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COLUMBIA FALLS SPORTS..

December 24, 2020

 

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CFALLS SPORTS

 


COLUMBIA FALLS HALL OF FAME.

January 1, 2022

 

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CFHS Hall of Fame (Players/Coaches)

 CFHS HALL OF FAME 

Click on the name to view picture and career highlights.

PLAYERS

1965
BILL SCHULTE

1966
DON LUCE

1967
JERRY "CORKY" HILL

1968 
PAUL SNYDER

1969
MARK BECKWITH
DAVE RENFROW

1970
JON KONEN

1971
DAVE HOERNER
JIM LIVINGSTON
GENE SCHNEIDER
LARRY BAXTER

1972
STEVE KRACHER
JOHN BARBO
DOUG CORDIER
CRAIG SHAFER

1973
BILL FERDINAND
BILL BRUNETT

1974
BOB TRINASTICH
BRIAN LANE

1975
MIKE MCNEELY
CRAIG FINBERG

1976
MERNA JACOBSEN
CHERYL RUDE
CORY JOHNSON

1977
MIKE STRATTON
MARK LINGLE
CHRIS NEWMAN

1978
MARK BOND
KEVIN WICK

1979
CLIFF HOERNER

1980
STEVE THOMAS
DAVE CROSSWHITE
KYLE JOHNSON

1981
KIRIS WALKER
TOM LADENBURG
NANCY SMITH
NEIL BRUNETT

1982
MICHELLE WARD

1983
THOM PECK

1984
ERIK MUNSON
ROBIN ALLEN
CARY FINBERG

1985
JIM GIULIO
SUZANNE SCHWARZ
STACY POWELL

1986
BROOKE ALLEN
TODD SCHMAUTZ

1987
MANDI LUCE
DAVID HOBBS

1988
KRISTA PETTY

1989
VICKI GEHRKE

1990
TANYA TESAR
DAVE WINDAUER
TOM KEMPPAINEN
SCOTT MITTON

1991
RAY HOERNER
RICH VASQUEZ
MIKE CALDWELL
TARA GRIFFIN
MICHELLE HOERNER
MARK ROBISON

1992
TASHA SPADE
SHAWN BRITTENHAM

1993
SHERRY HOERNER
RYAN TIMLICK
KERRY TINTZMAN

1994
G.W. SCHNEIDER
CAMIE FINBERG
KRISTEN SCHERMERHORN
KELLY SPEER

1995
STACI HEMMER
J.J. FURLONG
BO ROUNDY
JESSIE SCHAEFFER
BILL GUSTAFSON

1996
DULCIE BERUBE
NATASHA MAROLT
LAURI SPEER

1997
ANNA BENGTSON
MICHELLE RAMAGE
SHAY STANLEY

1998
CHRIS FINBERG
HEIDI GRILLEY

1999
KRISTA HEAVIRLAND
KATI KNUTSON
WHITNEY LANGE

2000
KERI STANLEY
CALEB SCHAEFFER

2001
JOE BERETA
ZACK NAU
DANI HERVOL

2002
BRICE CORDIER
MATT BECKWITH 
BEN SCHAEFFER

2003
JAMES BYRD
STEPHANIE FISHER
ANDRIA HARRIS
TYLER JONES
DARIN NAU
CHRIS SLETVOLD

2004
SUNNI DOWNING
KYLE HATCH
SARAH HISLOP

2005
DANIELLE HERMAN
JACE LADENBURG
ANTHONY MINSON
DREW PERRY
KYLE ROSENBAUM
DEVIN SCHMIT
BEKAH STOLTZ
CASSIE STONEMAN
ARIC TARR

