush, Conrad, 3:08 Third place – Humphreys, Harlem, p. Lawless, Malta :34 Fifth place – Werk, Malta, bye

B3

2017 Class A

Monday, Feb. 27, 2017

STATE WRESTLING CHAMPS

www.havredailynews.com

Trophy Time

Blue Ponies begin their annual postseason march to glory Havre grapplers are heavy favorites at Eastern A Divisional Chris Peterson

Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com These past few months, the Havre High wrestling team has undoubtedly performed at an extremely high level.

But that was the regular season. The Eastern A Divisional comes this Saturday in Glendive, with the Class A state meet to follow next weekend.

That means it’s time for the Blue Ponies to take their game to the next level, and there is no question that the four-time defending state champions are ready to do just that.

“I think the kids are looking forward to the conclusion,” HHS head coach Scott Filius said.

“They have put in a good season of work. There have been some ups and a few downs, but I think they are looking forward to putting on a show.”

The Ponies rolled to the Eastern A title in the first instance of the super-divisional format last year in Havre and are a heavy favorites to repeat.

Yet there will still be some solid competition in the form of Sidney, Laurel, Lewistown and Hardin.

“I would say Sidney had a nice bunch down at the Class A duals,” Filius said. “Laurel competes well, Hardin competes well, those three and Lewistown are probably the four teams I would look at. But you have to remember you are going into someone else’s house (Glendive), and they are going to want to put some knots in your head.”

However, just because the team competition may not be a nail-biter doesn’t mean the tournament isn’t important. As individuals, wrestlers need to finish in the top eight to get to state and the higher you finish, the better seed you get for the state tournament.

“There isn’t much for team depth,” Filius said. “But you have to go to divisionals and make sure that you get yourself set up for state. The higher you get seeded out of your divisional, the better your seed is at the state tournament.”

In all, Havre will bring 16 wrestlers with them to Glendive and four of them will be defending divisional championships

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Havre High's Ryan Stewart, left, is one of many Blue Pony grapplers who are favorites to win a Eastern A Divisional title this Saturday in Glendive. The Blue Ponies are also the heavy favorites in the team competition, just as they will be at next week's state tournament in Billings.

as Parker Filius (145), Martin Wilkie (126), Dane Flammond (160) and Jase Stokes (205) will all be in action. Tyler Schaub, a defending individual state champion, was second at divisionals a season ago, while Ryan Stewart, who will wrestle at 113 pounds Saturday, was third. Lane Paulson was the other returning wrestler to place at divisionals last year, as he finished sixth.

Beyond its seven individuals returning who placed last season, the Ponies will have a slew of other contenders in action including both Quinn Reno and Cameron Pleninger at 103 pounds, Connor Harris at 138 pounds, Mason Dionne at 152 pounds and Jared Sienkowski in

Parker Filius ~ 4X State Champion

the heavyweight division.

The rest of the lineup for HHS will include Marc Ramirez at 113 pounds, Shawn Sullivan at 126 pounds, Taylor Gopher at 170 pounds and Austin Ratliff at 205 pounds.

In addition to Sidney, Lewistown, Hardin and Laurel, Havre will also contend with Glendive, Billings Central, Miles City, Browning, Belgrade and Livingston for the team crown.

The goal for the Ponies beyond winning the team title, will be advancing as many of its 16 wrestlers to the state tournament as possible. Parker Filius, Stokes, Wilkie, Flammond, Schaub, Stewart and Paulson have all made previous trips to state, but Sienkowski, Reno,

Pleninger, Ramirez, Sullivan, Harris, Dionne, Gopher and Ratliff will all be looking to punch their ticket for the first time.

“I think we have a good chance to get most of them,”

Filius said. “But, yeah, that’s the goal is to try and get all those kids through to the state tournament.”

The Eastern A Divisional wrestling meet will get under-

way Saturday morning in Glendive. The top eight wrestlers in each weight will advance to next week's Class A state tournament in, which, as always, will be in Billings.

B4

2017 Class A

Monday, Feb. 27, 2017

STATE WRESTLING CHAMPS

www.havredailynews.com

Hi-Line Athlete Profile

Flammond has just one thing left to do Chris Peterson Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com When it comes to Dane Flammond, there is no question that he has had an outstanding high school wrestling career.

Yet even he will tell you, there is something missing from his resume and that is an individual state championship.

“That’s what I am keeping my focus on right now,” Flammond said as the Havre High wrestling team gets ready for the Eastern A Divisional this Saturday. “Last year, I came up short and this year, I really want to get to finals and take state.”

Flammond, who won a divisional title at 160 pounds last season, will look to win another one this weekend in Glendive. For him and all the Blue Ponies, divisionals is the true start on the path to state. Wrestlers have to finish in the top eight to earn a berth into the state tournament at the Class A level.

However, Flammond, who has finished third at state in each of the past two seasons, said for him, it just feels like another tournament.

“I want to win and I think it’s important,” Flammond said. “But it doesn’t have that same feel that state does.

There is just an electricity in the air at state that you can just feel. But I am looking forward to it. It’s exciting to see how far everyone has come and how much everyone has improved by the end of the year.”

While Flammond is looking for the perfect ending to his wrestling career, the truth is that he is more than a onesport athlete. The senior excelled on the football field this past season for the Ponies, earning Second-Team AllConference honors at linebacker in the Central A. He also played well as a running back and scored a number of rushing touchdowns.

With graduation upcoming, Flammond is also getting it done in the classroom and said he plans to attend Montana State University in Bozeman, where he said he will study engineering.

Flammond, who has had a stellar senior season in wrestling, finishing fourth at the Tri-State tournament in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, as well as second in the Jug Beck Rocky Mountain Classic in Missoula, is looking for just the right way to finish it — with a state championship.

That quest starts this week at divisionals, but before Flammond and Havre head to Glendive to take on the

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Havre High senior Dane Flammond, left, has had an incredible wrestling career, both individually and teamwise. But in the last two weeks of his final season, he's chasing just one thing, a Class A state championship. rest of the Eastern A, the Havre Daily News caught up the 160-pounder for five questions.

HDN: As of right now, what would you say is the biggest match that you have won?

Flammond: “It’s hard to say. There have been so many matches over the years. Any match and any personal win is very important to me.”

HDN: What do you think has been your best achievement so far?

Flammond: “I think my best accomplishment this year was taking fourth at Tri-State. That was a big accomplishment to me. Even though I did lose that last match, it was an accomplishment for me to get that far at TriState.”

State, you get that broad view. You get to see different wrestlers and different teams. I think it made me a better wrestler because it opened my eyes and made me realize how much better I needed to be to accomplish my goals in wrestling.”

that like, too, but most importantly, I think, he taught us hard work.”

HDN: How do you think wrestling in tough matches like that has helped you improve:

HDN: What do you think makes Scott Filius such a great coach?

Flammond: “It would mean the world to me. Just knowing that the last 10 or 15 years of hard work have paid off and there would be no better way to leave the wrestling season than with a divisional and state championship. That would be the greatest way to walk out of the sport that basically raised me.”

Flammond: “I think that it’s just shown me what’s out there. Sometimes, when I wrestle in some of these smaller tournaments, you don’t get that broader view, but you go to Tri-

Flammond: “I think a lot of it is just the way he can push us. The program that he has set up since we were young really is a big part of it. But he always pushed us and taught us hard work. He would teach us technique and things

HDN: What would it mean for you to win an individual state championship?

Malta invite caps wrestling's regular season Chris Peterson

Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com For the Havre High wrestling team, the end of the regular season is almost here. In fact, it comes this Saturday at the Malta Invitational.

Once again, the Blue Ponies have put together a dominant season. They have won every tournament but one and next week, they will head to Glendive for the Eastern A Divisional meet. But before that, they will have one last chance at a tuneup.

“You are always looking to get better,” HHS head coach Scott Filius said. “Right now, we have three weeks left and we are pointing towards individual kids and seeing what we can get cleaned up. We look at matches we may have lost from earlier in the year, matches where we may be able to turn around or separate one of the two.”

While the Malta invite won’t necessarily offer any difficult

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Havre senior Jared Seinkowski, top, and the top-ranked Blue Ponies will use Saturday's Malta Invitational as the final tune-up before the postseason begins next weekend.

team competition for Havre, the meet will feature both Malta and Glasgow. The Scotties were ranked sixth in a recent Class B-C poll and Malta, the host team was ranked eighth.

“There will be some great individuals,” Filius said. “You will get Choteau, Shepherd, you get the Hi-Line, Glasgow, we haven’t seen them yet this year. You get some really good individuals, but realistically there probably isn’t a solid team out there.”

With divisionals just a week away, it will be the last chance for some individuals to earn a spot on the divisional roster, while some other veterans, such as Dane Flammond could get the week off.

“My guess would be Dane Flammond needs a week,” Filius said. “And some other kids like him. I just have seen what I need to see and they could use a week.

It will be a majority of the guys, but some guys just need a week a off.”

Yet Filius did say that both Parker Filius and Jase Stokes

would be in action at their customary spots in the 145 and 205pound weight class.

“Those guys are the leaders of the team,” coach Filius said. “So I am making them go.”

The rest of team, including junior varsity wrestlers, will be in attendance, but some of them will include Qiunn Reno and Cameron Pleninger at 103, Marc Ramirez at 113 pounds, Ryan Stewart at 113 pounds, Lane Paulson at 120 pounds, Martin Wilkie at 126 pounds, Connor Harris at 132 and Mason Dionne at 152.

Tyler Schaub will also be in action at 182 pounds and at heavyweight will be Jared Sienkowski. Taylor Gopher will wrestle at 160.

The Ponies, along with Chinook and Harlem will compete in the Malta Invitational this Saturday, followed by the Eastern A Divisional in Glendive next Saturday.

B5

2017 Class A

STATE WRESTLING CHAMPS

Monday, Feb. 27, 2017

www.havredailynews.com

Young HHS grapplers shine in Malta Chris Peterson

145 took third, and Wilkie was the Austin Ratliff also placed for also ended up fourth. Harlem GLS, 2:14 Championship – Tate Niederegger, CHN, outstanding wrestler. We took 12 Havre at 205 pounds. got an individual title thanks d. Mears, MAL 11-7 kids and nine of them finished “The big thing is, we have been to Reece Hutton, who won the 113 in the top 3.” on the road a lot and I wanted to crown at 205 pounds, while also Championship – Stormer, CIR, d. Ryan Third place –Taylor, CIR, p. Swansaon, GLS 3:38 In its final regular season The Ponies put five wrestlers see what they would do without getting a fourth-place showing Stewart, HAV, 10-5 meet before the Eastern A Divi- into the championship round those senior leaders there,” Fil- from Curtis Humphreys in the Third place – Marc Ramirez, HAV, d. Hal152 lock, GLS 5-2. sional, the Havre High wrestling and earned two first-place fin- ius said. “I kind of wanted to get heavyweight class.

Championship – Finley, CHO, p. Andersen, team took part in the Malta In- ishes. One came from Quinn a jump start on next year and Havre will take part in the CB, 1:07 120 vitational and with Reno, who I wanted Eastern A Third place –VandenBos, Championa team that was less won the to see how Divisional MAL, 3:24. ship – Reyling, than full strength, 10 3 - p o u n d those other Saturday in GLS, p. Lane the Blue Ponies took w e i g h t kids did G l e n d i v e.

160 Paulson, HAV third. class after on their Chinook, Championship – Stone, CHO, 2:56 After a highly prodefeating own and I Harlem and p. Seewald, CB 1:39 Third place – ductive season, HHS teammate was real CJI will all Third place –Monroe, VAL, Henderson, head coach Scott FilCameron pleased.” be in Shelmd. Peter, CIR, 13-1.

CHO, d. Schipius gave a few of his Pleninger While it by for the man, MAL 7-2. stalwarts the day off, by way of was a solid Northern 170 including defending a 3-0 deciweekend for B-C DiviChampionship –Berger, POP, 126 individual state chamsion. Havre of Havre’s sional. That p. Overvold, GLS :46 ChampionThird place –Lopez, MAL, p. pions Parker Filius got another y o u n g will also be ship – Martin J.J. Colby, CHN 4:54 and Jase Stokes, as individual w re s t l e rs, held SaturWilkie, HAV, Wilkie Reno Pleninger Stewart Niedergger well as fellow senior title from a number day. p. Ramos, VAL 182 Dane Flammond. Yet M a r t i n of other Hi1:40 Championship – Kaiset, GLS, even without three of Wilkie, who Line teams Third place – p. Epperson, MAL 5:46 Malta Invitational its top individuals, Havre still continued a dominant sopho- were in action, led by Chinook, Zimmerman, GLS. p. Mears, MAL, :59 Third place – Sutherland, POP, p. Monroe, managed 107 points, falling just more season with a title at 126 which finished eighth with 53 VAL, 4:20 Team Scores 132 short of tournament champion pounds. points. Harlem also had a solid Malta with 123 and second-place Ryan Stewart (113 pounds) and showing with 33 points to take 1. Malta 123.5; 2. Glasgow 120; 3. Havre Championship – Whitmus, WP, d. Moore, 205 Glasgow, which ended up with Lane Paulson (120 pounds) were 11th and Chester-Joplin-In- 107; 4. Valier 90.5; 5. Cut Bank 75.5; 6. MAL, 5-1 Championship – Reece Hutton, HAR, d.

Choteau 72; 7.

Circle 63; 8.

Chinook 53; 8.

Third place – Connor Harris, HAV, p.

Hal120. the other finalists for Havre. verness finished with 13.5 points Nygaard, WP, 3-1 Poplar 53; 10. Wolf Point 43; 11. Harlem lock, GLS 1:46 “The young kids did a great Both settled for second place to wind up 12th.

Third place – Austin Ratliff, HAV, p. Da33; 12.

CJI 13.5; 13.

Frazier 4; 14.

Hays job,” HHS head coach Scott after falling in their respective Tate Niederegger was the top ley, CHO :55 Lodge Pole 0.

138 Filius to said. “We had our two championship matches. The Po- performer for the Sugarbeeters, Championship – Simanton, MAL, p.

Run103-pounders in the final, our nies had three other third-place as he finished first at 145 pounds 285 ning Crane, VAL, 1:33 113 and 120 were seconds and finishers, as well, to their credit, thanks to an 11-7 decision in the 103 Championship – Pfeifer, CB, p. Pribbernow, Championship – Quinn Reno, HAV, d.

Third place – Kobe Tran, CJI, d. Ross our 132 was third. I was really as Connor Harris was third at final. J.J. Colby finished fourth POP :49 Cameron Pleninger, HAV 3-0.

Reed, CHN 14-8 pleased with how those young 132 pounds, and Marc Ramirez for the Beeters at 170 pounds Third place – Schillinger, CIR, p. Curtis Third place – Connelly, VAL, p. Meiers, kids performed. Austin Ratliff also finished third at 113 pounds. and at 138 pounds, Ross Reed Humphreys, HAR, 4:23.

Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com

Nothing New: Ponies win Class A Duals Chris Peterson

Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com As the Class A state wrestling tournament gets closer and closer, over the weekend the Havre High wrestling team reminded everyone at the Class A Duals, that the Blue Ponies are the team to beat.

The Ponies entered the tournament as the defending champions and after posting a perfect 5-0 record over the course of two days, they won yet another title, defeating Sidney in the finals 4818 Saturday in Belgrade.

“Yeah, we had a good weekend,” HHS head coach Scott Filius said. “Our young kids keep coming along and keep getting better and better.”

