Greenchain wins 4 of 6 at Western A Duals

The Western News

Following losses to Corvallis and Flathead junior varsity on Saturday at the Western A Duals in Ronan, the Libby High School wrestling team needed to finish on a positive note.

The Greenchain was not in position for a team placing and did not seem to have the drive and energy to make much noise.

“The kids didn’t wrestle up to their potential,” LHS head coach Jay Graham said. “In order to win some of those duals, when we’re giving up that many points (to forfeits), everybody has to do stuff.”

The 45-31 loss to Corvallis was especially troubling because the Loggers led many of the matches that ended up going the other way.

But Libby turned things around in the final two duals. The Greenchain posted a 42-31 win over Arlee and then finished with a 47-27 victory over Florence.

Those two opponents are not exactly powerhouses on the mat but it was a step in the right direction.

Graham said his wrestlers began to fight and scrap up to their capabilities after the 56-28 loss to Flathead JV.

“They came  out the next match and there was emotion and heart over the next two (duals),” Graham said. “That was real positive.”

Libby junior Kyle Sweedman and senior Justin Graham each went undefeated at the two-day event. In fact, both Sweedman (152) and Graham (215) defeated all five of their opponents on pins.

Kody Berget, sophomore, Dean Willey, sophomore, and Brandin Mills, senior, each endured just one loss.

Willey won five of six matches at 171 in place of senior Seth Wright, who has been sidelined with an unspecified injury.

Kody Berget won four of five matches at 160. He moved up a weight class to get on the varsity. Mills had three wins in four matches at heavyweight.

“There were a lot of positives,” Coach Graham said. “When you have that many duals, some look good and then you have moments where you see the potential.”

Freshman Kyle Leir went 3-2 at the tournament with a 2-1 record at 130 pounds and a 1-1 mark after moving down to 125.

Junior Cody Elliott took three of five matches at 135 and freshman Dylan Berget took three of five at 140.

Freshman Tate Wilson wrestled twice at 130 and split a pair of matches.

The host school, Ronan, won the 18-team tournament with a 41-38 thriller over Glacier for the championship. Libby placed ninth.

On Thursday of last week, the Greenchain dropped a 45-31 dual to Polson.

Libby won six of the 12 matches that materialized on the mat. Polson was awarded 18 points on forfeits to nab the team win.

Dylan Berget (145), Charlie Berget (160), Evan O’Brien (189) and Graham (215) all won on pins. Sweedman (152) took a major decision victory and Elliott (135) won by decision.

The Greenchain will now prepare for a Thursday dual at Ronan before heading to the Rocky Mountain Tournament at Missoula.

In a new twist this year at the Rocky Mountain, wrestlers who are eliminated on the first day of competition will head over to Missoula’s Big Sky High School and get in more matches against one another.

Western A Duals

Jan. 9-10 at Ronan

Team Standings

1, Ronan; 2, Glacier; 3, Flathead JV; 4, Polson; 5, Corvallis; 6, Hamilton; 7, Frenchtown; 8, Columbia Falls; 9, Libby; 10, Florence; 11, Arlee; 12, Glacier JV; 13, St. Ignatius; 14, Thompson Falls; 15, Plains; 16, Superior; 17, Darby; 18, Deer Lodge.

Libby Team Results

Libby 51, Florence 27; Libby 65, Superior 9; Corvallis 45, Libby 31; Flathead JV 56, Libby 28; Libby 42, Arlee 31; Libby 47, Florence 27

Libby Individual Results

98 – Graff (0-2) pinned by Malone, Corvallis, 1:26; pinned by Kinkel, Flathead JV, 0:58.

125 – Edwards-Myslicki (0-4) lost by dec. to Lund, Florence, 3-0; lost to Chatterly, Superior, 6-3; lost by dec. to Davis, Corvallis, 9-3; lost by maj. dec. to Hahn, Flathead JV, 15-5.