2006
KEVIN BOYER
LISA CARTER
GREG MACIJUNAS
KATE MARCILLE
CORY PETE
GUY SMITH

2007
AMBER LAMPMAN
CALLIE SPENCER
KEITH CATT

2008
CHASE FAIRBANK
CHASE GRILLEY
MICHAEL HADER
SARAH MARCILLE

2009
STEPHEN BAUMGARTNER
MACKEY NOLAN
GRANT GETTS
NATE WOODS

2010
KELSEY DEWIT
KELLY HOULE
KYLE HOWELL
MITCHELL WASSAM
SHAWN WHITMAN

2011
KAYLA DEWIT
NICK EMERSON
KALEB JOHNSON
NATE THOMPSON

2012
AUSTIN BARTH
PARKER JOHNSON
DANIEL JONES
JINISE OSBORNE
DERRICK WILLIAMS

2013
HOPE BURLAGE
MCKENNA EMMERICH
LUKE KAZLAUSKAS

2014
HALEY BELGARDE
MASON GEDLAMAN

JOSIAH OSBORNE 
ALEX PRESNELL 
JARED TRINASTICH

2015

SAMANTHA MUNDEL

CIERRA FINBERG

WINTER KEMPPAINEN

CARLA NICOSIA

TY MORGAN

SHONN ROBERTS

CONNOR BOWMAN

2016

ELLIE JOHNSON
SYDNEY GRILLEY

 

2017

Wildcats to honor 10 at annual Hall of Fame game 9

Swimmer Colton Babcock is the state record holder in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 46.1 seconds and also holds 11 school records in the sport. During his time in high school, Babcock was named the Montana Sportsman of the Year, was a two-time state champion in the 100-yard freestyle and was also a member of the 2016 team state champion squad. He is the son of Courtney and Doug Babcock.

Wildcats to honor 10 at annual Hall of Fame game 1

Dakota Bridwell was a three-time All Conference selection at quarterback as well as an All-State selection and team MVP. He holds all-class state records for most passing touchdowns in a game (8) and in a season (52). Bridwell also played basketball and track and was the state champion in javelin in 2017. He is the son of Christy and Shane Bridwell.

Wildcats to honor 10 at annual Hall of Fame game 2

Kiara Burlage was an All-State first team selection in volleyball in 2016 and was a member of the state champion Wildkat teams in 2015 and 2016. She was also a first team All-State selection in basketball for the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons, when she was also name the conference MVP. She was a member of the 2016-17 state champion team and holds the state record for highest field goal percentage. She was an All-State selection in track all four years in high school. She was also an Academic All-State selection eight times. She is the daughter of Jessica and Joshua Burlage.

Wildcats to honor 10 at annual Hall of Fame game 3

Cydney Finberg was an All-State selection in volleyball three times and was a member of the 2015 and 2016 state champion teams. She was named the conference MVP in 2015. She is the school career and season record holder for digs, aces and assists. She was a three time All-State selection in basketball, was a member of the 2017 state championship team and was an Academic All-State selection eight times. She is the daughter of Angie and Cary Finberg.

Wildcats to honor 10 at annual Hall of Fame game 4

Trevor Hoerner was an football All-Conference selection at defensive end as a sophomore and an All-State linebacker and receiver as a senior. He was also an Academic All-State selection as a senior and was nominated for the Mondak Bowl. He is the son of Carisa and Jay Hoerner.

Wildcats to honor 10 at annual Hall of Fame game 5

Peyton Kehr was an Academic All-State selection in volleyball in 2013 and 2014 and in basketball all four years in high school.

She was a first team All-State selection in basketball in 2016 and second team in 2015. She was the Class A State Tournament MVP with the state championship team in 2017. She was also a three-time All-Conference and All-State selection in softball and a four-time Academic All-State selection in basketball and softball. She is the daughter of Robyn abd Dave Kehr.

Wildcats to honor 10 at annual Hall of Fame game

Haylie Peacock was a four-year Academic All-State selection in cross country and three-year selection in basketball and track. She was also an All-Conference selection in track and the winner of the Tom Dumay award. A member of the 2017 state championship basketball team, she is the daughter of Heather and Jim Peacock.

Wildcats to honor 10 at annual Hall of Fame game 6

Braxton Reiten was and All-Class All-State selection in football as a senior and hold the state record for most receiving touchdowns in a game and in a season. He was an All-State selection in track three times. He is the son of Balinda and Mark Reiten.