The two-day meet, which was held in Belgrade Friday and Saturday, opened with pool competition Friday. Havre belonged to pool A and started off the tournament with an impressive 60-12 win over Hamilton. Havre racked up seven pins in the victory and its only losses came via forfeit at 138 and 182 pounds.

HHS followed that up with a 65-6 win over Miles City and a 66-18 victory over Whitefish. Against the Bulldogs, the Ponies got six pins and won four matches by forfeit.

Thanks to its 3-0 record, Havre won Pool A, which put the Ponies into the quarterfinals, where they would face Glendive.

HHS defeated Glendive 42-27.

Havre got victories from Mason Dionne (152), Dane Flammond (160) Jase Stokes (205), Quinn Reno (103), Lane Paulson (120) and Parker Filius (145). Havre also won two weights, 113 and 126 by forfeit.

Following the win, Havre was supposed to face Hamilton in the semifinals, but since the Ponies beat them so thoroughly the day before, HHS just advanced to the finals, where it took on Sidney for the second time this week.

The Eagles made the trip to Havre Tuesday and were defeated soundly and in the championship match at the Class A Duals, the result was the same with Havre winning by 30 points.

The Ponies got pins from Stokes, who wrestled heavyweight, as well as from Filius and Wilkie. HHS also got victories from Cameron Pleninger (103), Marc Ramirez (113), Dionne and Flammond. Havre got forfeits at 205 and 126, Sidney got a forfeit at 182.

“We were able to take two of those young guys that we haven’t had in the lineup and beat some kids,” Filius said. “Pleninger and Ramirez have both been our seconds all year long, and we put them in the last dual against Sidney and we got a 14-0 decision and a pin. They beat some decent kids and that sets them up well for divisionals, so I was pleased with that. And then Mason and Connor and Quinn are wrestling lights out and getting better every week.”

Tyler Schuab, Havre’s fourth individual state champion from

Dan Chesnet/Belgrade News Havre High's Connor Harris, top, locks up a Miles City opponent during the first day of the Class A Duals Friday in Belgrade. The Blue Ponies easily won the title with a perfect 5-0 record, including beating Sidney in the championship dual. Havre finishes the regular season this Saturday in Malta. last season, also wrestled two matches, winning one.

“He did well,” Filius said. “He showed me what I needed to see.”

The Ponies will be back on the mats this Saturday in Malta, in their final preparation for the Eastern A Divisional meet which will be in Glendive Feb. 4.

Friday Havre 60, Hamilton 12 113 – Ryan Stewart, HV, dec. Michael Golden, 8-4; 120 – Lane Paulson, HV, p. Cade Anson, first period; 126 – Martin Wilkie, HV, p. Bridger Williams, 1:04; 132 – Connor Harris, HV, p. Adrian Garcia, :51; 145 – Parker Filius, HV, p. Laine Petri, :47; 152 – Mason Dionne, HV, p. Dustin Copeland, 1:01; 170 – Taylor Gopher, HV, dec. Aaron Swafford, 12-8; 205 – Jase Stokes, HV, p. Kyle Anderson, 1:18; 285 – Jared Sienkowski, HV, p.

Coy Whyte, 4:21. Havre won by forfeit at 103 and 160. Hamilton won by forfeit at 138 and 182.

Havre 66, Whitefish 18 132 – Connor Harris, H, pin Jack Eisenbarth, :59; 145 – Parker Filius, H, pin Robert Bertelsen, :32; 182 – open; 205 – Travis Catina, WF, def. Tyler Schaub, injury; 103 – Quinn Reno, H, pin Anwar Mirza, :33; 113 – Ryan Stewart, H, pin Nathan Buckley, :43; 120 – Lane Paulson, H, pin Carlitos Bertelsen, 3:54; 126 – Martin Wilkie, H, pin Eli Taylor, 1:31. Havre won by forfeit at 152, 160, 170,

285. Whitefish at 138.

Saturday Havre 42, Glendive 27 152 – Mason Dionne, H, dec. Brandt Ackerman, 13-6; 160 – Dane Flammond, H, tech fall Tyler Clapp, 15-0; 170 – Nelson Crisofulli, G, pin Taylor Gropher, 1:09; 205 – Jase Stokes, H, pin Matt Fulton, :47; 285 – Eli Marley, G, dec. Jared Sienkowski, 5-1; 103 – Quinn Reno, H, pin Gabe Michelson, :32; 120 – Lane Paulson, H, tech fall Calvin Handran, 15-0; 132 – Travis Kinn, G, pin Connor Harris, 1:11; 145 – Parker Filius, H, tech fall Brandon Held, 18-2.

Havre won by forfeit at 113, 126. Glendive at 138, 182.

Championship Havre 48, Sidney 18 285 – Jase Stokes, H, pin Ryen Hoines, 1:04; 103 – Cameron Pleninger, H, maj. dec.

Keiden Cline, 13-0; 113 – Marc Ramirez, H, pin Everett Jensen, 1:55; 120 – Chrstiaen Dean, S, dec. Ryan Stewart, 6-2; 132 – Martin Wilkie, H, pin Ashton Swenson, :15; 138 – Jace Winter, S, dec. Connor Harris, 5-0; 145 – Parker Filius, H, pin Jace Johnson, :55; 152 – Mason Dionne, H, dec. Avery Gurney, 9-6; 160 – Dane Flammond, H, tech fall Jett Jones, 15-0; 170 – Trevor Dean, S, pin Taylor Gropher, :28.

Havre won by forfeit at 205, 126. Sidney at 182.

Harlem Invitational Team Scores

1. Malta 120.00; 2. Shepherd 92.50; 3.

Glasgow 83.50; 4. Cut Bank 68.00; 5. Poplar 65.50; 5. Wolf Point 65.50; 7. Chinook 57.00; 8. Harlem 48.00; 9. Fort Benton 43.50; 10. CJI 17.00; 11. Highwood 16.00; 12. Hayes 7.00; 13. Frazer 0.00.

Other awards Tyler Faulkinberry Memorial Quick Pin Award: Tate Niederegger, Chi, 3 pins in 2:12.

Brad Bishop Memorial Most Valuable Wrestler: Tie – Tate Niederegger, Chi and Justin Pfeifer, CB. Championship

113 – Tanner Cook, She, dec Gabe Hallock, Gla, 8-6; 120 – Matt Reyling, Gla, md Kolter Schipman, Mal, 17-5; 126 – Callen Mears, Mal, p John Cremer, Gla, 5:28; 132 – Quinn Whitmus, WP, p Kaden Moore, Mal, 5:02; 138 – Trey Simanton, Mal, p Kibe Tran, CJI, 5:11; 145 – Tate Niederegger, Chi, p Ceaton Mears, Mal, 1:10; 152 – Keaton Anderson, CB, dec Kameron Powell, She, 7-2; 160 – JR Seewald, CB, p Michael Ayers, High, 1:22; 170 – Sonny Cochran, She, p Gustav Wenz, She, 3:51; 182 – Tony Kaiser, Gla, p Taylor Johnson, She, 1:58; 205 – Reece Hutton, Har, p Ty Nygard, WP, 1:53; 285 – Justin Pfeifer, CB p Trey Pribbernow, Pop, 1:33

Consolation 113 – Triestan Kemp, WP, tp Gavin Horn, Har, 17-2; 120 – Connor Schnabel, FB, p Alex Kirkaldie, Har, :43; 126 – Karson Wortman, WP, p Ken Todd, FB, 4:20; 132 – Hunter Reum, Pop, tp Oden Hallock, Gla, 18-2; 138 – Ross Reed, Chi, p Brady Skogas, She 2:05; 145 – Landon Taylor, FB, p Jayden Johnson, She, 1:22; 152 – Nate Gorham, She dec Isaiah Runs Above, Hay, 3-1; 160 – Angel Boyd, Pop, p Ethan Davis, FB, 2:24; 170 – Jeffrey Berger, Pop, md Travis Epperson, Mal, 11-3; 182 – Gage Schmitt, She, p Andres Lopez, Mal, 3:53; 205 – Tanner Harrell, She, p Ruben Swenson, Chi, :35; 285 – Luke Lawless, Mal, p Khey’shawn Skidmore, Har, 2:01.

B6

2017 Class A

Monday, Feb. 27, 2017

STATE WRESTLING CHAMPS

www.havredailynews.com

Senior Night Destruction Blue Ponies crush Sidney in home finale

started the night off right for Havre with a 13-3 major decision over Kaiden Cline and at 113 pounds, Ryan Stewart beat Everett Jensen with a pin in 1:52.

The other victories for Havre came via Connor Harris at 132 pounds, as he pinned Ashton Swenson of Sidney in 19 seconds.

Mason Dionne also earned a 10-4 decision over Avery Gurney at 152 pounds. The other Havre points came from Austin Ratliff, who got a win by forfeit at 205.

Sidney got a forfeit at 138 pounds and also got a pin from Trevor Dean over Taylor Gopher at 170 pounds.

“Sidney has a good, young team,” Filius said. “Their 103pounder is good, their 113 is good, their 182-pounder is a good kid. They are going to get better.”

The Ponies will be back in action this Friday and Saturday in Belgrade for the annual Class A Duals. Havre has owned the tournament in recent years and will start its title defense on Friday against the likes of Hamilton, Dillon and Miles City.

Chris Peterson

Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com For the final time this season and for some, the final time in their careers, the Havre Blue Ponies wrestled inside the HHS gymnasium Tuesday, taking on the Sidney Eagles.

Over the years, the two Eastern A rivals have had some great competitions, mostly coming at the state tournament. But this time, on senior night, Havre High dominated, winning the matchup going away, 49-13.

The night turned out to be especially memorable for the four Havre seniors, even though one of them, Jared Sienkowski, was unable to wrestle due to injury.

Normally the team’s 205-pounder Jase Stokes, another senior, manned the heavyweight spot and got a pin over Ryan Horner in 1:27.

“They didn’t have anyone at 205,” Stokes said. “And Jared was hurt, so I moved up to heavyweight so I could get a match in on senior night.

“I don’t think it’s hit me yet,” Stokes added when asked about his final home match. “But when it does, it’s going to be pretty emotional. Pretty weird to think I will never be wrestling in this gym again.”

Like his fellow three-time state champion, Parker Filius also took care of business on senior night, dispatching of Jace Johnson, in just under a minute via pin to win six points in

Havre 49, Sidney 12

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Havre High senior Dane Flammond, right, holds down a Sidney opponent during his final match of his home career Tuesday night at the HHS gymnasium. The Blue Ponies throttled the Eagles 49-12. the 145-pound weight class. The other senior in action, Dane Flammond didn’t pin his opponent like Filius and Stokes, but won 15-0 in a technical fall over Jett Jones, in another display of dominance.

“It’s crazy just to know that over the years, all the matches I have wrestled in this gym,” Flammond said. “It’s just cra-

zy to think this will be my last match, but it’s nice to go out with a win and leave with a good taste in my mouth.

“They have been doing this for four years,” HHS head coach Scott Filius said of his seniors.

“It was the same as they have done in every match for the last four years.”

While the senior class took cen-

ter stage, the Ponies had some other impressive performances in the dual, highlighted by the return of defending individual state champion Tyler Schaub, who wrestled at 182 pounds for the first time this season after suffering a knee injury last fall in football. Yet the junior made it look easy as he beat Sawyer Thogersen of Sidney 12-1.

“First match of the year and he did alright,” Filius said. “He scored points and he wrestled the full six minutes, so I was happy with it.”

Lane Paulson, who wrestled at 120 pounds for Havre, also had a big night, knocking off Christian Dean, the top-ranked wrestler previously in the weight class, 10-6. Freshman Quinn Reno

103 - Quinn Reno, HAV, 13-3 dec. Kaiden Cline, Sid; 113 - Ryan Stewart, HAV, pinned Everett Jensen, SID, 1:52; 120 - Lane Paulson, HAV, 10-6 dec. Christian Dean, SID; 132 - Connor Harris, HAV, pinned Ashton Swenson, SID, :19; 138 - Jace Winter, SID wins by forfeit; 145 - Parker Filius, HAV, pinned Jace Johnson, SID, :58; 152 - Mason Dionne, HAV, dec. 10-4 Avery Gurney, SID; 160 - Dane Flammond, HAV tech fall 15-0 Jett Jones, SID; 170 - Trevor Dean, SID pinned Taylor Gopher, HAV, 2:24; 182 - Tyler Schuab, HAV, dec. 12-1 Sawyer Thogersen, SID; 205 - Austin Ratliff, HAV, wins by forfeit; HWT - Jase Stokes, HAV, pinned Ryn Horner, SID, 1:27.

Ponies take on Sidney in a senior night special Four Havre matmen bid farewell to the HHS gymnasium tonight Chris Peterson

Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com The Havre High wrestling team doesn’t get to compete at home very often. But tonight, the Blue Ponies will be back inside the HHS gymnasium, wrestling Class A rival Sidney.

Over the years, Havre and Sidney have dominated Class A wrestling and while the Eagles aren’t as strong as they once were, the dual between the two teams is filled with plenty of intrigue. The first match between Havre and Sidney will get underway tonight at 5:30.

“It’s always fun to wrestle (Sidney head coach) Guy’s (Melby) kids,” HHS head coach Scott Filius said. “He is competitive as hell. He doesn’t have as good a team as he’s had (in the past), but you know they are going to be well disciplined and that they are going to give you a great effort.”

While the dual will be another test for Havre in the run up to divisionals and state next month, the matchup tonight with Sidney is also senior night for the Ponies and the last time that Parker Filius, Jase Stokes, Dane Flammond and Jared Sienkowski will wrestle inside the HHS gymnasium.

“I have been driving Parker

Stokes

Flammond

and Jase and Dane around forever,” coach Filius said. “The last few years, Jared (Sienkowski) has really increased his commitment and he has improved a ton. They are Sienkowski great kids to be around. I mean they are great athletes and they bring a lot to the table in terms of competition and they are just a lot of fun to be around.”

Of course, few seniors in the history of Havre High wrestling have as much to celebrate as Parker Filius and Stokes, who are each three-time individual state champions. Filius will man his usual spot at 145 pounds for HHS, while Stokes should be in the lineup at 205 after missing the Jug Beck in Missoula last weekend due to illness.

Flammond, who has also placed twice at the state tournament, will wrestle at 160 pounds for Havre and Sienkowski will be the heavyweight. The rest of the lineup for Havre includes freshman Quinn Reno, who will be at 103 pounds after finishing second at the Jug Beck, as well as Ryan

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Havre High standout Parker Filius is scheduled to wrestle for the final time in his home career tonight when the Blue Ponies host arch rival Sidney in an Eastern A dual at the HHS gymnasium. Filius, along with fellow seniors Jase Stokes, Dane Flammond and Jared Sienkowski will be honored before the dual, which starts at 5:30.

Stewart at 113 pounds and Lane Paulson at 120.

Martin Wilkie, who like Parker Filius is coming off an individual crown at the Jug Beck, will be in the lineup at 126 for Havre, with Connor Harris to follow at 132. The Ponies will

be open at 138 pounds but will go with Mason Dionne at 152 pounds, JayR Caplette at 170 pounds and Walter White at 182 pounds.

Sidney, which failed to crack the top 10 of the most recent Class A wrestling poll, also

had just two wrestlers rank in the top six of their respective weight classes. One of those is Christian Dean, who was the top-ranked wrestler in the poll at 120 pounds, as well as Jace Winter, who ranked No. 6 at 138 pounds.

