Pirates bring back good mix of experience, youth to the mat

Jim Blow/Valley Journal

Polson's Ty Fouty fends off the desperate hands of Eureka's David Wilson during their 152-pound match Saturday morning. Fouty earned the pin seconds later, leading to the Polson senior's solid season-opener with a second-place finish at the Polson Invitational wrestling tournament.

By Aaric Bryan
Valley Journal
POLSON — Wrestling season has begun in earnest and the Polson Pirates are deep into it, though a bit short-handed and a little green in some weights. The Pirates placed fourth at their own Polson Invitational tournament last Saturday, edged by three Class AA schools.
Last year's team involved a lot of seasoning for a youngish Polson group, but they come back this year with a lot of experience and some good looking freshman talent that will battle to fill in some weights.
Returning this year will be:......
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Jame Petersen captures championship in Polson

Aaric Bryan/Valley Journal

Mission sophomore Scotty Gilleard begins to turn his Eureka opponent en route to a victory in Polson.

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Cole Rice cashes in at Cascade, Damon Cordier takes silver

By Aaric Bryan
Valley Journal
CASCADE — Arlee’s Cole Rice didn’t waste any time in capturing his first championship of the season.
Rice, a 145-pound junior, defeated Deer Lodge’s Bobby Ray 9-7 to take the championship at the season-opening 35th Annual Cascade Badger Invitational Saturday. Rice’s first-place finish catapulted the Warriors to 10th place in the 20-team field, which featured many teams from the Southern and Northern B-C divisions.
Rice, who is coming off a second-place finish at the state tournament, wasted no time in his march back to the championship stand. Rice started the tournament by pinning Choteau’s Michael Moore in the second period. It only took him one minute and 37 seconds to pin his second opponent – Ryan Pharris from Great Falls.
In the championship match, Rice took a 9-3 lead into the final period against Ray, who was also a runner-up at last year’s state tournament. In the third period, Rice let up and Ray was .....
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Divisional champ Chiefs look forward to another February run

Jim Blow/Valley Journal

Toby Cheff turns his Libby opponent onto his shoulders en route to a victory at last year’s Northwestern A Divisional Tournament in Libby. Cheff, who earned a divisional championship last year, returns with a strong core of wrestlers to lead Ronan into a fresh wrestling season.

By Jim Blow
Valley Journal
RONAN — Last year’s divisional champ Ronan Chiefs, who also placed third at state, return a lot of experience and the same hard-work ethic that keyed so much of their success. That same attitude was evident as the Chiefs won their first dual of the wrestling season 44-32 over Libby with six pins and a technical fall.
First year head coach Dustyn Azure takes over a resurgent wrestling program at Ronan that he helped build over the past three years as an assistant coach under Ryan Fisher.
This year’s team got right to work in Libby defending its divisional title. Winning by pin were Toby Cheff (189 pounds), Cole McArthur (160), Micky Cheff (152), Alex Greenfield (140), Cameron Neiss (135) and Lukas Conklin (98).
Andrew Tiegen won by 17-2 technical fall at 112 and Dilan Starkel won his 145-pound match with a 7-5 decision.
“We’re really stressing getting the pins, the major decisions and tech falls. Especially in duals we really need those pins,” Azure explained. “Alex Greenfield showed a lot of improvement over last year. And Lukas Conklin went out and looked pretty tough. He’s been getting beat up by (heavier) guys in practice all week, so it was good to see him go out there and get a win. He doesn’t get many takedowns in the practice room.”
Ronan returns eight wrestlers from last year’s varsity squad. Of those eight, six qualified for the state tournament two were state champions, one placed third and one finished fourth in 2008. The returning wrestlers include:......
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Maidens eager to start winning tradition

Aaric Bryan/Valley Journal

Ronan coach Doug Fisher runs his team through their offense at practice last week. The first-year coach said his young team has been coming to practice ready to work and willing to listen.

By Aaric Bryan
Valley Journal
RONAN — The Maidens will start the season with a new coach, new system, mostly new players and hopefully, new success.
The Maidens have very few ties with last year’s winless team, which graduated five seniors. Maiden junior Alice Van Gunten is one of the few returning players that saw significant playing time last year, and first-year coach Doug Fisher said she will play a key role for the team this year as forward.
“I want (Van Gunten) to do a little more facing the basket. Most of what she did last year was with her back to the basket,” Fisher said.
The 5-foot-9 junior can score inside, but she also has a soft touch outside. Fisher said she could cause a lot of teams trouble with her 15-foot jump shot.
Van Gunten will be joined down low by Jonna Grant. Grant started for Mission last year and has a knack for scoring. Fisher said that she will probably be the Maidens’ main inside threat. He said she plays really well with her back to the basket and is an excellent passer from the post.
“(Grant) is really solid. She’s going do a lot for us this year. She’s real strong inside, offensively and defensively ... and she’s a real good leader,” Fisher said.
Shandeen Belanger will also be an inside threat for the Maidens. The junior played a lot last year and will give the Maidens a presence down low, Fisher said.
Nina Orozco earned more and more.......
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