New coach sparks motivation in Ronan wrestlers
Melea Burke
Left: Quentin Denton pins Noxon’s Gary Wadman after just 41 seconds in the first round of a home mixer with Florence, Noxon and Deer Lodge Dec. 20. Denton went 2-0 on the night, pinning Florence’s Jace Pancake in 1:26 in round two.
Melea Burke
Melea Burke
Ronan head coach Cory Johnston and assistant coach Monte Cheff watch a Ronan athlete’s match at the Dec. 1 Polson Invitational.
Melea Burke
Connor Benn, 140 pounds, gets a hold on Noxon’s Luke Crowe. Benn won by pin in 35 seconds.
Melea Burke
Melea Burke
Melea Burke
Melea Burke
Jesse Partida, left, grapples with Florence’s Jace Pancake during Ronan’s home mixer last Thursday. Partida lost the 145-pound match by pin in 2:31 but went on to defeat Deer Lodge wrestler Tristan Huff in the second round.
Melea Burke
Kyle Lawson tangles with Tristan Huff of Deer Lodge last Thursday. Lawson won by pin in 46 seconds, going on to defeat Noxon’s Cory Neil by pin in 1:28.
Melea Burke
Melea Burke
Melea Burke
Melea Burke
Melea Burke
Melea Burke
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RONAN — Like many wrestling squads in the valley, the Ronan Chiefs have always had a strong tradition and team when it comes to wrestling.
However, new head coach Cory Johnston says this year they’re “opening up a lot of eyes,” thanks in large part to the Chief’s four seniors.
Of these four seniors, three are ranked at the state level in the top two of their respective weight classes.
“With the senior leadership, things have gone really well. A lot of the young guys are starting to follow (the seniors’) lead,” Johnston said.
Colby Roberts, Shelby Grant and Brandon Dumont are all returning state placers.
“We’re sitting pretty good,” Johnston said. “I think a few of those guys are going to be able to move up in the rankings as we get closer to state.”
Johnston, a recent transplant from Glasgow, said that while he was there, his team won two state championships. Even so, he says he’s never seen the kind of dedication that is present in Ronan’s club.
“This group is special. I’ve never had a group that works this hard, especially without complaining,” Johnston said. “When you’re new in town like me ... the kids, they would be within their rights to question things, but none of them have. They trust the system and the assistant coaches have jumped right in and helped the guys believe.”
In a move fairly uncommon of new coaches at any level, Johnston decided to keep the existing assistant coaches on staff and was quick to credit them for helping to ease the transition of leadership.
“They’re the ones keeping things going,” Johnston said. “They let me know some of the things the kids like to do and I don’t want to take away from that, I want to build on it and the assistants have been amazing.”
That’s not to say Johnston hasn’t made changes.
“The coaching is completely different,” said Dumont, a junior “Just changing up everything. I’m more motivated this year to wrestle, to make something of myself.”
Dumont said all changes have been positive and that the biggest changes he’s seen are within himself — practicing and working out both inside the wrestling room and on his own time.
“I’m a lot more motivated,” he said. “I have two years to show people what I’m made of and prove something.”
One example of Johnston’s changes includes a “wrestle-into-shape” rule; rather than running laps and wind-sprints to get his athletes into shape, Johnston gets them into shape on the mat with little to no running in practice.
“I always tell the kids that if a track meet breaks out, we’ll be in trouble, but as long as it’s a wrestling match, we should be in good shape,” Johnston said.
As a team, Ronan is knocking off competitors left and right, gaining momentum and strength as the season progresses.
On Dec. 15 and 16, the Chiefs took on 45 teams at the 35th annual CMR Holiday Classic and came away with ninth place. The Chiefs fell only to Choteau (the two-time returning state championship runner-up) and Forsyth (the two-time returning state championship team).
“So far, we haven’t missed a beat ... we’re on track to achieve all our goals,” Johnston said.
These goals include winning the division as a team, winning a state tournament trophy and sending at least three Chiefs into state champions. Thanks to Ronan’s fighting spirit, Johnston believes the team will attain each of those goals.
“(The athletes) just grind non-stop,” he said. “They’ve got each other’s backs and they don’t quit.”
Dumont, like so many other athletes, had trouble pin-pointing the reason he loves wrestling.
“It’s not really something you can explain. You just like it. You have to love it to do it,” he said.
Results for Dec. 20 mixer
(Deer Lodge, Florence, Noxon and Ronan)
Round 1
112: Cole Snyder (Ronan) def Shea Miller (Florence) by pin :46 seconds
119: Trevar McAllister (Ronan) def Brady Wilson (Noxon) by pin :41 seconds
130: Brandon Dumont (Ronan) def Sheldon Danforth (Deer Lodge) by pin :54 seconds
140: Connor Benn (Ronan) def Luke Crowe (Noxon) by pin :36 seconds
145: Kyle Lawson (Ronan) def Tristan Huff (Deer Lodge) by pin :46 seconds
160: Quentin Denton (Ronan) def Gary Wadman (Noxon) by pin :41 seconds
145: Jace Pancake (Florence) def Jessie Partida (Ronan) by pin 2:31
Round 2
112: Cole Snyder (Ronan) def Brady Wilson (Noxon) by pin 2:34
119: Torren Lawson (Florence) def Trevar McAllister (Ronan) by pin 2:59
125: Chase Rhine (Ronan) def Austin Johnson (Noxon) by pin :28 seconds
130: Brandon Dumont (Ronan) def Scott Cozby (Deer Lodge) by pin :55 seconds
140: Connor Benn (Ronan) def Broc Reed (Florence) by pin 1:26
145: Kyle Lawson (Ronan) def Cory Neil (Noxon) by pin 1:28
145: Jessie Partida (Ronan) def Tristan Huff (Deer Lodge)by decision 6-3
160: Gary Wadman (Noxon) def Tayler Sinclair (Ronan) by pin 1:21
160: Quentin Denton (Ronan) def Jace Pancake (Florence) by pin 1:26
285: Michael Irvine (Ronan) def Alan Chojnacky (Noxon) by pin :41 seconds
Round 3
119: Torren Lawson (Florence) def Cole Snyder (Ronan) by decision 13-7
119: Trevar McAllister (Ronan) def Jacob Mitchell (Noxon) by pin 1:46
125: Connor Rogers (Deer Lodge) def Chase Rhine (Ronan) by decision 7-4
130: Brandon Dumont (Ronan) def Cody Edens (Florence) by pin :30 seconds
140: Connor Benn (Ronan) def Jacob Duerr (Deer Lodge) by pin 1:53
145: Cory Neal (Noxon) def Jessie Partida (Ronan) by pin :46 seconds
171: Shelby Grant (Ronan) def Gary Wadman (Noxon) by pin 3:13
189: Colby Roberts (Ronan) def Tanner Cobbs (Florence) by decision 5-3