Wildcats to honor 10 at annual Hall of Fame game 7

K.J. Schweikert was a three-time Academic All-State selection in volleyball and a member of two state champion teams. She was a four-time Academic All-State selection in softball as well as a first team All-Conference and All-State selection as a junior and senior. She is the daughter of Suzy and Jaxon Schweikert.

Wildcats to honor 10 at annual Hall of Fame game 8

Logan Stephens was a first team All-Conference and All-State selection in soccer in 2015 and was named team MVP and Offensive Player of the Year. He was selected All-Conference and All-State again in 2016 and was again the Offensive Player of the Year.

In basketball, he was selected second team All-Conference in 2017 and was a team captain. He was a two-time All-Conference selection in track and an All-State selection in 2016.

He was a member of the gold-medal 4X100 relay team, which holds the school record, and the silver-medal 4X400 relay team. He also finished fifth in the long jump.

 2018

Seven inducted into Wildcat Athletic Hall of Fame in 2018

Dani Douglas, the daughter of Christi and Don Douglas, was the starting point guard on the 2017 girls state championship team and an All-State selection in 2017 and 2018. Douglas holds the school records for most threes in a game with eight, most threes in a season with 62 and most three pointers in her career with 183. She scored 1,003 three points while in high school and was the Northwest A Conference Most Valuable Player in 2018. Dani was an honor diploma recipient and was also Academic All State.

 Seven inducted into Wildcat Athletic Hall of Fame in 2018 1

Hannah Gedlaman, the daughter of Elizabeth Gilberg and Derek Gedlaman, was also a member of the 2017 Wildkat basketball state championship team. Hannah was an All-Conference first team and All-State selection in basketball in 2017. She was also a four-year player in soccer, earning All-Conference first team selections in 2016 and 2017 and was a second team selection in 2015. She was named to the All-State team in soccer in 2016 and 2017. Hannah was an All-State first team selection in track in 2018, 2016 and 2015 and an All-Conference selection in 2015. She was a member of the Wildkat 4X100-meter relay state champion team in 2015 and was selected Academic All-State eight times.

Seven inducted into Wildcat Athletic Hall of Fame in 2018 6

Hayden Falkner, the son of Denise and Timothy Falkner, was a captain on the 2017 Wildcat state championship football team and was selected an All-State and All-Conference center that season. He was also selected as an All-Conference defensive end in the same season and was named the CFHS Lineman of the Year. He was also an All-Conference center selection in 2016. Hayden was a three-time letter award winner, three-time Academic All-State selection and was selected for the Montana East-West Shrine Game.

 Seven inducted into Wildcat Athletic Hall of Fame in 2018 2

Austin Green, the son of Jodie and Chad Green, was a four-year football letterman and was an All-State quarterback and captain on the 2017 state championship team. Austin was the Northwest A Conference Offensive MVP that season and was also an All-Conference selection at quarterback, safety and return specialist. Austin was also an All-Conference selection at safety in 2016 and was selected for the Montana/North Dakota All-Star Game and the Montana East-West Shrine Game. In basketball, Austin was a three-year letterman, a starter in his final three seasons on varsity and a team captain his senior season. He was the Wildcat leadership award winner in the sport in 2017. In track, Austin was a three-year letterman and was All-State in the pole vault in 2017 and 2018. He was All-Conference in the pole vault in 2016, 2017 and 2018 and in the triple jump in 2016 and 2017. Austin was an Academic All-State selection 11 times.

Seven inducted into Wildcat Athletic Hall of Fame in 2018 4

Logan Kolodejchuk, the son of Kelli and Glenn Kolodejchuk, was a four-year football letterman and was an All-State defensive end and fullback as a captain on the 2017 state championship team. Logan was the Northwest A Conference Defensive Player of the Year on that team and was selected to the Montana East-West Shrine Game as well as the Badland Bowl. Logan was also an All-Conference selection at defensive end in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Logan was also a four-year letterman in track, where he was a member of the 2016 state champion 4X100-meter relay team. That team also holds the school record in the event. Logan was All-State in the triple jump in 2015 and 2016, the javelin in 2016 and 2017, the shot put in 2017 and the 4X100-meter relay in 2016 and 2018. He was an All-Conference selection in triple jump 2015, 2016 and 2018 as well as javelin, shot put and discus in 2016 and 2017 and shot put in 2018. Logan also finished second in the 185-pound weight class at the state powerlifting meet in 2015.