The open-

ing match of the dual between Havre and Sidney tonight inside the HHS gymnasium is set for 5:30. Havre’s four seniors will be honored before the match with the Eastern A Eagles.

B7

2017 Class A

Monday, Feb. 27, 2017

STATE WRESTLING CHAMPS

www.havredailynews.com

Ponies find more success in Missoula Shorthanded HHS matmen crown two champs, finish third at Jug Beck

3:51. spective weight classes. Ryan Stewart also notched a third- Team scores -- 1, Kalispell Flathead 202.5; 152: Championship -- Komac, GFH, dec. Championship -- Cook, SHP, pin Murphy, place showing at 113 pounds and 2, Mead 167; 3, Havre 159.5; 4, Helena Hume, FLT, 5-4. Third place -- Mulhill, BOZ, MC, 4:10. at 120 pounds, Lane Paulson 150.5; 5, Bozeman 138; 6, Helena Capital dec. Cameron Crawford, MED, 4-2. Fifth Third place -- Dempsey, MC, pin Matt Con124; 7, Great Falls 115; 8, Missoula Big place -- Fetters, CFS, pin Manolo Tamez, nelly, VAL, 3:24. ended up in sixth.

Fifth place -- Russel, WHL, pin Emma While the Ponies put together Sky; 9, Powell 105.5; 10, Butte 98.5; 11, NAM, 1:45.

Belew, DL, :35. a strong weekend, one factor Coeur d'Alene 92.5; 12, Fergus County 89; in their third-place finish, was 13, Ronan 85; 14, Frenchtown 82.5; 15, 160: Championship -- Manibusan, HEL, Central Valley 81; 16, Hamilton 76; 17, Unidec. Flammond, HAV, 5-4. Third place 113: Semifinals -- Colin Rogers, ANC, pin a lineup that was less than full versity 75.5; 18, Belgrade 65.6; 19, Colum-- Wickens, FRG, dec. CJ Snyder, CAP, inTerrence Caldwell, PHS, 5:18; Kaleb Frank, strength. Jase Stokes, a threebia Falls 65; 20, Clarkston 60.5; 21, Polson jury. Fifth place -- Garett Rieke, FLT, dec.

TFL, pin Easton Held, TOW, 1:27.

Chris Peterson time state champion, did not 57; t-22, Ferris 53; t-22, Lake City 53; 24, Schoch, LCH, 6-2.

Championship -- Rogers, ANC, dec. Frank, Havre Daily News wrestle for Havre in the meet Missoula Sentinel 52; 25, Corvallis 44; 26, TFL, 13-8. cpeterson@havredailynews.com due to an illness. Havre was also Nampa 42; 27, Libby 31; 28, Lewiston 28; 170: Championship -- Short, GFH, dec. Na- Third place -- Held, TOW, dec. Caldwell, The Havre High wrestling without its regular wrestlers at t-29, Great Falls CMR 24; t-29, Kalispell deau, FLT, 6-4. Third place -- Cooper, BOZ, PHS, 7-6.

Glacier 24; 31, Superior 21; 32, Missoula dec. Manny Rivera, HAM, 6-3. Fifth place -Fifth place -- Trisetan Kemp WPT, maj. dec. team put together a solid effort 170 and 182 pounds.

Dearcorn, POW, pin Joel Clark, HEL, 1:31 Mike Wilkinson, WHL, 12-1. at the Jug Beck Rocky Moun- “Stokes got sick on us,” coach Hellgate 11. tain Classic this past weekend, Filius said. “We lost basically but for the first time all season, from 170 to 205, we had other 103: Championship – Rush, FTL, dec. 182: Championship -- Randles, CDA, def. 120: Semifinals -- Kolter Schipman, MAL, Reno, 8-2. Third place -- Isaac Romero, Senn, MED, forfeit. Third place -- Schrull, pin Darwyn Johnson, FFS, 2:13; Daniel Uli, the Blue Ponies walked away people in the lineup.”

All six Havre wrestlers who HEL, dec. Doolin, LIB, 8-3. Fifth place – HEL, tech fall Olivera, LCH, 18-3 (4:48). PHS, maj. dec. Josh Pepos, CAS, 15-1. from a tournament without a Welzien, MBS, dec. Walker Dyer, FTN, 1-0.

Fifth place -- Eli Briggs, POW, pin Finn Championship -- Uli, PHS, maj. dec. Schipplaced, first-place trophy.

Vaghan-Kraska, man, MAL, 13-1. made it The Ponies, who 113: ChamBOZ, 2:13.

Third place -- Pete Henderinto the competed against the pionship son, CHO, pin Connor Schnas e m i f i best Montana has to -- Schroeder, 205: Champibel, FTB, 4:45. nal round offer, as well as some BOZ, dec.

Tebonship -HinFifth place -- Pepos, CAS, pin of their neighboring states, bets, MED, 6-3. son, HAM, dec.

Johnson, FFS, 2:19. w e i g h t finished third in its Third place Jensen, CAP, class.

HHS attempt to win a third – Bibler, FTN, 8-2. Third place 126 : Semifinals -- Josiah also got consecutive title at dec. Stewart, -- Easum, POW, Vanderwall, PHS, tech fall a solid the prestigious meet HAV, 5-3. Fifth dec.

GashRonnie Barnhill, CON, 15-0; weekend held annually in Misplace – Tyler Gilder, FLT, Jack Dolan, TOW, dec. Isaac from ConCoddington, 6-4. Fifth place Ramos, VAL, 5-4. soula. Flathead won nor HarCAP, dec.

-- Brady Boyce, Championship -- Vanderwall, the team championris, who Spencer Stagg, FRG, pin Tanner PHS, pin Dolan, TOW, 5:17. ship with 202.5 points, Filius Wilkie Reno Flammond finished RON, 5-3.

Stack, MSN, Third place -- Connor Johnwhile Mead (Wash.) eighth in :40. son, WHL, dec. Ramos, VAL, was second 167. Havre the meet 120: Champi4-2. finished third with at 132 pounds.

Mason Dionne onship -Kunz, CAP, dec.

McLane, BOZ, 285: Championship -Queer, BUT, dec.

Fifth place -Barnhill, CON, dec. Ethan 159.5 points.

“We probably put together also won two matches and was 7-0. Third place – Mears, BEL, dec. Cody Marshall, CDA, 5-2. Third place -- Collin Mishler, FFS, 8-5.

DeVall, FLT, 7-0. Fifth place – Klayten BabGrosse, MED, dec. Manny Homen, FER, the most complete weekend that the other Pony wrestler to score ino, CLK, dec. Paulson, HAV, 4-0.

5-1. Fifth place -- Lee, FLT, pin Lettau, LCH, 132:Semifinals -- Quinn Whitmus, WPT, points. we have had all year for the kids 1:45. pin Kameron Rauser, TOW, 1:45; Hunter that we had with us,” HHS head “I was really pleased with all 126: Championship -- Wilkie, HAV, dec.

Reum, POP, dec. Kaden Moore, MAL, 4-2. those young guys,” Filius said. coach Scott Filius said. “It was Clegg, CLK, 3-0. Third place – Swanson, CHOTEAU CLASSIC Championship -- Whitmus, WPT, pin “Lane Paulson had a lights out probably our most consistent efMBS, dec. Hunter Peterson, RON, 5-3. Fifth Reum, POP, 2:36. weekend, Connor Harris turned fort of the season.” place – Max Clark, UHI, dec. Eckley, MSN, Team scores -- 1, Plains-Hot Springs Third place -- Moore, MAL, pin Rauser, a corner and Mason Dionne The highlight of the week6-3.

139; 2, Townsend 124.5; 3, Malta 106.5; TOW, 2:50. end for the Ponies was the wrestled tough. Of course Quinn 4, Shepherd 100; 5, Whitehall 96.5; 6, Fifth place -- Riley Forcella, WHL, pin Nate (Reno) did.

Like I said, from performance of Parker Filius, 132: Championship -- Gurr, FTN, dec.

Thompson Falls 89; 7, Choteau 86.5; t-8, Goddard, CA, 1:22. top to bottom, it was our most who won an individual title in Vasquez, FLT, 7-0. Third place – Birdwell, Conrad 80; t-8, Fairfield-Simms 80; 10, the 145-pound weight class af- consistent effort, I was awful FRG, dec. Reese Karst, POW, 5-3. Fifth Anaconda 72; 11, Mission-Charlo 69; 12, 138: Semifinals -- Trey Simanton, MAL, pin place – Wiggs, CV, def. Cam Hegel, MSN, Columbus-Absarokee 67; 13, Valier 58; Brodey White, SHE, 1:54; Cole Giles, FFS, ter winning the semifinals and pleased.”

14, Poplar 57; 15, Cut Bank 53; 16, Wolf dec. Brandon Bisch, ANC, 9-3. championship by a technical fall The Blue Ponies were sup- ff.

Point 52; 17, Cascade 45.5; t-18, Chinook Championship -- Simanton, MAL, dec. and major decision. Sophomore posed to dual Great Falls High Martin Wilkie equaled the feat Thursday night, before travel- 138: Championship -- Degen, BEL, dec. 41; t-18, Shelby 41; 20, Boulder 28; 21, Giles, FFS, 6-4. of Filius, taking home a title at ling to Missoula for the Jug Gordon, MBS, 7-2. Third place -- Adler, Harlem 26; 22, Fort Benton 19; 23, Arlee Third place -- Ostwald, TFL, pin Sam White, 126 pounds. He won his semifinal Beck, but the dual was can- POL, dec. Kyle Tabbert, HEL, 6-0. Fifth 14; 24, Deer Lodge 6; t-25, Highwood 4; SHE, 12-4. place -- Beard, CV, dec. Yunadi Bogatyrev, t-25, Drummond-Philipsburg 4; 27, Belt Fifth place -- Bisch, ANC, maj. dec. Nathan matchup 18-1, before winning a celed.

3; t-28, Chester-Joplin-Inverness 0; t-28, Gallegos, TOW, 14-5.

Havre will be back in action MED, 5-2.

3-0 decision in the final.

Circle 0; t-28, Great Falls Central 0; t-28, Tuesday night inside the HHS While Filius and Willkie were 145: Championship -- Filius, HAV, maj.

Lone Peak 0.

145: Semifinals -- Tate Niederegger, CHI, the top performers, the Ponies gymnasium. The Ponies will dec. Orrino, CV, 12-2. Third place -pin Luke Lile, PHS, 3:35; Robbie Coleman, had four other wrestlers who dual Sidney, a fellow Eastern A Swanson, MBS, dec. Goodman, MED, 9-5.

103: Semifinals -- Tanner Cook, SHP, maj.

CA, dec. Barrett Hansen, SHE, 8-4. rival on senior night. placed, led by Dane Flammond Fifth place -- Tyler Loch, GFH, dec. Kadin dec. Robert Dempsey, MC, 14-5; Walker Championship -- Niederegger, CHI, pin (160) and Quinn Reno (103), who Schonsberg, BUT, 9-5.

Murphy, MC, pin Clancy Russel, WHL, Coleman, CA, 1:54.

Jug Beck Rocky Mountain Classic each finished second in their re-

Pony matmen head west to defend yet another crown

Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com

Chris Peterson

Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com With a win at the Cut Bank Invitational under its belt, the Havre High wrestling team has its sights set on a bigger prize this week, maybe the biggest prize in Montana high school wrestling outside of a state tltle.

That prize is the Jug Beck Rocky Mountain Classic.

The Jug Beck is widely considered the most competitive tournament in Montana, but the Blue Ponies, who are the twotime defending champions in the tournament, are used to having success there.

“It’s the toughest tournament in Montana,” HHS head coach Scott Filius said. “There is not another one that is tougher. You get teams from Idaho and teams from Washington. You get all the guys from Idaho. There are about 33 teams in it, so, yeah, it’s a dandy.”

The Jug Beck, which is held annually in Missoula, starts Friday and continues through Saturday. However, the Ponies will get their competitive juices flowing a day before as they will stop in Great Falls for a mixer with Great Falls High tonight.

Initially, the Ponies and Bison were set to dual, but that has been canceled.

“We are going there on the way to Missoula,” Filius said.

“So that will be a good tune-up for us.”

The Bison, who were ranked sixth among Class AA teams in the most recent wrestling poll, will provide a good test for Havre, with a total of six ranked wrestlers on the Great Falls roster. The Bison’s top-ranked wrestler is Ryan Moldenhauer, who tops the 205-pound weight class and should set up an interesting clash with Havre’s Jase Stokes.

The Bison also boast Jordan Komac, who is No. 2 at 160 pounds in Class AA. The other Bison who come in ranked are Jensen Poirer, who is fifth at 285, Tyler Loch, who is fourth at 145, Russel Weinholz who is fifth at 138 and Easton Shupe, who ranks third at 103.

Havre will answer with a line-

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Like his team, Havre High's Jase Stokes, left, is a defending individual champion of the Jug Beck Rocky Mountain Classic. The Blue Ponies will try and win their third straight team title in Missoula, as the 2017 Jug Beck Rocky Mountain Classic takes place Friday and Saturday at Missoula Sentinel. up that has won all but one dual this season and has won most of them in dominant fashion. At 103 pounds will be freshman Quinn Reno, followed by Ryan Stewart at 113 and Lane Paulson at 120. At 126 pounds, will be state champion Martin Wilkie and at 132 pounds is Connor Harris.

HHS will be open at 138 pounds, but will wrestle threetime state champion Parker Filius at 145 pounds, followed by freshman Mason Dionne (152).

Dane Flammond will man the spot at 160 for Havre, while 170 pounds will see Taylor Gopher in action. Walter White will be in action at 182 pounds for HHS, while Stokes will wrestle at 205 and Jared Sienkowski will be the heavyweight.

After wrestling in Great Falls, the Ponies will take the same lineup to the Jug Beck in Missoula in an effort to win a third consecutive team championship.

Both Parker Filius and Stokes won individual crowns a season

ago, while Flammond finished third, Wilkie finished fourth and Stewart was sixth, giving HHS five returners who placed at the meet a season ago.

Havre certainly is going to Missoula with winning as its goal, but the meet, which comes just a month before the state tournament, will also give HHS and its younger wrestlers, a chance to gain even more seasoning.

“The big thing is that you want them to wrestle to their potential,” coach Filius said. “You always get a couple of kids that do it, but if you can get the team to do it, if you can get a kid to compete for something beyond himself, it seems to be a lot more fun for everyone involved.”

The Ponies will get things started tonight in Great Falls.

The Jug Beck Rocky Mountain Classic starts Friday in Missoula and will conclude Saturday.

152: Semifinals -- Dawson Peterman, FFS, maj. dec. Cody Garrison, TFL, 11-1; James Detienne, PHS, pin David Vinley, CHO, :58.

Championship -- Peterman, FFS, dec. Detienne, PHS, 14-8.

Third place -- Finley, CHO, pin Cody Garrison, TFL, :47.

Fifth place -- Powell, SHP, dec. Trever VandenBos, VAL, 6-1.

160: Semifinals -- Tanner Stone, CHO, pin JR Seewald, CUT, :58; Kane Lawson, PHS, dec. Spencer Dougherty, SHP, 3-1.

Championship -- Stone, CHO, maj. dec.

Lawson, PHS, 9-0.

Third place -- Seewald, CUT, pin Derek Neel, TOW, :22.