125 – Leir (1-1) lost by dec. to Trjillo, Arlee, 4-3; pinned Sax, Florence, 0:43.

130 – Leir (2-1) dec. Newbarry, Florence, 3-0; pinned Wright, Superior, 3:42; lost by dec. to Jessop, Corvallis, 6-3.

130 – Wilson (1-1) pinned Tameler, Arlee, 5:21; lost by dec. to Newbarry, Florence, 11-4.

135 – C. Elliott (3-2) pinned Daniels, Florence, 2:37; tech. fall Dalton, Superior, 17-2; lost by dec. to Wagel, Corvallis, 4-3; pinned by Rice, Arlee, 1:02; pinned Daniels, Florence, 0:56.

140 – D. Berget (3-2) pinned Spain, Florence, 2:40; dec. Thomas, Corvallis, 8-2; pinned by Gaiser, Flathead JV, 3:18; pinned by Lefler, Arlee, 3:58; dec. Spain, Florence, 7-3.

145 – C. Berget (0-3) lost by dec. to Beneitone, Florence, 5:27; pinned by Mantel, Flathead JV, 3:13; pinned by Lytle, Arlee, 3:40.

145 – B. Elliot (0-2) pinned by Dubose, Corvallis, 1:31; pinned by Beneitone, Florence, 3:44.

152 – Sweedman (5-0) pinned Thorne, Florence, 1:07; pinned Connolly, Corvallis, 1:44; pinned Lopes, Flathead JV, 1:01; pinned Trimble, Arlee, 0:48; pinned Thorne, Florence, 0:55.

160 – K. Berget (4-1) pinned Krier, Florence, 0:55; tech. fall Goodsell, Corvallis, 17-2; pinned by Kammerzel, Flathead JV, 0:40; pinned Rice, Arlee, 3:09; dec. Krier, Florence, 15-10.

171 – Willey (5-1) pinned Stolle, Florence, 1:23; pinned Crabb, Superior, 1:01; pinned Schwehr, Corvallis, 1:26; lost by maj. dec. to Aylor, Flathead JV, 18-2; pinned McMurry, Arlee, 4:59; pinned Stolle, Florence, 1:58;

189 – O’Brien (0-5) pinned by Ashworth, Florence, 0:38; lost by pin to Ridges, Corvallis, 1:31; pinned by Rudolph, Flathead JV, 5:17; lost by maj. dec. to Potts, Arlee, 14-4; pinned by Ashworth, Florence, 0:40;

215 – Graham (5-0) pinned Sutton, Florence, 2:29; pinned Sanderson, Corvallis, 1:21; pinned Komenda, Flathead JV, 0:37; pinned Seidel, Arlee, 0:35; pinned Sutton, Florence, 1:13;

Hwt – Mills (3-1) pinned Skeers, Florence, 2:35; pinned Markette, Corvallis, 1:59; lost by dec. to Thomas, Flathead JV, 9-3; dec. Skeers, Florence, 6-1.

Note: Preceding records do not include forfeits or exhibition matches.

Polson 45, Libby 31

Jan. 8 at Polson

98 – Jensen, P, pinned Graff, 3:07.

105 – Polson win by forfeit.

112 – Polson win by forfeit.

119 – Polson win by forfeit.

125 – Young, P, dec. Edwards-Myslicki, 5-4.

130 – Salmonson, P, dec. Leir, 9-3.

135 – C. Elliott, L, dec. Kelley, 9-3.

140 – Fouty, P, pinned D. Berget, 0:56.

145 – D. Berget, L, pinned Chris Cote, 1:32.

152 – Sweedman, L, maj. dec. Clay, 10-2.

160 – C. Berget, L, pinned Martin, 4:37.

171 – Picard, P, tech. fall Willey, 16-1.

189 – O’Brien, L, pinned Rostad, 5:43.

215 – Graham, L, pinned Clairmont, 1:22.

Hwt – Thomas, P, maj. dec. Mills, 12-2.