Seven inducted into Wildcat Athletic Hall of Fame in 2018 5

Ben Windauer, the son of Beth and David Windauer, was an All-Conference safety and receiver on the 2017 Wildcat state championship football team. He was also an All-Conference safety in 2016. Windauer excelled in wrestling, where he was an All-State selection his final three years in high school and an All-Conference selection all four years. He finished third at state in 2016, second in 2017 and was a state champion at 170 pounds in 2018. He also won the Quick Pin award at divisionals and state his senior season. Ben hold the school record for most pins in a season with 35, set his senior season. In track, Ben holds the school record in the pole vault after clearing a height of 14 feet in 2017. He was an All-State selection in the sport in 2017 and 2018. Ben was also All-Conference in the 300-meter hurdles in 2018 and the pole vault, javelin and 110-meter hurdles in 2017 and 2018. He was an 11-time Academic All-State recipient.

Seven inducted into Wildcat Athletic Hall of Fame in 2018 3

Gabe Knudsen, the son of Kris and Rowdy Knudsen, was the recipient of the Tom Dumay award. Gabe was a four-year letterman in cross country and finished fourth at state in 2017. He was a three-year letterman in track and finished fifth in the 1,600 at state in 2018 and seventh in the 3,200. He was an Academic All-State recipient four times and was a four-year high honor roll student.

2019-20

Kimberly Peacock: Peacock was a standout cross country runner and holds the school record of 18 minutes, 19 seconds, a mark she set in 2016. Other highlights included being all-conference in track and field in 2017 and divisional champ in the 3,200 meters in 2017. She was also a member of the state championship basketball team and the 2020 recipient of the Tom Dumay award.

Angellica Street: Street’s career highlights include a stellar track career in the javelin and shot put. She holds the all-class record in the state for javelin for a throw in 2019 of 156 feet, 11 inches at state. She holds the school record for a throw of 158-8. She was a two-time Gatorade player of the year in 2019 and 2020 and held the pre -season No. 1 rank for javelin in the country in 2020. She also took third in the shot put at state in 2019 and holds the all-time digs mark for volleyball in 2019, where she was named the team’s most valuable player.

Josie Windauer: Windauer was a soccer, basketball and track standout. In soccer she holds the school record for goals with 33 in 2019 and career goals with 83. She was all-state three years in a row in soccer from 2017 to 2019. In basketball she was all-state and all-conference twice and helped lead the team to two third-place finishes at state in 2018 and 2019. In track she was a two-time all-state athlete in the 4-by-400 relay and was all-conference in the 100, 200 and 400 meter relays. She also won the Tom Dumay award in 2020.


2121-22

Thienhoa, “TJ” Jacobi, was a four-year cross country and track runner, the Wildcat coaches award winner in 2021; a Special Olympian and the 2021 Tom Dumay award winner. He also competed in basketball, bowling and skiing.

Hannah Schweikert, was first team all-state in volleyball, basketball and tennis, and a 12-time Academic All-State Award recipient. In volleyball she was on the divisional championship team in 2020 and was state runner up that year as well. In hoops, she was on divisional championship teams in 2021 and 2019 and in tennis was state champion runner-up in 2021 and took third in 2019.

Lara Erickson, was all conference cross country all four years of her high school career and all state in 2019 and 2020. She took second in state A in 2020. In track she holds the school record in the 800 meters, and was all conference and all state in the 3,200 and 1,600 and won the state championship in the 1,600. She was also all-state in debate, taking second in public forum debate in the state A championships in 2019 and 2020 and is a seven-time Academic All-State.

Madysen Hoerner was all-state in volleyball in 2020 was all conference in triple jump and long jump in track in 2018, taking second in divisionals in 2021 and third at state. She’s a 12-time academic all-state, was the 2020 MVP of the volleyball team and helped lead the basketball team to a first place divisional title in 2021 and a third-place finish at state in 2019

 
 
 
 

COACHES

1993
RALPH JOHNSON
STAN RENNING
HAROLD HUGHES

1998
LARRY SCHMAUTZ

2013 
WES KNUTSON

2016

MICHAEL CHRISTENSEN


UPCOMING EVENTS.

