'Beeters Wildcat Grapplers get the season started
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High School wrestling is underway for the Chinook Sugarbeeters and Harlem Wildcats. This past weekend the Sugarbeeters were in Havre while Harlem was at the Badger Invitational in Cascade. Both tournaments were two-day events and provided coaches with a great way to see where the team is at to start the season.
The Sugarbeeters were in Havre and had plenty of success Friday and Saturday. Eighth grader Hayden Berreth got his season off to a great start with two wins on Friday and three more on Saturday to win the 120 pound weight class. Junior Gage Chapman also performed very well, going 4-0 on Friday and 3-0 on Saturday to win the 138 pound division. Freshman Walter Schoen won all three of his matches Friday by pin and went 3-1, all three wins coming by pin as well to earn a third place finish at 160.
On the girls' side junior Grace Buck picked up a pair of wins Friday but did not wrestle on Saturday. Sophomore Emma Klingaman went 6-0 over the weekend winning three each day, all by pinfall. Sophomore Bailey Billmayer went 2-2 on Friday and 2-1 on Saturday for the 'Beeter girls.
Chinook Head Coach Ben Stroh commented after, "The team wrestled tough this weekend. I am very happy with our first outing of the season with such a young team. They all came out to battle, no matter if they were wrestling an eighth grader or a returning state champion, it didn't matter. Everybody knew they were in for a battle when they had to wrestle a Beeter. That being said, we have some technical stuff to cover this next week at practice, but with how willing the team was to listen and adapt this weekend, they should pick up on the critiques quickly."
The Wildcats and Lady Cats had success of their own as well. Sophomore Delane Lamere finished fourth at 138 for the Wildcats going 4-2. Senior Leon Champagne (152+also wrestled his way to a 4-2 record while finishing fourth. Senior Kendon Young was fifth at 170. On the girls side the Ladycats had a strong showing as well highlighted by senior Kaitlyn Johnson's third place finish at 126, going 1-2 over the weekend. Junior Izzy Baker wrestled well finishing fifth at 120 pounds while going 3-2 at the Invitational.
Harlem Head Coach Jon Baker had plenty to say after his team's showing in Cascade, "This meet gave us our bearings on what needs to be done at practice. Being injury and sickness ridden, we were not at full force for numbers, but the few that came, brought the fight. Nine boys entered and thee finished on the podium. The conditioning was there, but the technique is still dusty. Mental focus seems to be better than previous years at season opener time." Baker added, "Practice has been brutal for the past couple weeks and a lot of small injuries, aches and pains come with the territory."
The Ladycats finished fifth as a team and Baker highlighted what it took to earn that finish, "Seeing more variety in competition at the Badger, was welcomed and appreciated. Tougher matches and meaner girls only makes us better and hungrier. All six girls entered placed at the Badger Invitational. Kaitlyn had a hard first match and it definitely rekindled the flames. She then wrestled back and showed how talented she is. Izzy continues to be a student of the sport. She has some cobwebs to clear still, but wrestled well and had a quick pin personal record of :21 seconds.
One wrestler in particular had Bakers attention, "The standout for the girls this weekend comes from sophomore Jarah Wilson at 165 pounds. Jarah placed second overall and this was Jarah's first year and first match. Her mental toughness and pep is where I want all the Ladycats to be. The girls had tougher competition at this tournament, but it is always welcomed. The only way we get better is to be constantly challenged on the mat! I am again happy with the results and look forward to next week.