Fifth place -- Brevlin Thompson, ANC, def.

Dougherty, SHP, injury.

170: Semifinals -- Ben Rauscher, CON, maj. dec. Jacob Anderson, FFS, 10-1; Jase Sorenson, TFL, pin Sonny Cochran, SHP, 3:50.

Championship -- Rauscher, CON, dec. Sorenson, TFL, 5-2.

Third place -- Cochran, SHP, dec. Gustav Wenz, SHP, 5-3.

Fifth place -- George Shick, ARL, dec. Anderson, FFS, 8-4.

182: Semifinals -- Gus Bosley, MC, pin Tyson Sutherland, POP, 5:03; Justin Large, TOW, pin Andres Lopez, MAL, 4:57.

Championship -- Bosley, MC, pin Large, TOW, :58.

Third place -- Taylor Johnson, SHP, dec.

Brett Monroe, VAL, 6-4.

Fifth place -- Sutherland, POP, pin Lopez, MAL, 2:28.

205: Semifinals -- Hunter Mycke, CON, pin Nick Workman, BOU, :50; Reece Hutton, HAR, maj. dec. Dakota Daley, CHO, 10-2.

Championship -- Mycke, CON, maj. dec.

Hutton, HAR, 13-5.

Third place -- Christian Pfeifer, SHP, pin Dustin Stepper, CA, 4:07.

Fifth place -- Workman, BOU, pin Daley, CHO, 2:31.

285 Semifinals -- Justin Pfeifer, CUT, pin Trey Pribbernow, POP, 1:19; Dawson Hoerauf, WHL, pin Glen Ferguson, CAS, 2:14.

Championship -- Pfeifer, CUT, pin Hoerauf, WHL, 2:57.

Third place -- Ferguson, CAS, pin Pribbernow, POP, :34.

Fifth place -- Chris Anderson, MC, def. Alex Cline, CAS, injury.

Ponies simply own the Cut Bank Invite Chris Peterson

Havre seeks to climb to the top of the Rocky Mountain Classic again

Third place -- Lile, PHS, dec. Hansen, SHE, 6-4.

Fifth place -- Braxtyn Armstrong, WHL, pin Jayden Johnson, SHP, 2:48.

For the Havre High wrestling team, winning the Cut Bank Invitational has become a bit of a New Year’s tradition. And this past weekend, thanks to another dominant performance, the Blue Ponies won the tournament for a 15th consecutive time.

With teams from across the Hi-Line and the state in attendance, Havre dominated the competition, placing 11 wrestlers and having six advance to the finals, with four champions being crowned. HHS finished with 239 points, 18 more than second-place Eureka, which finished with 221. Lewistown came in third with 166.

“It was good,” HHS head coach Scott Filius said. “We got some really good experiences for our younger kids.

We were pleased with the ones that placed and even the ones that didn’t place wrestled well. We are still struggling to get a consistent performance from top to bottom, but that’s not untypical at all. You always want the perfect performance, but yeah, it was a good weekend for the kids. Our young kids have big expectations for themselves and they want to meet that, and that’s part of the learning curve.”

Of course, the Ponies got outstanding performances from all their mainstays, led by 145-pounder Parker Filius, who won his fourth individual title at the meet thanks to a pin in 2:55 over Lewistown’s Chase Farrar.

Havre’s other individual champions were Martin Wilkie, who won the 126-pound weight class with a pin of Callan Mears of Malta in 37 seconds, while Jase Stokes won at 205 pounds and Lane Paulson won at 120 pounds. Stokes earned his title via an 8-3 win by decision over Hunter Mycke of Conrad. Paulson took home first following a hard-fought, 2-1 victory over Peter Henderson of Choteau.

Both Ryan Stewart (113) and Dane Flammond (160) finished second for the Ponies after losing in the finals. Quinn Reno was among the other five Havre wrestlers that placed in the meet. He defeated teammate Cameron Pleninger for third place at 103 pounds. The Ponies also had three sixth-place finishers as Mason Dionne was sixth at 152 pounds. Austin Ratliff and

Jared Sienkowski also finished the same at 205 pounds and in the heavyweight class, respectively.

“One of the guys that I was really impressed with was Mason Dionne,” Filius said. “He had a weekend where he finally put it together and he beat a kid that beat him earlier in the year, and Lane Paulson wrestled a good kid in the semis and competed really well. Quinn (Reno) and Cameron (Pleninger), they have been doing well all year and had another good tournament.

That’s kind of the younger end

Paulson

Wilkie

Filius

Stokes

of the guys and of course, Wilkie, Parker and Stokes, they are pretty standard. Dane Flammond and Ryan Stewart, they are solid, so we are getting consistent effort more or less.”

This week, the Ponies will face one of their bigger challenges leading up to the All-Class state wrestling tournament in Billings. First, Havre will dual Great Falls High on the road Thursday, before taking part in the prestigious Jug Beck Rocky Mountain Classic Friday and Saturday in Missoula. Havre will enter at the two-time defending champs.

“It’s a good one,” Filius said.

“We are really looking forward to going there and competing.”

Cut Bank Invitational Team scores -- 1, Havre 239; 2, Eureka 221; 3, Lewistown 166; 4, Great Falls CMR 148; 5, Libby 116.5; 6, Fairfield 111.5; 7, Choteau 105; 8, Malta 104.5; 9, Conrad 102; 10, Circle 76; 11, Cut Bank 72; 12, Whitefish 68.5; 13, Shelby 62.5; 14, Boulder 56; 15, Shepherd 53; 16, Wolf Point 51.5; 17, Valier 50; 18,

Browning 43.5; t-19, Great Falls JV 39; t-19, Cascade 39; 21, Harlem 37; t-22, Poplar 35; t-22, Fort Benton 35; 24, Chinook 27; 25, Belt 20; 26, Chester-JoplinInverness 8; 17, Highwood 4; t-28, Frazer 0; 28, HaysLodgepole 0.

103 pound Championship -- Buddy Doolin, Lib, dec. Tanner Cook, Shep, 3-1.

Third place -- Quinn Reno, Hav, maj. dec. Cameron Pleninger, Hav, 12-1.

Fifth place -- Anwar Mirza, Whi, maj. dec. Mason Henry, Shep, 22-9.

113 pound Championship -- Lincoln Stormer, Cir, pin Ryan Stewart, Hav, 3:55.

Third place -- Nathan Schmidt, Eur, pin Dylan Riphenburg, Fair, 1:36.

Fifth place -- Dylan Yeadon, Lib, pin Trisetan Kemp, WP, 2:09.

120 pound Championship -- Lane Paulson, Hav, dec. Peter Henderson, Cho, 2-1.

Third place -- Kadhen Bakkila, Eur, dec. Kolter Schipman, Mal, 10-9.

Fifth place -- Josh Peops, Cas, dec. Connor Schnabel, FB, 2-0.

126 pound Championship -- Martin Wilkie, Hav, pin Callan Mears, Mal, :37.

Third place -- Carter Carroll, CMR, tech fall Trey Thompson, Lib, 15-0 (4:29).

Fifth place -- Tommy Campbell, Bro, maj. dec.

Ken Todd, FB, 13-5.

132 pound Championship -- Caleb Birdwell, Lew, dec. Quinn Whitmus, WP, 11-5.

Third place -- Wyatt Brusven, She, dec. Dakota Flannery, WF, 6-1.

Fifth place -- Brider Grover, Lew, dec. Kaden Moore, Mal, 11-5.

138 pound Championship -- Kai Stewart, CMR, maj. dec.

Trey Simanton, Mal, 14-3.

Third place -- Jonathan Schmidt, Eur, dec. Cole Giles, Fair, 7-4.

Fifth place -- Laine Young, Lib, tech fall Jacob Travis, Boul, 19-3 (5:00).

145 pound Championship -- Parker Filius, Hav, pin Chase Farrar, Lew, 2:55.

Third place -- Trey Taylor, Cir, pin Barrett Hansen, She, 1:56.

Fifth place -- Ceaton Mears, Mal, pin Nolan Myrstol, Belt, 2:41.

152 pound Championship -- Dawson Peterman, Fair, dec.

Cannan Smith, Eur, 7-4.

Third place -- David Finley, Cho, pin Trevor Vandenbos, Val, 2:30.

Fifth place -- Keaton Anderson, CB, dec. Mason Dionne, Hav, 12-10.

160 pound Championship -- Taner Stone, Cho, pin Dane Flammond, Hav, 2:56.

Third place -- Alex Wickens, Lew, pin Levi Garcia, Eur, 1:48.

Fifth place -- Nate Brunett, Boul, pin Graydon Irish, CMR, 2:33.

170 pound Championship -- Ben Rauscher, Con, pin Colby Hammack, Eur, 2:34.

Third place -- Wyatt Blythe, Lew, dec. Max Sechena, CMR, 7-1.

Fifth place -- Jeffrey Berger, Pop, pin Sonny Cochran, Shep, :48.

182 pound Championship -- Garrett Graves, Eur, pin Austyn Sherwood, Eur, 2:21.

Third place -- Bradley Denton, Lew, pin Colton Like, Fair, 1:13.

Fifth place -- Brett Monroe, Val, pin Eryck Otto, CMR, 2:09.

205 pound Championship -- Jase Stokes, Hav, dec. Hunter Mycke, Con, 8-3.

Third place -- Joe Fehr, Eur, pin Travis Catina, WF, 1:32.

Fifth place -- Brady Boyce, Lew, pin Austin Ratliff, Hav, 1:59.

285 pound Championship -- Justin Pfeifer, CB, pin Kaelan Yanak, Eur, 5:55.

Third place -- Bradley Vanderbush, Con, pin Reece Hutton, Har, 3:56.

Fifth place -- KC Buday, CMR, dec. Jared Sienkowski, Hav, 5-3.

B8

2017 Class A

Monday, Feb. 27, 2017

STATE WRESTLING CHAMPS

www.havredailynews.com

Same Goal Now, Different Paths in the Future

Havre wrestling stars Parker Filius and Jase Stokes are chasing history together this winter. But when it comes to college, they have chosen much different destinations and, for that matter, different sports

Chris Peterson

Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com For much of their lives, Parker Filius and Jase Stokes have done things together. They have wrestled together, played football together, even played in intramural basketball together.

Beyond that, they have even more in common. Both are three-time individual state champions, looking to become the first wrestlers in Havre High history to be the first four-timer.

As Stokes said once: “I guess it will come down to who wins it first.” As in, which will get the first chance at the finals of state wrestling.

For the past three years, Filius and Stokes have been integral parts on three Class A state championship wrestling teams and they are the biggest reason the Blue Ponies are heavily favored to win a fourth.

Like it or not, in terms of their Havre High sports legacies, they will always be joined at the hip. But unfortunately for Pony sports fans, their highly productive partnership is on its last legs, seeing as each is headed in a new direction next year, one far different from the other.

Filius goes BIG From the moment, he stepped on the mat for the Ponies, it was easy to see that Filius was special. But what you don’t see — what many people never see — is all the work Filius puts in behind the scenes to get to where he’s gotten.

Certainly, he has been blessed with many talents and the fact that his father, HHS head coach Scott Filius, is a bit of a wrestling guru and an NAIA National Champion, probably didn’t hurt. But if one really wants to know what makes Parker Filius, Parker Filius; Stokes and many others will tell you, it’s his unrelenting hard work.

“His work ethic is just unreal,” Stokes said. “He is always doing an extra 100 yards or getting that extra bike in; he is doing everything extra. That’s what sets him apart from everyone else.”

For Parker Filius, it’s pretty much always wrestling season.

What he does at Havre High, is just part of his regimen. He wrestles in prestigious tournaments all over the country and leading up to his senior season, the three-time state champion had earned himself quite a reputation. Intermat.com, a popular wrestling website, ranked Filius as its No. 62 wrestler nationally among the 2017 class. In the 145-pound weight class was concerned, he is ranked No. 12.

While Filius had offers from across the country, he made two official visits, one to North Carolina in early September and another one to Purdue later that same month. Ultimately, it was at the end of that second visit, when he made his final decision to be a Boilermaker.

“It was a difficult choice,”

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Havre High seniors Parker Filius, left, and Jase Stokes are both seeking to become members of the elite, four-time state champion wrestling club this season. But, after that, they will go different ways for college. Filius will head off to wrestle at NCAA Division I Purdue University, while Stokes has signed to play college football for Frontier Conference powerhouse Montana Tech.

Filius said. “Every school had something to sell. I decided I wanted to go to Purdue when I had a conversation with coach (Tony) Ersland on the way to the airport during my visit. I believe in him and where he is taking the program, and they have a really good lightweight coaching situation.

“It was really cool,” he added.

“But I am glad it’s done and all I have to focus on is getting better at wrestling.”

When you talk to athletes and even coaches, you hear that phrase a lot: “getting better.”

It’s something people always say and it always sounds good.

But when Filius says it, it’s not a cliché. He absolutely means it. In fact, true to himself, he used his recruiting process as a learning experience, to learn new skills, learn about college wrestling and prepare himself as much as possible for the rigors of collegiate wrestling.

“My favorite part of the recruiting process was getting to see different coaches show technique,” Filius said. “I learned a lot by being able to meet differ-

ent people. The most exciting thing for me was to watch the practices at the two official visits I took. I learned a lot about what college wrestling is like.

Wrestling on top and bottom is much more important and the level of physicality is tougher.”

As a result, Filius, who has aspirations beyond being a state champion, such as junior nationals in July or his long-term goal of being an NCAA champion, did what he always does, he went to work and has a slew of new areas to focus on this season.

“I have been working on improving on top and bottom,” Filius said. “And lifting to get stronger. We have been working on hand fighting and creating angles for shots.”

Whether it’s watching a wrestling practice at Purdue or whether it’s sitting next to his dad or being coached by him, Filius is always trying to learn something.

“He’s been great,” Filius said about his father. “I talk to my dad about wrestling every day.

During matches, he usually tells

me something like you need to move your feet more.”

In another month, Filius will close the final chapter of his career at Havre High and in the annals of Havre wrestling, it will be hard to find anyone better. It might also be hard to find someone who has worked harder or handled all the pressure; the pressure of winning, of following in the footsteps of Scott Filius or of deciding what college to sign with, better than Parker Filius, who at the end of the day, just knows how to win.

“There is no outside pressure that is greater than my own expectations,” he said. “It’s my job to win, not anybody else’s.”

Stokes made his own tough choice While Filius faced a tough recruiting choice, Jase Stokes was faced with his own difficult decision and it wasn’t even a choice between schools, it was a choice between sports.

Growing up, Stokes had always been a good athlete. Yet he said, football was always his favorite

sport. At Havre High, he would earn All-State honors as both a running back and a linebacker and ultimately, that earned him a scholarship to play football at Montana Tech of the Frontier Conference.

But leading up to the 2016 school year and the start of football season, the choice wasn’t necessarily so clear. That’s because, as a three-time state wrestling champion, one might assume Stokes was going to wrestle, but that assumption would be wrong.

“Playing college football, that was always one of my biggest goals,” Stokes said. “But after my freshman year, I started teeter-tottering on which way to go and what to do, and I guess it was just before my senior year that I started to focus on getting football scholarships more than wrestling.

That decision might have been influenced by Montana Tech’s interest in Stokes following the Orediggers’ team camp, in which Stokes won an award. The senior then took an official visit to Butte in September, which played a big part in his decision.

“I am not sure exactly what made me decide,” Stokes said.