August 11, 2015

CLICK ON LINK BELOW TO GO TO CONFERENCE/DIVISION SITE.

CONF/DIV SITE

UPCOMING EVENTS FOR WEEK OF 2-27-17

BASKETBALL

Thursday, March 02, 2017

KATS 59 LAUREL 35 @ STATE

Friday, March 03, 2017

KATS 55 HAVRE 42 @ STATE

Saturday, March 04, 2017

KATS 73 HARDIN 50 @ STATE

 

KATS BBALL ARE STATE CHAMPS

KATS BBALL ARE DIVISIONAL CHAMPS

KATS BBALL ARE CONFERENCE CHAMPS

FOOTBALL CATS ARE RUNNER-UP STATE CHAMPIONS

VOLLEYBALL KATS ARE 2016 STATE CHAMPIONS AGAIN!

MATCATS ARE RUNNER-UP STATE CHAMPIONS

BOYS SWIMMING ARE RUNNER-UP STATE CHAMPIONS


WILLDC/KAT RESULTS FOR WEEK OF 02-20-17

BOYS BASKETBALL

BOYS BBALL

GIRLS BASKETBALL

GIRLS BBALL

WRESTLING

WRESTLING

SPEECH

SPEECH

SWIMMING

SWIMMING

FOOTBALL

FOOTBALL

SOCCER

SOCCER

VOLLEYBALL

VOLLEYBALL

GOLF

GOLF

X-COUNTRY

X-COUNTRY

 

 


WILLIAMS EXCELS IN AND OUT OF CLASSROOM

Scholarship recipient Derrick Williams aiming for the Tokyo Olympics

 

With track and field events in full swing at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Derrick Williams has set lofty goals for himself — goals that would have him competing four years from now at the Tokyo Games.

Courtesy Photo
Colorado State University-Pueblo senior Derrick Williams skills as a student and a track athlete have garnered him numerous awards and scholarships.
Courtesy Photo Colorado State University-Pueblo senior Derrick Williams skills as a student and a track athlete have garnered him numerous awards and scholarships.
 
 
 
 
 

The ambitious Colorado State University-Pueblo student and track athlete with Jamaican roots said seeing world-class athletes compete this week shows him how hard he’ll have to work.

“I understand that it’s a far shot to get to the Olympics, especially now that you watch the athletes compete,” Williams said.

“It makes you realize how big of a gap there is between a fairly competitive college athlete and somebody who is in the Olympics.”


IMPROVEMENTS AT CFHS

GYM FLOOR RENOVATED

GYM FLOOR RENOVATED


CFALLS ANNOUNCES HALL OF FAME FOR 2015-16

THE FOLLOWING ARE THE 2015-16 CFALLS HALL OF FAMERS

Ellie Johnson- Hall of fame and Dumay award winner
Sydney Grilley- Hall of fame
Michael Christensen-Speech/Debate Coach

KATS TOOK 2ND AT STATE

BUTTE CENTRAL 55 COLUMBIA FALLS 48

BUTTE CENTRAL 55  
Thatcher,K10 9
Peoples,M11 12
Pica,S12 19
Murphy,K10 4
St John,E11 11
COLUMBIA FALLS 48  
Finberg,Cydney11 7
Gimbel,A12 8
Burlage,K11 17
Kehr,P11 10
Hovde,S11 6

RILEY MAKES ALL-CONFERENCE

2015-2016 ALL CONFERENCE - BOYS BASKETBALL (NORTHWEST)                                                                    

                                                                       

            Name                                       School Year                Team

1          Matthew Rensvold                  Polson 11                    All State/1st Team AC/MVP

2          Payton Lefthand                     Polson 12                    All State/1st Team AC

3          Austin Means                          Frenchtown 11            All State/1st Team AC

4          Derek Kastella                        Whitefish 11               All State/1st Team AC

5          Nathan Riley                           Columbia Falls 12       1st Team AC

6          Julian Jones                             Polson 12                    2nd Team AC

7          Tanner Wilson                         Polson 11                    2nd Team AC

8          Andrew King                          Frenchtown 12            2nd Team AC

9          Jacob Henry                            Whitefish  10              2nd Team AC

10        Luke May                                Whitefish  12              2nd Team AC

                                                                       