“But Tech has a really good football program and Tech is a really good school, so that was definitely part of it.”

However, as much as Stokes was swayed by Tech, he also had Montana State University-Northern trying to sign him in both football and wrestling. He took a visit as a wrestling recruit last July and for football in September.

“It would have been cool to stay here,” Stokes said. “And I definitely thought about it. If I was going to wrestle, I was going to do it at Northern. Coach Thiverge, he had Parker and I in a couple times and it was kind of like Tech in football, If I was going to wrestle, I wanted to win and Northern has a great program and that would have been a big part of it.”

Stokes said the idea of winning a national championship did appeal to him, but ultimately, football meant too much.

“Before I even thought about going to Tech for football, I was thinking about my options and going to Northern,” Stokes said.

“And it would have been cool to try and help bring a championship to Havre. Northern was a good option, a really good option after talking to my parents and Scott (Filius). But I just have more love for football.”

With his wrestling career set to end next month at the AllClass state meet in Billings, finishing it off as a four-time state champion has taken on a new significance.

“That would be a cool way to end it,” Stokes said. “I have never heard of anyone that has been a four-timer that goes and does something else, so that’s the ultimate goal.”

If he has his way, Stokes will be ending his career as not only a four-time individual state champion, but a four-time team champion as well.

“That would be perfect,” Stokes said. “I’ll just hang up the shoes right there.”

Of course, there is another four-peat that both Filius and Stokes are looking to achieve, but it’s not on the wrestling mat or the football field. It’s on the basketball court, in the Havre Intramural basketball championship.

Stokes, who said he once scored 30 points in a middleschool game, and Filius have both on the wrestling team’s unofficial team since they were freshmen. The team has won the last three championships and if Stokes has his way, both he and Filius will go out on top, in another regard.

“We are trying to get the fourtime going on that, too,” Stokes said. “That will be pretty cool.”

Seemingly, when it comes to Filius and Stokes, whether it’s wrestling, intramural basketball or whatever else, winning is just what they do.

C1

2017 Class A

STATE WRESTLING CHAMPS

Monday, Feb. 27, 2017

www.havredailynews.com

Blue Ponies back on the mat in Cut Bank Chris Peterson

Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Havre's Connor Harris, right, and the Havre High wrestling team return from Christmas break with the annual Cut Bank Invitational Friday and Saturday. The Blue Ponies are the defending champions in Cut Bank.

After taking a couple weeks off for the holidays, the Havre High wrestling team will be back on the mat, starting Friday in Cut Bank.

The Blue Ponies, who are making their annual stop in the Cut Bank Invitational, a tournament they have dominated in recent years, will be looking to win their 15th consecutive team championship at the meet. The 2017 version will get underway Friday in Cut Bank at 10 a.m. and will conclude Saturday with championship matches beginning at 4 p.m.

While the Ponies have been historically dominant in Cut Bank, Havre has essentially knocked off all comers this season, winning each tournament it has entered, including the prestigious Tri-State wrestling tournament in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, before the holiday break. HHS also has just one loss in dual competition.

“We have got some great senior leadership this year,” HHS head coach Scott Filius said.

“And we have come out of the break wrestling well in the past.

I guess I didn’t realize it was that many years, but you know, over the break, we just try to have fun when we are in the room, and I think that speaks

volumes for how we come out.”

Over the years, there has been some good competition in Cut Bank and Filius said he expects no difference this year with 30 teams expected to be in attendance from Class AA, Class A, Class B and Class C. “There are usually a lot of teams, not all of them are full, some of them are,” Filius said.

“It’s usually 32-man brackets and then 16 in some of the shorter weights. Great Falls High will send their JV, CMR has their varsity coming, Flathead has brought their varsity in the past, I am not sure what they are doing, so the AA teams kind of rotate their team through there.”

Of course, the Ponies, and their deep and talented lineup will be the favorite to win the team crown. Havre is led by returning state champions Parker Filius (145), Jase Stokes (205) and Martin Wilkie (132). But the Ponies have a number of other strong wrestlers such as Dane Flammond at 160 pounds, Ryan Stewart at 113 pounds and Walter White at 182 pounds.

Havre will also have its other lineup regulars such as Cameron Pleninger (103), Quinn Reno (120). Lane Paulson (126) Connor Harris (138), Mason Dionne (152) and Taylor Gopher (170).

HHS will also have Jared Sienkowski wrestling as a heavyweight this week, which will be difficult with Cut Bank’s Justin

Pfeifer, the top-ranked wrestler in Class B in that same weight class. Yet, Pfeifer will not be the only challenging match Havre will see this weekend, as teams and individuals from across the Hi-Line will be in attendance to challenge HHS. “You get some great kids from along the Hi-Line,” Filius said.

“You get kids from Fairfield, Simms, Cut Bank, Shelby, Harlem, Malta, Big Sandy, Choteau, Conrad, Glasgow, so it’s a nice one.”

The Ponies are certainly focused on starting the secondhalf of the season off on the right foot with another win in Cut Bank, but another focus is starting to fine-tune some things with the All-Class state wrestling tournament just more than a month away.

“The first part of the year, you really push for effort and by and large, we’ve got it,” Filius said. “In the second part of the year, you start trying to wrestle smarter matches. And by that I mean, starting to score on the edges and at the end of periods and denying guys from scoring at the end of periods, stuff like that.”

Havre will begin the defense of its team title in Cut Bank Friday at 10 a.m. The championship round of the tournament starts Saturday at 4 p.m.

Blue Ponies ground the Eagles Havre matmen bring the 2016 portion of the season to a close with another dominant performance George Ferguson

Havre Daily News sports editor gferguson@havredailynews.com There isn’t much of a rivalry on the wrestling mat when it comes to the Havre Blue Ponies and Lewistown Eagles going head-to-head. And when the two teams hooked up to close out 2016, Havre again didn’t give the Eagles a chance to make it a rivalry.

On the strength of four pins in the first six matches, the Blue Ponies beat the Eagles 39-27 Thursday afternoon at the HHS gymnasium. The win closes out the first half of Havre’s season — a season in which the Ponies have won three team titles and are unbeaten in duals.

And like all the other duals Havre has won, bonus points were key. The Ponies started with Quinn Reno getting a firstperiod pin at 103 pounds, while Lane Paulson (120) and Martin Wilkie (126) did the same in the next two bouts. Added to the early goings was a forfeit for Ryan Stewart at 113 and the Ponies led 24-0 before the Eagles managed to even score a single point in a match.

Lewistown did, however, show some signs of competitiveness in a few matches, including Caleb Birdwell’s win over freshman Connor Harris at 132.

However, star senior Parker Filius came right back with a pin at 145 pounds and freshman Mason Dionne earned a hard-fought victory over Chase Farrar at 152, giving the Ponies a 33-9 lead. From there, the Eagles had some big guns of their own, and they won the rest of the matches, but it wasn’t close to enough to mount any sort of comeback against the dominant Blue Ponies, who were open at 170 and got a forfeit win for Jase Stokes at 205. Varsity regulars like Dane Flammond and Walter White sat out the dual.

Now, after an incredible start to the season, Havre will get some rest before returning to the mat for the Cut Bank Invitational Jan. 6-7. The Ponies have just one home dual left as well, as they will battle archrival Sidney Jan. 17.

Havre 39, Lewistown 27

103 – Quinn Reno, HAV pinned Chance Miller, LEW, 1:59; 113 – Ryan Stewart, HAV won by FFT; 120 – Lane Paulson, HAV pinned Tanner Mannin, LEW, 3:56; 126 – Martin Wilkie, HAV pinned Trevyn Nave, LEW, 1:01; 132 – Caleb Birdwell, LEW dec. Connor Harris, HAV, 3-1; 138 – Bridger Grover, LEW won by FFT; 145 – Parker Filius, HAV pinned Dwayne Otto, LEW, :48; 152 – Mason Dionne, HAV dec.

Chase Farrar, LEW, 4-3; 160 – Alex Wickens, LEW pinned Taylor Gopher, HAV, 1:46; 170 – Open; 182 – Wyatt Blythe, LEW pinned JayR Caplette, HAV, 3:29; 205 – Jase Stokes, HAV won by FFT; HWT – Grady Boyce, LEW

pinned Jared Sienkowski, HAV, 1:18.

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Havre High freshman Mason Dionne, top, holds down Lewistown's Chase Farrar during their 152-pound match Thursday at the HHS gymnasium. Dionne scored a 4-3 decision for the Blue Ponies, who beat the Eagles 39-27. Havre won't be back in action until Jan. 6-7 at the Cut Bank invite.

C2

2017 Class A

Monday, Feb. 27, 2017

STATE WRESTLING CHAMPS

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Ponies are now beasts of the Northwest Havre High matmen capture prestigious Tri-State wrestling team title

Stokes and Filius, who are both three-time state champions, each earned their first individual titles in three attempts at the Tri-State and they both did so in style, winning all of their matches by either technical fall or pin.

“We have gone there and tried to do it in the past and just didn’t get it done,” coach Filius said. “I expect a lot of out those Chris Peterson kids and they expect a lot out Havre Daily News of themselves, and they pinned cpeterson@havredailynews.com or tech falled everybody in the tournament. They were really The Havre High wrestling wrestling at a level above the team is used to achieving moncompetition and you try to not umental things, and this past take those guys for granted, they weekend it did so again, capturare so consistent.” ing the prestigious team title at But as Filius said, the team the Tri-State wrestling tournatitle took a lot more scoring than ment. just two wrestlers could provide, Held in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, as many others put forward outthe Tri-State features some of standing performances, starting the best teams from Idaho, Orwith Stewart. egon, Wyoming and Montana.

“This summer, Ryan (Stewart) And when the tournament conput a bunch of time in,” Filius cluded Saturday, it was Havre said. “He went to about a twothat stood tall, taking the team and-a-half weeks of training at a crown with 184 points, narrowly camp and a national tournament defeating Post Falls, and he has really maIdaho, which finished tured a lot and come with 182.5. into his own.”

“It’s one that we Martin Wilkie rehave never had,” HHS bounded from a semihead coach Scott Filfinal loss and won two ius said. “It was kind matches to take third of the cherry on top.” at 126 pounds, while After the first day, at 160 pounds, Dane thanks to five semiFlammond, the other finalists, the Ponies Havre semifinalist, were in second place, took fourth. trailing Post Falls 130.5 Freshmen Cameron to 108. But with three Pleninger and Quinn wrestlers advancing Filius Reno also had great to the finals in Parker weekends. Pleninger, Filius, Jase Stokes and who lost in the second Ryan Stewart, the Poround Friday, won nies put themselves in four of his five final a position to complete matches to take fifth the comeback. at 98 pounds. Reno Yet in the champialso took seventh at onship round, Havre 106 pounds. found itself down by Outside of those 10.5 points. And after who placed, Havre a loss by Stewart, who also got points from finished second at 113 Marc Ramirez (113), pounds, the only way Lane Paulson (120), the Ponies could preConnor Harris (132), vail was with wins Mason Dionne (152), from both Filius and Stokes Walter White (182) Stokes. But even two and Jared Sienkowski victories wouldn’t be (HWT). In all, the Poenough, both had to nies had 13 different wrestlers win by fall. who won at least one match.

As only Stokes and Filius can, And in a team competition they each delivered in the clutch. where every single point ended First, Filius won the 145-pound up being important, each one of title with a pin of his opponent those wins proved to be crucial in 1:05. Then, in the 220-pound fiin the end. nal, Stokes followed suit, pinning “We had lots of young kids that his challenger in 2:22 to earn the didn’t place but scored points, individual crown and clinch the and that was big,” Filius said. “It team title for HHS. was an eye-opener for those kids “Those two I expect a lot out and you can’t raise your ceiling of and they have delivered a lot,” until you see how far you can coach Filius said. “But it certaintake it, so it was a big growth exly was clutch for them to do what perience for those guys.” they did in that atmosphere. But As far as the grand scheme you also had a whole group of of things, while it’s hard to comkids that put them in a position pare winning the Tri-State tourto do that. And I had a whole nament to a state championship, bunch of young kids that contribin terms of difficulty, Filius said uted and it was a whole lot of fun one is much harder to achieve. to see those kids grow.”

Martin Wilkie ~ 2X State Champion

by fall over CJ Hendon (Hermiston) 9-3 (Fall 3:20); 1st Place Match - Parker Filius (Havre) 18-0 won by fall over Nate Moore (White River) 4-1 (Fall 1:05).

152 - Mason Dionne Champ. Round 1 - Max Walker (Mt. Spokane) 6-5 won by fall over Mason Dionne (Havre) 11-9 (Fall 4:07; Cons. Round 1 - Mason Dionne (Havre) 11-9 received a bye () (Bye); Cons. Round 2 - Mason Dionne (Havre) 11-9 won by decision over Phillip Mcelliott (Ferris) 11-6 (Dec 6-5); Cons. Round 3 - Daniel Bonilla (Royal) 4-4 won by decision over Mason Dionne (Havre) 11-9 (Dec 3-0).

160 - Dane Flammond (4th Place) Champ. Round 1 - Dane Flammond (Havre) 18-4 won by fall over Christian Brandt (Lakeland High School) 0-3 (Fall 3:16); Champ. Round 2 - Dane Flammond (Havre) 18-4 won by tech fall over Jason Gillingham (East Valley) 5-6 (TF-1.5 5:25 (16-0); Quarterfinal - Dane Flammond (Havre) 18-4 won by decision over John Knight (Colville) 10-3 (Dec 12-5); Semifinal - Ben Gore (Orting) 5-3 won by major decision over Dane Flammond (Havre) 18-4 (MD 13-1); Cons. Semi - Dane Flammond (Havre) 18-4 won by decision over John Stuart (Kelso) 12-4 (Dec 3-0); 3rd Place Match - Bryan Wais (North Central) 9-2 won by decision over Dane Flammond (Havre) 18-4 (Dec 3-1).

170 - Taylor Gopher

Courtesy Photo The Havre High wrestling team poses for a photo following their win at the Tri-State Tournament Saturday night in Couer d'Alene, Idaho. The Blue Ponies topped many powerhouse teams from all over the Northwest and became only the second Montana school to win the team title there.

“I think it’s tougher than state,” Filius said. “It’s certainly a lot tougher to get than a state title and I think Montana has had two teams win it, us and Flathead (Kalispell), so it’s a special deal.”

Havre will be back on the mats Tuesday as the Ponies renew their rivalry with CMR. The two teams will dual inside the HHS Gymnasium. Matches get underway at 6 p.m.

Tri-State Tournament TEAM SCORES — 1, Havre (Mont.) 184. 2, Post Falls 182.5. 3, Mead 152. 4, Lakeland 149.5. 5, Orting 142.5. 6, Tahoma 140.5. 7, Moses Lake 134. 8 (tie), Hermiston, Lake Stevens 116. 10, Kelso 114.

11, White River 106. 12, Colville 99.5. 13, Central Valley 98.5. 14, North Central 95. 15 (tie), Coeur d’Alene, Polson 76. 17, East Valley 75. 18, University 74. 19, Frenchtown 71.5. 20, Capital 67. 21, Othello 65. 22, Lakeside (Wash.) 64.5. 23, Battle Ground 64. 24, Mt. Spokane 61. 25, Deer Park 60.

26, Moscow 54. 27, Enumclaw 50.5. 28, Lewiston 48. 29, Reardan 47. 30, Kellogg 45.5. 31, Sentinel 45. 32, Freeman 38. 33, Ferris 35.5. 34, Castle Rock 34. 35, Jenkins (Chewelah) 33. 36, Lake City 32.5.