From Class A Handbook regarding all-conference & all-state selections                                                                 

 

A         Each conference will choose its all-conference team at the divisional tournament.  It will consist of five first team selections and five-second team selections.                                                   

 

B         Only all conference individuals are eligible for selection to all state.                                                          

 

C         Maximum number of all state selections in basketball is 16 with 3 from each conference and one additional selection for each conference that has a team that places in the top 4 at the state tournament.  Each conference should rank the next four all-conference selections to insure they are able to name additional all-state selections if awarded.                                                     

 

D         The all-state team may be separated into first and second team all state at the discretion of the coaches.  If this is done, the combined first and second team must be within the maximum number established for that sport.                                                                        

            Coach of the Year: Randy Kelley, Polson

 

 

NW A conference has four all-state selections because Polson finished in the top 4 at the state tournament, so that makes our 4th selection an all-state selection.


CATS WIN STATE 'A' SWIMMING

2015-16 STATE CHAMPS--BOYS--CFALLS--GIRLS--HAVRE

State Meet

at Swarthout Fieldhouse pool

Class AA Girls' team results – 1, Missoula Hellgate, 338; 2, Bozeman, 214; 3, CMR, 107; 4, Helena, 106.5; 5, Glacier, 90.5; 6, Missoula Sentinel, 89; 7, Billings Senior, 53; 8, Missoula Big Sky/Loyola, 47; 9, Helena Capital, 33; 10, Billings West, 27; 11, Billings Skyview, 13; 12, Great Falls, 8; 13, Butte, 4.

Class A-B girls' team scores – 1, Havre, 67; 2, Billings Central, 43; 3, Columbia Falls, 19; 4, Whitefish, 12.

Class AA boys' team scores – 1, Missoula Hellgate, 289; 2, Bozeman, 149; 3 CMR, 116; 4, Billings Senior, 84; 5, Missoula Big Sky/Loyola, 78; 6 Butte, 76; 7, Billings West, 71; 8 Glacier, 62; 9, Great Falls, 53; 10, Missoula Sentinel, 44; 11, Helena, 20; 12, Billings Skyview, 9; 13, Helena Capital, 5; 14, Flathead, 4.

Class A-B boys team scores – 1, Columbia Falls, 96; 2, Billings Central, 73; 3, Whitefish, 13; 4, Hardin, 9.

Girls 200 Yard Medley Relay: 1, Missoula Hellgate, 1:47.36. 2, Bozeman, 1:53.46. 3, Missoula Sentinel, 1:58.53. 4, C M Russell, 2:00.66.

Boys 200 Yard Medley Relay: 1, Missoula Hellgate, 1:36.55. 2, C M Russell, 1:45.03. 3, Billings Senior, 1:47.46. 4, Missoula Big Sky/Loyola HS 1:48.09.

Girls 200 Yard Freestyle: 1, Hamlin, Hailey, BOZ, 1:55.49. 2, Fee, Julian, MHG, 2:00.90. 3, Ecklund, Jesse, HHS, 2:01.32. 4, Leiby, Brooklyn, MSN, 2:02.62.

Boys 200 Yard Freestyle: 1, Harder, Ethan, BSR, 1:43.04. 2, Faust, Dylan, MHG, 1:46.68. 3, Bentley, Jake, BHS, 1:48.06. 4, Burnham, Nate, GHS, 1:48.44.

Girls 200 Yard IM: 1, Aoki, Mari, MHG, 2:06.09. 2, Smart, Gabby, MHG, 2:11.15. 3, Dlakic, Amilla, BOZ, 2:15.76. 4, Popp, AJ, GHS, 2:17.15.