37 (tie), Kentridge, Pullman 27. 39, Sandpoint 23.

40, Riverside 22. 41 (tie), Juanita, Tonasket 21. 43 (tie), Darrington, Royal 18. 45, Libby 15. 46, Meadowdale 14.5. 47 (tie), Vashon Island, Inglemoor 12.

49, Mary Walker 9. 50, Priest River 8. 51, Quincy 7.

52, Whitefish 6. 53, Northwest Christian 5. 54 (tie), Bethel, Chiawana, Gonzaga Prep, Graham-Kapowsin, Kamiakin, Kent-Meridian, Walla Walla 0.

98 - Cameron Pleninger (5th Place)

Champ. Round 1 - Cameron Pleninger (Havre) 15-5 won by fall over Jason Franklin (University) 5-3 (Fall 1:03); Champ. Round 2 - Sam Edelblute (Lakeland High School) 5-2 won by tech fall over Cameron Pleninger (Havre) 15-5 (TF-1.5 3:57 (17-1); Cons.

Round 2 - Cameron Pleninger (Havre) 15-5 won by fall over Skyler Foreman (Hermiston) 2-3 (Fall 3:54); Cons. Round 3 - Cameron Pleninger (Havre) 15-5 won by fall over Jake Carman (Vashon Island) 2-4 (Fall 0:47); Cons. Round 4 - Cameron Pleninger (Havre) 15-5 won by decision over Nate Belcourt (Enumclaw) 7-4 (Dec 8-2); Cons. Round 5 - Cameron Pleninger (Havre) 15-5 won by major decision over Alan Luff (Kelso) 10-3 (MD 12-2); Cons. Semi - Alex Edelblute (Lakeland High School) 8-2 won by decision over Cameron Pleninger (Havre) 15-5 (Dec 9-2); 5th Place Match - Cameron Pleninger

(Havre) 15-5 won by fall over Riley Burgess (Moses Lake) 9-4 (Fall 0:00).

106 - Quinn Reno (7th Place)

Champ. Round 1 - Quinn Reno (Havre) 17-4 received a bye () (Bye); Champ. Round 2 - Quinn Reno (Havre) 17-4 won by major decision over Mateo Quinones (Polson) 4-2 (MD 12-2); Quarterfinal - Ethan Smith (East Valley) 9-4 won by decision over Quinn Reno (Havre) 17-4 (Dec 7-4); Cons.

Round 4 - Quinn Reno (Havre) 17-4 won by major decision over Daniel (brett) Joner (Battle Ground) 9-2 (MD 11-2; Cons. Round 5 - Mateo Quinones (Polson) 4-2 won by decision over Quinn Reno (Havre) 17-4 (Dec 3-1); 7th Place Match - Quinn Reno (Havre) 17-4 won by decision over Buddy Doolin (Libby) 13-5 (Dec 3-1).

113 - Ryan Stewart (2nd Place)

Champ. Round 1 - Ryan Stewart (Havre) 18-2 received a bye () (Bye); Champ. Round 2 - Ryan Stewart (Havre) 18-2 won by fall over Gage Shipley (Hermiston) 6-4 (Fall 1:26); Quarterfinal - Ryan Stewart (Havre) 18-2 won by major decision over Dawson Bretz (Tonasket) 9-2 (MD 11-3); Semifinal - Ryan Stewart (Havre) 18-2 won by decision over Jordan Grimm (Post Falls) 12-5 (Dec 7-3); 1st Place Match - Gabe Hawthorne (White River) 5-0 won by decision over Ryan Stewart (Havre) 18-2 (Dec 10-3).

113 - Marc Ramirez

Champ. Round 1 - Marc Ramirez (Havre) 14-8 won by fall over Cole Roman (Riverside) 4-4 (Fall 1:40); Champ. Round 2 - William Edelblute (Lakeland High School) 5-1 won by major decision over Marc Ramirez (Havre) 14-8 (MD 12-0); Cons. Round 2 - Marc Ramirez (Havre) 14-8 won by fall over Kyron Ray (Colville) 4-7 (Fall 3:55); Cons. Round 3 - Hunter Nees (Freeman) 16-3 won by decision over Marc Ramirez (Havre) 14-8 (Dec 3-1).

120 - Lane Paulson

Champ. Round 1 - Lane Paulson (Havre) 14-7 won

by decision over Brennon (noah) Mcdermott (East Valley) 3-4 (Dec 6-3); Champ. Round 2 - Bryce Miller (Kelso) 14-1 won by fall over Lane Paulson (Havre) 14-7 (Fall 3:01); Cons. Round 2 - Sam Reese (Coeur d`Alene High School) 9-7 won by fall over Lane Paulson (Havre) 14-7 (Fall 0:41).

126 - Martin Wilkie (3rd Place)

Champ. Round 1 - Martin Wilkie (Havre) 20-1 received a bye () (Bye); Champ. Round 2 - Martin Wilkie (Havre) 20-1 won by major decision over Brock Fickle (Mead) 10-5 (MD 13-2); Champ.

Round 3 - Martin Wilkie (Havre) 20-1 won by fall over Reece Eckley (Sentinel) 3-2 (Fall 2:28); Quarterfinal - Martin Wilkie (Havre) 20-1 won by decision over Trent Baun (Colville) 11-2 (Dec 11-9); Semifinal - Alex Cruz (Orting) 8-3 won by major decision over Martin Wilkie (Havre) 20-1 (MD 11-2); Cons. Semi - Martin Wilkie (Havre) 20-1 won by decision over Matt Mcleod (Post Falls) 10-6 (Dec 4-1); 3rd Place Match - Martin Wilkie (Havre) 20-1 won by major decision over Trevor Morrison (Colville) 10-5 (MD 13-5).

132 - Connor Harris (13-8) Champ. Round 1 - Connor Harris (Havre) 13-8 won by fall over Nick Annanie (Lakeside) 0-2 (Fall 0:31); Champ. Round 2 - Jake Howerton (Mt. Spokane) 8-2 won by fall over Connor Harris (Havre) 13-8 (Fall 0:53); Cons. Round 2 - Connor Harris (Havre) 13-8 won by fall over Christian Monzingo (Riverside) 5-5 (Fall 2:57); Cons. Round 3 - Yunadi Bogatyrev (Mead) 6-3 won by decision over Connor Harris (Havre) 13-8 (Dec 10-4).

145 - Parker Filius (Champion)

Champ. Round 1 - Parker Filius (Havre) 18-0 received a bye () (Bye); Champ. Round 2 - Parker Filius (Havre) 18-0 won by fall over Zack Finkbeiner (Kentridge) 10-5 (Fall 1:31); Champ. Round 3 - Parker Filius (Havre) 18-0 won by fall over Dustin Santora (University) 7-4 (Fall 1:10); Quarterfinal - Parker Filius (Havre) 18-0 won by tech fall over Tanner Figueroa (Kellogg) 10-2 (TF-1.5 3:44 (15-0)); Semifinal - Parker Filius (Havre) 18-0 won

Champ. Round 1 - Taylor Gopher (Havre) 6-11 received a bye () (Bye); Champ. Round 2 - Gage Burtenshaw (Darrington) 5-2 won by fall over Taylor Gopher (Havre) 6-11 (Fall 1:22); Cons. Round 2 - Taylor Gopher (Havre) 6-11 received a bye () (Bye); Cons. Round 3 - Julio Leiva (Hermiston) 8-3 won by fall over Taylor Gopher (Havre) 6-11 (Fall 2:27).

170 - JayR Caplette Champ. Round 1 - JayR Caplette (Havre) 4-3 received a bye () (Bye); Champ. Round 2 - Victor Tafoya (Quincy) 3-4 won by decision over JayR Caplette (Havre) 4-3 (Dec 6-5). Round 2 - JayR Caplette (Havre) 4-3 received a bye () (Bye); Cons.

Round 3 - Akio Yamada (Lakeside) 7-4 won by fall over JayR Caplette (Havre) 4-3 (Fall 1:58).

182 - Walter White Champ. Round 1 - Walter White (Havre) 14-5 won by fall over Bailey Sanchez (Moses Lake) 1-2 (Fall 4:34); Champ. Round 2 - Andrew Olvera (Lake City High School) 11-6 won by fall over Walter White (Havre) 14-5 (Fall 4:51); Cons. Round 2 - Zach Strauss (Ferris) 8-6 won by fall over Walter White (Havre) 14-5 (Fall 2:45).

220 - Jase Stokes (Champion) Champ. Round 1 - Jase Stokes (Havre) 17-1 received a bye () (Bye); Champ. Round 2 - Jase Stokes (Havre) 17-1 won by fall over Manny Homen (Ferris) 10-5 (Fall 0:50); Quarterfinal - Jase Stokes (Havre) 17-1 won by fall over Collin Grosse (Mead) 6-2 (Fall 1:14): Semifinal - Jase Stokes (Havre) 17-1 won by fall over Brad Noesen (Post Falls) 9-6 (Fall 4:46); 1st Place Match - Jase Stokes (Havre) 17-1 won by fall over Dagen Kramer (Tahoma) 13-1 (Fall 2:22).

285 - Jared Sienkowski Champ. Round 1 - Jared Sienkowski (Havre) 9-10 received a bye () (Bye); Champ. Round 2 - Houston Bartlett (Kellogg) 7-5 won by major decision over Jared Sienkowski (Havre) 9-10 (MD 11-1); Cons.

Round 2 - Jared Sienkowski (Havre) 9-10 won by fall over Carson Evans (Moses Lake) 8-5 (Fall 1:50); Cons. Round 3 - Gabe Sanchez (Deer Park) 10-4 won by fall over Jared Sienkowski (Havre) 9-10 (Fall 1:37).

C3

2017 Class A

Monday, Feb. 27, 2017

STATE WRESTLING CHAMPS

Pony grapplers take on the best of the west Havre High heads to elite Tri-State Tournament in Idaho Chris Peterson

Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com After starting the season with back-to-back team titles, the Havre High wrestling team will head out of state this week, to take on some high-level competition at the Tri-State tournament.

The annual Tri-State tournament, which is hosted in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and takes place Friday and Saturday, is one of the most prestigious wrestling invites in the Northwest. And for the second straight year, the Blue Ponies will have a full team in attendance, as Havre will bring a total of 13 wrestlers to the meet.

“They use the high school weights there so we will have a 98-pounder,” HHS head coach Scott Filius said. “We will have Cameron Pleninger there, that will work out well for him. We will be open at 220 and 138. They don’t have a 205 so Jase Stokes will be 195.”

Stokes was one of the few Havre wrestlers to place at the meet a year ago, as he finished fourth in his weight class. Parker Filius, who will wrestle at 145 pounds, finished second a year ago and was the only Pony wrestler to make the finals. Sophomore Martin Wilkie (126), who is a defending individual state champ, like Filius and Stokes, finished fifth, as did Ryan Stewart (113).

While those four all have an idea about what it’s like to wrestle at the Tri-State tournament, the Ponies will have a number of freshmen making their first appearance, such as Pleninger (98), Quinn Reno (106) Connor Harris (132) and Mason Dionne (152).

“These young kids are growing up in front of our very eyes,”

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Dane Flammond, top, and the Havre High wrestling team will face some of the best competition it will see all season when the Blue Ponies take part in the Tri-State Tournament this weekend in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

Filius said. “The sooner that they can accept and meet and embrace tough competition, the better they get. So we are excited to see how they do out there. I know a couple of years ago, this group of seniors, they gained a lot from it.”

Lane Paulson will also make the trip and wrestle at 120 pounds, while Dane Flammond and Walter White, who each won multiple matches last year in Coeur d’Alene, will also be back to wrestle at 160 and 182 pounds, respectively. Sophomore Taylor Gopher will wrestle at 170 pounds and in the heavyweight class, HHS will have Jared Sienkowski.

As a team, the Ponies took home a sixth-place finish a year ago, which was partly due to having open weights. But armed with more weight classes this year and a fuller roster, Filius said he and the Ponies are hoping to push the envelope a little further and contend for some individual titles, as well as the team championship.

“We would sure like to,” Filius said. “But you are bringing 64 teams in, so you have no idea who is going to be there. The only

thing you can do is control what you can. We have some kids that we feel can place and place very well. We might be able to win the tournament with those kids.

We haven’t been able to do that quite yet, but we would sure like to try.”

With top-tier from Idaho, Washington, Oregon and Montana, the Tri-State has become a highlight of the Ponies’ earlyseason schedule and with the caliber of competition Havre gets to compete against, it’s easy to see why. It’s also why winning it would mean so much.

“It would be a lot of fun,” Filius said. “I don’t know how realistic it is. Like I said, you just have no idea. One year when we went, they had a great team from Post Falls and the next year, they had a great team from out in the coast in Oregon, so what happens is the great teams cycle through, so if they have a down year, they don’t go. But I know that we are going to go and push through as best we can.”

The Ponies will compete in the Tri-State wrestling tournament in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, starting Friday and continuing into Saturday.

Ponies out to stake their claim in Butte

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Lane Paulson, top, holds down a GFH opponent during last Saturday's Havre Invitational. The Blue Ponies head to Butte this weekend for the prestigious Mining City Duals, where they are the three-time defending champions. The Mining City tourney, which follows tonight's Butte Central Mixer, is one of the top dual tournaments each season in Montana.

Chris Peterson

Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com After a successful start to the 2016-17 wrestling season, the Havre Blue Ponies will take their show on the road this week, to participate in both the Butte Central Mixer and the Mining City Duals.

Havre will compete in the Butte Central Mixer tonight, with the action set to start at 6.

The Ponies will then take part in the Mining City Duals, a tournament Havre has dominated in recent years, winning three straight titles. Havre will begin its title defense Friday. The meet concludes Saturday with the championship round.

However, before Havre tries to defend its title, it will first take part in the Butte Central Mixer, a competition that allow wrestlers to get matches, something Filius wants to see his kids get early in the season.

“Our conditioning was good, so we have some other things that we need to work on this week,” HHS head coach Scott Filius said. “The biggest things that we need to work on are when you have a chance to get a fall, you have to get it, and when you have a chance to avoid get-

ting pinned, you need to do that.

Those are going to be the kinds of things that are important during a dual.”

While just the varsity wrestlers will get to compete in the Mining City Duals, the Butte Central Mixer, which usually features teams such as Butte Central, Stevensville, Frenchtown, Dillon and others from the area, will be open to all Havre wrestlers that are available healthwise.

Yet the varsity level kids will be the ones staying in Butte Friday and Saturday. The junior varsity will wrestle in Whitehall, while the varsity team will be in action Friday in pool play at the Mining City Duals. Havre will wrestle against Columbia Falls, Billings West and Missoula Hellgate. After Friday’s results, teams are placed into a singleelimination bracket, according to record and dual each other until a champion is crowned.

In terms of its lineup, Havre may not use the same one all weekend in Butte, but it will definitely include three of the Ponies’ defending state champions in Parker Filius (145), Jase Stokes (205) and Martin Wilkie (132).

At 103 pounds, Havre will have freshman Cameron Pleninger along with 113-pound freshman

Quinn Reno.

Junior Ryan Stewart will wrestle at 120 pounds again for HHS, while Lane Paulson will be back at 126 pounds. Connor Harris, another freshman, will wrestle in the 138-pound weight class for Havre and another freshman, Mason Dionne, will be at 152. Senior Dane Flammond will man the spot at 160 pounds and at 170 will be Taylor Gopher. Walter White will wrestle at 182 pounds for HHS and in the heavyweight division, the Ponies will send out Jared Sienkowski.

The Ponies will need to knock off a pair of Class AA teams Friday in order to get a top seed for Saturday’s tournament. But that shouldn’t be a problem for HHS, which finished a perfect 7-0 at the meet against Class AA schools a season ago.

“We want to work on those things that will help us with the duals this week,” Filius said.

“But we have some other areas that we need to work on as well and this week will give us a chance to do that.”

Havre will start its three-day stretch of wrestling tonight at the Butte Central Mixer, beginning at 6. The Ponies will seek their fourth-straight title at the Mining City Duals starting Friday and concluding Saturday.

www.havredailynews.com

C4

2017 Class A

Monday, Feb. 27, 2017

STATE WRESTLING CHAMPS

www.havredailynews.com

Ponies own the Mining City, again Havre grapplers top a great field yet again in Butte Chris Peterson

Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com The Havre High wrestling team has enjoyed a lot of success in Butte over the years and this past weekend, the Blue Ponies added another trophy from the Mining City Duals — their fourth straight.

Havre ended up in the winner’s circle when it was all said and done, but the team championship didn’t come as easily as it has in years past. The Ponies, who went 7-0 at the meet a year ago, lost a dual Saturday morning in the preliminary round, before rallying to beat Billings Skyview (39-30), Flathead (4224) and Helena High (38-15) in consecutive duals to take home the championship.

After notching easy victories over Billings West, Missoula Hellgate and Columbia Falls Friday, the Ponies ran into some trouble Saturday morning as they dropped a dual to Helena Capital, 42-35. Havre still got victories from Ryan Stewart (113), Martin Wilkie (126), Parker Filius (145) and Jase Stokes (205), but it wasn’t enough to get the win.

“You know that kids that have been there before wrestled spectacularly,” HHS head coach

Courtesy Photo The Havre High wrestling team captured its fourth straight Mining City Duals title Saturday in Butte. Havre defeated Helena High in the championship match.

Scott Filius said. “The kids that haven’t been there before, they wrestled like they hadn’t been there. They struggled a little bit early, but as it went on, they got better and better, and it was a lot of fun to be around.”

Fortunately, the loss didn’t eliminate Havre, which was part of a three-team round-robin with Helena Capital and Billings Skyview. Skyview beat Capital,

so when the Ponies defeated the Falcons 39-30, it gave them enough points to advance to the semifinals against Flathead.

“Capital beat us and Skyview beat them, “Filius said. “So it came down to a tiebreaker. We needed to beat Skyview by seven or more and we ended up beating them by nine.”

From there, Havre wouldn’t falter again. Against Flathead,

the Ponies got wins by Quinn Reno (103), Stewart, Lane Paulson (120), Wilkie, Connor Harris (132), Filius, Dane Flammond (160), Walter White (182) and Jase Stokes. Havre got four pins in the semifinals, as Reno, Harris, Filius and Stokes all won by fall. Wilkie also scored extra points with a technical fall.

In the championship round, Havre took on a fourth-consec-

utive Class AA school and the sixth in seven duals over the two days in Butte. This time, Helena High was the opponent. But the Bengals were no match for the Ponies, who defeated them easily, 38-15.

“It was a lot of fun to watch our young kids,” Filius said. “It’s neat to watch kids grow and get more confident and see them mature in front of your eyes.”

Havre got victories from Filius, Mason Dionne (152), Flammond, White, Jared Sienkowski (HWT), Stewart, Paulson and Wilkie, who scored another tech fall. The Ponies also registered three pins. Stokes also suffered a rare loss against Helena, as he fell to Hayden Schrull in the 205-pound weight class. It was Stokes’ first loss of the season.

“Jase wrestled a great match in the dual before against Flathead,” Filius said. “He just had a hard time getting up. He’s been money for years and he’s one of the very best kids I have ever coached, so it was tough to watch, but we have all been there. You just can’t quite get yourself to give your best effort going in and that happens. It’s part of the game.”

This week, Havre will be back on the road and will travel to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, for the prestigious Tri-State wrestling tournament, which will feature wrestlers from Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and Washington.

Capital 42, Havre 35 103 – Open; 113 – Ryan Stewart, Hav, pin Nolan Dulaney, CHS, :45; 120 – Nick Kunz,

CHS, pin Lane Paulson, Hav, :34; 126 – Martin Wilkie, Hav, pin Logan Lundin, CHS, 1:21; 132 – Lee Lambrecht, CHS, pin Conner Harris, Hav, 5:37; 138 – Taron Morgan, CHS, forfeit; 145 – Parker Filius, Hav, tech fall Travis Schulte, CHS, 16-0; 152 – Jack Murphy, CHS, pin Mason Dionne, Hav, 1:58; 160 – Open; 170 – Shamus Bartmess, CHS, pin Taylor Gopher, Hav, 1:09; 182 – Kory Broussard, CHS, pin Walter White, Hav, 2:31; 205 – Jase Stokes, Hav, pin Seth Jensen, CHS, 1:08; Hvwt – Carson Shuman, CHS, pin Jared Spakowski, Hav, 1:06.

Semifinals Havre 42, Flathead 24 103: Quinn Reno, H, p. Tilynne Vasquez, :50; 113: Ryan Stewart, H, d. Hunter Rush, 5-4; 120: Lane Paulson, H, d. Cody DeVall, 4-2; 126: Martin Wilkie, H, t. f. Tanner Russell, 17-2; 132: Trae Vasquez, F, forf.; 138: Connor Harris, H, p. Bo Meyer, 4:00; 145: Parker Filius, H, p. Kenyon Fretwell, 1:06; 152: Payton Hume, F, p. Mason Dionne, 4:39; 160: Dane Flammond, H, m. d. Caleb Sherrill, 13-1; 170: Tucker Nadeau, F, p. Taylor Gopher, 2:20; 182: Walter White, H, d. Hunter Wellcome, 5-2; 205: Jase Stokes, H, p. Matt Gash-Gilder, 1:58; 285: Michael Lee, F, p. Jared Sienkowski, :30.

Final: Championship Havre 38, Helena 15 138: Kyle Tabbert, Hel, d. Connor Harris, 9-3; 145: Parker Filius, Hav, forf.; 152: Mason Dionne, Hav, d. Ridge Troupe, 7-6; 160: Noah Manibusan, Hel, forf.; 170: Dane Flammond, Hav, d. Joel Clark, 11-4; 182: Walter White, Hav, p. J.T. Nygaard, 1:35; 205: Hayden Schrull, Hel, d. Jase Stokes, 7-5; HWT: Jared Sienkowski, Hav, p. Jacob Manisbusan, 3:26; 103: Issac Romero, Hel, d. Quin Reno, 10-6; 113: Ryan Stewart, Hav, p. London Norris, 0:58; 120: Lane Paulsen, Hav, d. Austin Murphy, 5-0; 126: Open; 132: Cameron Nelson, Hav, t. f. Devin Crawford, 19-4.

Home Domination: Ponies destroy the field in the 2016 Havre Invite Chris Peterson

Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com The Havre High wrestling team opened its season this weekend by hosting a number of the state’s top wrestling programs.

Yet, after two days of competition, it was clear that the Blue Ponies were better than all of them.

Havre had a total of nine wrestlers in the finals Saturday, the final day of the two-day wrestling extravaganza inside the HHS gymnasium, and the Ponies ended up crowning six champions at the 2016 Havre Invitational. The Ponies took home the team title with 289 points, well ahead of Great Falls High, which finished second with 208. Libby was third with 165 and CMR was fourth with 118.

While there were some familiar faces winning for Havre, as Parker Filius (145), Jase Stokes (205) and Martin Wilkie (132), all state champions a year ago, won their brackets with relative ease, some new faces also made an impact. Freshman Quinn Reno found the winner’s circle after capturing the title at 113 pounds, while Ryan Stewart (120) and Lane Paulson (126) also took home first-place honors.

“I was pleased,” HHS head coach Scott Filius said. “I thought that the kids wrestled hard. It doesn’t look like our conditioning is too bad. We got better from the beginning of the weekend, to the end of the weekend, so yeah, it was a good weekend.”

Havre senior Dane Flammond took home second place in the 160-pound weight class after falling to Jordan Komac of Great Falls High. The Ponies also got second-place finishes from Mason Dionne (152) and Walter White (182).

In addition to having nine firstor second-place finishers, Havre also had six other wrestlers finish fifth or better in their brackets. Senior Jared Sienkowski came in third in the heavyweight division, while freshmen Cameron Pleninger and Marc Ramirez each finished third at 103 and 113 pounds, respectively. Taylor Gopher (170) and Austin Ratliff (205), both sophomores, ended up in fifth as did freshman Connor Harris, who wrestled at 138 pounds for HHS. “I thought our young kids competed real well,” Filius said. “We made some mistakes, but we are going to make mistakes. The fact that they competed as hard as they did was just what I expected, so I am really pleased.”

While Havre dominated the

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Above: Havre's Ryan Stewart holds down a Libby opponent during their championship match at Saturday's Havre Invitational in the HHS gymnasium. Stewart was one of six individual champions for the Blue Ponies, who dominated the tournament. Right: HHS senior Jase Stokes scores a takedown on his way to the 205-pound Havre Invite title Saturday. For more photos from the tournament, go to www.havredailynews.com. meet, another local team, the Chinook Sugarbeeters, the defending Class C state champions, also put together some solid results. Their top individual performer was Tate Niederegger. The two-time state champion made it to the finals at 145 pounds, where he ran into Parker Filius, who defeated him 18-2 in a technical fall.

“He’s a great wrestler,” Parker Filius said of Niederegger. “He has beaten a lot of really good wrestlers, so it was fun to go out there and compete against him.”

The Beeters also got a fourthplace finish from Kurtis Hamilton at 152 pounds, which helped Chinook score a total of 42 points, which put them in ninth place

when it was all said and done.

“We are really young,” Chinook head coach Perry Miller said.

“But what a great way for our kids to start out their season. We get to come here to Havre and wrestle some really great competition and get some great experience. We are learning right now, but like I told the kids, everything between now and February is practice, so now is the time for us to learn and gain experience and keep getting better.

That’s the key is to keep getting better.”

The Ponies will have a quick turnaround this week, as they will travel to Butte for the Butte Central Mixer Thursday, before taking part in the Mining City Duals Friday and Saturday.

C5

2017 Class A

Monday, Feb. 27, 2017

STATE WRESTLING CHAMPS

www.havredailynews.com

HHS already sharp on the mat Chris Peterson Havre Daily News

cpeterson@havredailynews.com The Havre wrestling invitational is always exciting. One reason is that it’s essentially the starting point for local wrestling along the Hi-Line. That makes it interesting in its own right. But also, the Havre invite showcases a lot of great wrestling in general, featuring outstanding teams and individuals.

And this year was no different.

Of course, the Havre Blue Ponies put on a show. When they are on the mats, they seemingly always do. For two days, Havre put on a clinic. When it was all said and done, the Ponies finished with six champions, nine finalists and 14 wrestlers that placed in the top five.

Havre won the team competition going away (284 points) and they did so behind some of their heavy hitters such as Parker Filius and Jase Stokes, who each won a final individual title at the Havre Invite.

“It was fun,” Filius said about wrestling in the Havre Invitational one last time. “I think the big key for me was the all the work I did in the summer. But I am excited about the rest of the season and moving on to col-

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Two of the state's best wrestlers, Havre's Parker Filius, top, and Chinook's Tate Niederegger went at it in Saturday's Havre Invitational at the HHS gymnasium. The Havre Invite is always a competitive start to the wrestling season and was again this year. For full results, see Page B2. lege and trying to achieve all my goals there.”

Filius, who is committed to wrestle at the University of Pur-

due, showed why Saturday. He pinned the first two opponents he faced Saturday in just over three minutes combined, one in 26 sec-

onds. Then, in the 145-final, he knocked off Tate Niederegger, a two-time state champion from Chinook, 18-2 in a dominant dis-

play of technical wrestling.

“I think it comes down to all the preparation and work that I do,” Filius said. “I knew that Tate was going to be a tough opponent, so I just tried to go out and wrestle as hard as I could against him.”

While that match pitted two of the top wrestlers in the state against each other, the Havre Invite itself brought in plenty of great competition, as it featured not only Chinook, the Class C state champions, but Class AA powers Great Falls High and CMR, as well as Shepherd and Cut Bank of Class B. “Every year, you come here and you get the best that Great Falls has to offer, the best that Hi-Line has to offer, we are starting to bring in people from Shepherd, so yeah, it was a great tournament,” Filius said. “I was really pleased with it.”

While coach Filus saw a number of his stalwarts do what they are accustomed to doing, he also had a number of young wrestlers, who shined despite the difficult competition they faced.

Havre may have a total of nine upperclassmen, most of them mainstays like Filius, Stokes, Dane Flammond, Jared Sienkowski and Ryan Stewart, it

also has sophomores like Martin Wilkie, Lane Paulson, Austin Ratliff and Taylor Gopher winning plenty of matches, as did freshmen like Quinn Reno, Mason Dionne, Cameron Pleninger, Marc Ramirez and Connor Harris.

Wilkie is already one of the best sophomores in the state and, after winning this weekend and a state championship as a freshman, he looked just as dominant as Filius and Stokes. But the really encouraging thing for Pony wrestling is the first-place finishes of Reno and Paulson, as well as the strong showings by Dionne, Pleninger, Ramirez and Harris.

It’s hard to call wrestlers like Filius, Stokes and Wilkie boring to watch because their skills on the match are incredible. But as far as suspense goes, when they wrestle, their isn’t much. They are so good, in fact, the results seem predetermined.

As coach Filius said last week, they are known quantities, he knows what he’s getting from them. What he didn’t know, he said, is what he would get from his youngsters. But if the Havre Invitational is any indication, he’s going to get a lot, not just now, but in February, too.

2016 Havre Invite Wrestling Results Team scores – 1. Havre 289; 2. Great Falls 208; 3. Libby 165; 4. C.M. Russell 118; 5. Lewistown Fergus 114.5; 6.

Malta 96.5; 7. Shepherd 89; 8. Browning 59.5; 9. Chinook 42; 10. Butte Central 28; 10. Cut Bank 28; 12. CJI 0.

Championship 103 – Tanner Cook, SHP, d. Buddy Doolan, LIB 4-3 in SV1; 113 – Quinn Reno, HAV, p. Andrew Paradise, GFH, 2:34; 120 – Ryan Stewart, HAV, tf. Mason Sams, Libby, 17-1; 126 – Lane Paulson, HAV, d. Kolter Schipman, MAL, 8-6; 132 – Martin Wilkie, HAV, p. Reed Christensen, LIB, 1:05; 138 – Trey Smianton, MAL, tf.

Kai Stewart, CMR, 23-6; 145 – Parker Filius, HAV, tf.

Tate Niederegger, CHN, 18-2; 152 – Tim Carver, LIB, p.

Mason Dionne, HAV, 1:30; 160 – Jordan Komac, GFH, d. Dane Flammond, HAV, 7-0; 170 – Wyatt Blythe, LEW, d. Graydon Irish, CMR, 7-1; 182 – Travis Tomei, GFH, p.

Walter White, HAV, 4:10; 205 – Jase Stokes, HAV, d.