Boys 200 Yard IM: 1, Zimmer, Adam, MBS, 1:52.55. 2, Fritz, Matthew, MHG, 2:00.68. 3, Brennan, Patrick, CMR, 2:03.36. 4, Maas, Conner, BSR, 2:05.02.

Girls 50 Yard Freestyle: 1, Stroh, Jadyn, MHG, 24.19. 2, Stevens, Hannah, BSR, 24.95. 3, Nelson, Karyssa, CFH, 25.47. 4, Gibson, Olivia, GHS, 25.56.

Boys 50 Yard Freestyle: 1, Babcock, Colton, CFH, 21.95. 2, Leuthold, Jack, BCH, 22.28. 3, Campbell, Brendon, MHG, 22.34. 4, Mahns, Darragh, MHG, 22.39.

Girls 100 Yard Butterfly: 1, Stroh, Jadyn, MHG, 58.26. 2, Bauman, Olivia, CMR, 1:01.02. 3, Leiby, Brooklyn, MSN, 1:01.55. 4, Gibson, Olivia, GHS, 1:02.72.

Boys 100 Yard Butterfly: 1, Berkoff, Cale, MHG, 52.65. 2, Brennan, Patrick, CMR, 55.79. 3, Christian, Colter, MHG, 56.76. 4, Healey, John, BCH, 57.67.

Girls 100 Yard Freestyle: 1, Berkoff, Katharine, MHG, 51.73. 2, Hamlin, Hailey, BOZ, 53.54. 3, Rohlf, Kilee, BOZ, 54.40. 4, Stevens, Hannah, BSR, 54.69.

Boys 100 Yard Freestyle: 1, Babcock, Colton, CFH, 46.91. 2, Mahns, Darragh, MHG, 48.00. 3, Faust, Dylan, MHG, 48.03. 4, Leuthold, Jack, BCH, 48.30.

Girls 500 Yard Freestyle: 1, Aoki, Mari, MHG, 5:10.23. 2, Rizzuto, Mari, MHG, 5:22.79. 3, Popp, AJ, GHS, 5:25.04. 3, Ecklund, Jesse, HHS, 5:25.04.

Boys 500 Yard Freestyle: 1, Bentley, Jake, BHS, 4:55.44. 2, Butler, Jacob, MHG, 4:58.53. 3, Burnham, Nate, GHS, 5:01.05. 4, Spoerl, Wade, BOZ, 5:04.51.

Girls 200 Yard Freestyle Relay: 1, Missoula Hellgate, 1:40.62. 2, Bozeman, 1:41.36. 3, Glacier, 1:44.22. 4, Helena, 1:44.60.

Boys 200 Yard Freestyle Relay: 1, Missoula Hellgate, 1:32.16. 2, Bozeman, 1:33.77. 3, Columbia Falls, 1:34.41. 4, C M Russell, 1:34.81.

Girls 100 Yard Backstroke: 1, Berkoff, Katharine, MHG, 55.26. 2, Rohlf, Kilee, BOZ, 1:00.54. 3, Murphy, Kate, HHS, 1:00.96. 4, Condit, Aidan, MBS, 1:01.13.

Boys 100 Yard Backstroke: 1, Berkoff, Cale, MHG, 50.72. 2, Harder, Ethan, BSR, 50.73. 3, Fritz, Matthew, MHG, 54.60. 4, Hoffman, Matthew, BOZ, 55.99.

Girls 100 Yard Breaststroke: 1, Dlakic, Amilla, BOZ, 1:06.77. 2, Vernon, Avery, MHG, 1:09.30. 3, Smart, Gabby, MHG, 1:10.15. 4, McCANN, Aubri, HAV, 1:11.24.

Boys 100 Yard Breaststroke: 1, Zimmer, Adam, MBS, 56.05. 2, Butler, Jacob, MHG, 1:05.92. 3, Clason, Anthony, GHS, 1:06.13. 4, Carlson, Cody, MSN, 1:06.36.

Girls 400 Yard Freestyle Relay: 1, Missoula Hellgate, 3:35.68. 2, Bozeman, 3:42.20. 3, Helena, 3:47.72. 4, Glacier, 3:49.28.