Ryan Moldenhauer, GFH, 7-3; 285 – Justin Pfeifer, CTB, p. KC Buday, CMR, 1:36.

Third place 103 – Cameron Pleninger, HAV, md. Easton Shupe, GFH, 12-4; 113 – Marc Ramirez, HAV, p. Dylan Yeadon, LIB, 3:35; 120 – Callan Mears, MAL, p. Tanner Mannin, LEW, 4:03; 126 – Braeden Lomas, GFH, d. Trey Thompson, LIB 8-2; 132 – Caden Hilliard, GFH, p. Clay Fisher, BUC, 4:54; 138 – Russell Wienholz, GFH, by forfeit over Laine Young, LIB; 145 – Tyler Loch, GFH, d. Chase Farrar, LEW, 7-2; 152 – Calvin Racine, BRW, md. Kurtis Hamilton, CHN, 13-2; 160 – Alex Wickens, LEW, p. Spencer Dougherty, SHP, 2:14; 170 – Sonny Cochran, SHP, d.

Dylan Parrish, LIB, 4-1; 182 – Ryan Longtime Sleeping, BRW, p. Travis Epperson, MAL, 2:09; 205 – Clancy Gout, LIB, d. Christian Pfeifer, SHP, 7-2; 285 – Jared Sienkowski, HAV, p. Jenson Poirier, GFH 3:50.

Fifth place 103 – Roy Russell, BUC, p. Deandre Coles, GFH, 2:36; 113 – Austin Phatovong, GFH, bye; 120 – no match; 126 – Quinton Spring, CMR, p. Zach Williamson, CMR, 1:31; 132 – Jack Dresel, GFH, p. Trevyn Nave, LEW, 2:34; 138 – Connor Harris, HAV, d. Bridger Grover, LEW, 5-4;

145 – Ceaton Mears, MAL, d. Logan Richard, CMR, 7-4; 152 – Grady Fitzpatrick, LEW, p. JC Depping, CMR, 2:09; 160 – Kameron Powell, SHP, p. Tanner Wood, LIB, 3:54; 170 – Taylor Gopher, HAV, d. Ryan Kipp, BRW, 5-2; 182 – Bradly Denton, LEW, p. Chance Buday, CMR, :59; 205 – Austin Ratliff, HAV, p. Brett Kipp, BRW, 2:54; 285 – Brady Boyce, LEW, p. Terrell Mitchell, GFH, 4:34.

Round 1 - pinned J.T. Hauer, CHI, 1:44; Quarterfinals - won dec. Bridger Grover, LEW, 1-0; Semifinals - lost dec. Kai Stewart, CMR, 6-4.; Consolation semis - lost dec. Laine Young, Libby, 6-4; 5th Place Match - won dec.

Bridger Grover, LEW, 5-4.

Havre Individual Results

145 - Parker Filius - Champion

103 - Cameron Pleninger - 3rd Place

Quarterfinals - pinned Ceaton Mears, MAL, :26; Semifinals - pinned Tyler Loch, GFH, 2:36; Championship - won tech fall over Tate Niederegger, CHI, 18-2.

Quarterfinals - pinned Mason Henry, Shepherd, :37; Semifinals - pinned by Buddy Doolin, Libby, 5:41; Consolation semia - pinned Roy Russell, BC, 2:04; 3rd Place Match - maj. Dec Easton Shupe, GF, 12-4; 113 - Marc Ramirez -3rd place Semifinals - lost dec. Quinn Reno, HAV, 7-4; Consolation semis - pinned Austin Phatovong, GFH, 4:29; 3rd Place Match - pinned Dylan Yeadon, Libby; 120 - Ryan Stewart - Champion Semifinals - pinned Tanner Mannin, LEW, :57; Championship - won by tech fall over Mason Sams, Libby, 17-1.

126 - Lane Paulson - Champion Quarterfinals - won tech fall over Zach Williamson, GFH, 18-3; Semifinals - won dec. Braeden Lomas, GFH, Championship - won dec. Kolter Schipman, MAL, 8-6.

132 - Martin Wilkie - Champion

138 - Connor Harris - 5th place

152 - Mason Dionne - 2nd place Semifinals - pinned Kurtis Hamilton, CHI, :37; Championship pinned by Tim Carvey, Libby, 1:30.

160 - Dane Flammond - 2nd place Quarterfinals - pinned Wylie Novak, CB, 1:04; Semifinals - pinned Alex Wickens, LEW, 5:09; Championship - lost dec. Jordan Komac, GFH, 7-0.

170 - Taylor Gopher - 5th place Round 1 - lost dec. Emmitt Augare, BRO, 6-5; Consolation Round 2 - won dec. Colter Stillwagon, BC, 7-3; Consolation Round 3 - pinned Noah Caron, GFH, 2:56; Consolation semis - pinned by Dylan Parrish, Libby, 1:45; 5th Place Match - won dec. Ryan Kipp, BRO, 5-2.

182 - Walter White - 2nd place

Quarterfinals - pinned Jack Dresel, GFH, 1:30; pinned Clay Fisher, BC, 3:30; Championship - pinned Reed Christensen, Libby, 1:05.

Quarterfinals - pinned Rhyan Longtime Sleeping, BRO, 1:02; Semifinals - won tech fall over Travis Epperon, MAL, 17-0; Championship - pinned by Travi Tomei,GFH, 4:10.

132 - Cameron Nelson

205 - Jase Stokes - Champion

Quarterfinals - pinned by Reed Christensen, Libby, 1:38; Consolation Round 1 - pinned by Trevyn Nave, LEW, 1:29.

Quarterfinals - pinned Trent Saunders, Shepherd, :30; Semifinals - pinned Christian Pleifer, Shepherd; Championship - won dec. Ryan Moldenhauer, GFH, 7-3.

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Havre freshman Mason Dionne, left, battles with a Libby opponent in the finals of the 152-pound bracket during Saturday's Havre Invite at the HHS gymnasium. For more photos from the tourney, go to www.havredailynews. com.

205 - Austin Ratliff - 5th Place Round 1 - won dec. Clancy Gout, Libby, 2-1; Quarterfinal - pinned by Ryan Moldenhauer, GFH, 3;02; Consolation Round 2 - pinned Austin Cooper, CMR, 1:58; Consolation Round 3 - won dec. Taylor Johnson, Shepherd, 3-1; Consolation Semis - pinned by Christian Pfeifer, Shepherd, 1:58; 5th Place Match - pinned Brett Kipp, BRO, 2:54.

HWT - Jared Sienkowski - 3rd Quarterfinals - won dec. Elijah Greenberg, LEW, 7-2; Semifinals - pinned by Justin Pfeifer, CB, 2:43; Consolation semis - pinned Boyce Brady, LEW, 2;10; 3rd Place Match - pinned Jensen Poirier, GFH, 3:50.

Tough Havre Invite kicks off the season Blue Ponies welcome in a strong field to start a brand new wrestling season Every year the Havre High wrestling invitational kicks off the winter sports season along the Hi-Line. This year, that will be the case once again as teams from across the state will converge on Havre for the two-day tournament.

The tournament will get underway this afternoon inside the HHS gymnasium. It will run through Saturday and the second day of the meet will begin at 9:30 a.m. The championship

matches will take place Saturday afternoon.

“We are definitely excited about wrestling someone different,” HHS head coach Scott Filius said. “We have been working hard in the room here for the past few weeks, so it will be nice to get out there and go against someone besides ourselves.”

For years, the Havre Invite has boasted a strong field and it will once again this year.

There will be two state championship teams competing as the Blue Ponies, the champions of Class A and the Chinook Sugarbeeters, the champions of Class C will both be in attendance.

In addition to those teams, there will also be others in attendance such as Class AA powers Great Falls High and CMR, and a number of other teams from along the Hi-Line. Filius is, however, excited about one new addition to the meet, Shepherd, which finished fourth at state last year in

Class B. “Shepherd has 18 kids and last year, they had three or four scrappy kids,” Filius said. “They should have some tough kids again, and it’s exciting to get some new blood and we are excited to have them.”

While Havre comes into the meet as the four-time defending champions in Class A, one of the most exciting things about the Havre Invite will be some of the young talent on display for the Ponies.

Havre will enter the meet with a total of 20 wrestlers and 11 of them are going to be underclassmen. Certainly, the strength of the team still lies with veterans like Parker Filius (145) and Jase Stokes (205), who each enter the season as three-time individual champions. HHS has two other individual champions, one is Martin Wilkie, who will wrestle at 132 pounds and Tyler Schaub, who will wrestle at 205. Schaub is dealing with an injury

from football and may not wrestle right away to start the season.

In addition to those four, Havre has other veterans like Ryan Stewart (120) and Dane Flammond (160) to rely on, as well as other experienced returners such as Jared Sienkowski, in the heavyweight class, Jared Laux at 160 pounds, JayR Caplette at 170 pounds and Walter White at 182 pounds.

The Ponies' lineup this week, also features some other talented sophomores such as Lane Paulson (126), Austin Ratliff (205) and Taylor Gopher (170), who are all looking to build on promising freshmen campaigns. All seven freshmen will also be in action this weekend for the Ponies, which is one benefit of being the host team.

Coach Filius said, seeing his first-year guys in action is also one of the things he is most looking forward to.

“We know what a lot of our guys can do,” Filius said. “But I am really excited to see what these freshmen go

out there and do. I want to see how those guys go out and compete.”

The Havre Invite provides a great chance for Havre wrestlers to get some matches, but it will also provide some great experience for the rest of the teams in attendance as well.

Chinook, which boasts a two-time individual champion of its own in Tate Niederegger, will also be showcasing a number of young wrestlers looking to gain some experience.

The seven freshmen from Havre who will see action are Cameron Pleninger at 103 pounds, Marc Ramirez at 133 pounds, Quinn Reno also at 113 pounds, Shawn Sullivan at 126 pounds, Connor Harris and Cameron Nelson at 132 pounds, along with Mason Dionne and Isaiah Stiffarm at 152 and 160 pounds respectively.

The wrestlers will hit the mats inside the HHS gymnasium this afternoon, and will return Saturday at 9:30 a.m.

C6

2017 Class A

Monday, Feb. 27, 2017

STATE WRESTLING CHAMPS

www.havredailynews.com

Ponies primed for a historic year Powerful Havre High matmen ready to march their dynasty onward Chris Peterson

Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com It’s hard to truly describe the dominance of the Havre High wrestling program over the past two decades. And as another season is set to start this weekend, the Blue Ponies come in having won eight of the last 10 Class A state championships, including the last four.

But of all the state championships Havre has won, there are a number of reasons why this year could be more historic than ever.

And that’s why, as the new season looms, the Ponies and their fans are glad they are getting back on the mats.

“I think we are ready to wrestle somebody else,” HHS head coach Scott Filius said. “We are tired of beating up on each other and we are ready to do it to somebody else.”

Over the last few years, the Ponies have beaten up on just about everybody they have faced. Yet, that doesn’t mean Havre hasn’t sought out the best competition possible because it has. It’s why Havre wrestles the Jug Beck Rocky Mountain Invitational and in tournaments like the Tri-State wrestling tournament in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

The Ponies don’t shy away from tournaments like those and this year will be no different and that’s one reason why, according to Filius, his teams have managed to stay hungry despite all the success.

“A big reason we have been able to stay hungry, is that we have had a commitment to go out and find great competition and get our good kids beat,” Filius said.

“If you know you are going to go to the Rocky, if you know you are going to Coeur d’Alene, you know you are going to wrestle the best teams in the state and you have something to look forward to.”

While Filius and his team look forward to some of the great competition they will face this season, its opponents may not share the same enthusiasm.

Havre Daily News/File Photo Havre High sophomore Martin Wilkie is one of four returning individual champions for the four-time defending Class A champion Blue Ponies this wrestling season. Havre, under longtime head coach Scott Filius, will be the Class A favorite again this season, and the Ponies have plenty of history to achieve. For more on Havre wrestling, see Friday's Havre Daily News.

During his lengthy tenure at Havre High, Filius has had some great teams, but talent-wise, this year’s bunch is as good as any, which doesn’t bode well for the competition.

Of course it starts with the Ponies’ two three-time state champions, Parker Filius (145) and Jase Stokes (205). Both Filius and Stokes will be seeking to be Havre’s first ever four-time state champions, giving both the chance to make history come February.

Yet, Stokes and Filius aren’t the only returning state champs

for the Ponies. Havre actually has a total of four, including junior Tyler Schaub (205), who won last season after finishing third as a freshman, as well as Martin Wilkie (132), who started his path to being a four-timer as a freshman last season.

There is no question that Havre has some elite talent on its roster, however its four state champions are just the beginning. The Ponies also boast Dane Flammond, who has placed twice at state, including a third-place showing last year at 160 pounds, where he will wrestle again this

season. HHS also features junior Ryan Stewart, who finished sixth a year ago and will wrestle at 120 pounds once again.

In all, Havre has nine upperclassmen and the other veterans include seniors Jared Laux, who will wrestle at 160 pounds after qualifying for state last season and heavyweight Jared Sienkowski. Juniors JayR Caplette, who will wrestle at 170 pounds and Walter White, who will compete at 182 pounds, should also contribute.

But coach Filius also said he is looking forward to seeing how

his young wrestlers perform, a group that includes some highlytouted freshmen.

“I know what a lot of these older guys are capable of,” Filius said. “And actually, I know what our sophomores are capable of, too. So I am looking forward to seeing how these young guys compete. I hope they make the same kind of impact that we have had from freshmen the last couple years. I hope they don’t put a ceiling on themselves and I hope they come in and wrestle at a high level right away. Our program is kind of designed

that way and hopefully these kids come in and take it by the horns.”

Joining Wilkie in the sophomore class are Lane Paulson (126), Taylor Gopher (170) and Austin Ratliff (205), all of whom are capable of being key contributors. And last but not least, a talented group of freshmen includes Cameron Pleninger (103), Marc Ramirez (113), Quinn Reno (113), Shawn Sullivan (126), Connor Harris (126), Cameron Nelson (132) and Mason Dionne (152).

In addition to the talent the youngsters will bring to the table, the group will also help Filius to have wrestlers in weight classes like 103 and 113, something he didn’t have last season. The only weight without a wrestler right now is 138.

“That will be nice,” Filius said of filling more weights this year. “We are probably going to be missing one of the middle weights there, but we are pretty close to a full lineup.”

The deep and talented Ponies, who are certainly the Class A favorites once again, will get their season started this weekend at the Havre Invitational, which starts Friday inside the HHS gymnasium. The meet will conclude Saturday. After that, Havre will take part in many of its traditional events, such as the Butte Central Mixer (Dec. 8) and the Mining City Duals (Dec. 10).

Havre will make the trek to the Tri-Cities meet in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Dec. 16-17 and will wrestle at the Rocky Mountain Invitational Jan. 13-14, after a dual with CMR (Dec. 20), taking part in the Cut Bank Invite (Jan. 6-7) and a dual against Great Falls High (Jan. 12).

Also on the schedule this year for Havre is a dual versus Sidney at home Jan. 17 and the Class A Duals in Belgrade Jan. 20-21. The Eastern A Divisional tournament will be held in Glendive Feb. 4 and the AllClass State meet will be in Billings Feb. 10-11.

“We have a great group of kids,” coach Filius said of his team. “We have some great leadership at the top and our younger kids are following along. I am having a lot of fun, and we have some great coaches. They are great people and we have some great kids, and that’s fun to be around.”