Boys 400 Yard Freestyle Relay: 1, Missoula Hellgate, 3:14.85. 2, Bozeman, 3:29.02. 3, Columbia Falls, 3:33.31. 4, Butte, 3:34.46.


MATCATS TIED FOR 4TH AT STATE!

Posted: Saturday, February 13, 2016 11:37 pm

BILLINGS — Bob Owen has either been coaching wrestling for 41 or 42 years.

It depends who you ask.

And he’s either retiring as Polson’s head coach or he isn’t.

That depends on who you ask, too.

But no matter who’s right about what, Bob and a bushel of other coaching Owen boys — plus a young, balanced roster poised to place the Pirates back among wrestling royalty — mentored eight top-four finishers and guided Polson to second place in Class A at the All-Class state wrestling tournament, which concluded Saturday at MetraPark.

Owen, who says he’s been at Polson for 40 of his 41 years as a high school coach, keeps insisting he’s retiring as the head coach to turn over the program to three of his assistant coaches and the family’s next generation: his son Kevin and nephews Brett and Matt, who are the sons of longtime Pirates assistant coach Bill Owen.

“I just feel elated that I can turn (the team) over to those guys,” Bob Owen said. “I know exactly what’s going to happen. Those three (coaches) are going to build it right to the top.”

So, boys, is it Bob’s last year as a head coach?

“If it’s up to us, it’s not the last year,” Kevin said.

While the Owens work out their coaching titles next year — Bob says he will stay on as an assistant — they have a budding powerhouse of a team to work with. Polson went 8-0 in the consolation semifinals after a horrid start to the day, and of the eight Pirates who finished either third or fourth, five are either freshmen or sophomores. The Pirates concluded the tournament with 147.5 points as a team, more than 30 points ahead of third-place Hardin, but still well back of Havre (213), which won its fourth-straight championship.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve been up in the trophies, a long time,” Bob Owen said. “It feels good.”

The Owens estimated it’s been about 10 years since the Pirates claimed a top-three finish at state, and after entering the day in second place it looked like it was all falling apart in the semifinals. Polson went 0-6 in that round, including three losses by top seeds.

“We had a very tough round,” Bob Owen said. “But while that was going on, what people didn’t see, were those kids in the back door that were fighting through the consolations, then we just got them up after that.

“The toughest match in wrestling is that one coming off a loss in the semifinals, and we went eight for eight in that round to get them all back. Those are hard matches and those kids all found a way.”

Divisional champs Mateo Quinones (103), Parker Wenzel (120) and Cameron Brown (132) all finished in third place after semifinal losses.

Senior Jaben Wenzel won five-straight matches after a first-round loss to finish third at 138, and fellow senior Thunder Morales won three straight after a second-round loss to finish fourth. RJ Pierre (103), Parker Adler (145) and Mike Corrigan (205) also finished fourth.

Columbia Falls just missed a top three finish, wrapping up the tournament in fourth place with 113 points. Unlike Polson, the Mat Cats did advance a wrestler to the finals when junior Mason Fetters pinned Brenden Roan of Hardin in the first minute of their semifinal match.

In the championship round, Fetters ran into Belgrade’s Jarrett Degen, who finished off an undefeated season with his fourth straight state championship.

“I think I did all right, he’s definitely a really good (wrestler),” Fetters said of Degen. “He’s one of the greats that’s ever come through Montana.”

Six Mat Cats finished in the top six, with Ben Windauer claiming third place at 126 pounds. Hunter Peterson (fourth, 132), Winfield West (fifth, 113), Storm Kemppainen (fifth, 170) and Colten McPhee (sixth, 160) also earned medals.

A pair of Whitefish wrestlers were on the podium as well. Steven Quimby won the fifth-place match at 285 and Konrad Zinke finished sixth at 170.

Still, the day belonged to the Owen family, five members strong and surrounding a second-place plaque while the area emptied around them.

And with one more debate to settle.

“I put it down on paper for (Bob) and he’s on his 42nd (season),” Bill Owen said.

“He probably doesn’t know that, he’s not much of a mathematician.”

Math whizzes, perhaps not, but those Owen boys are some kind of wrestling coaches.