Working with a full roster, the Polson wrestling team beat short-handed local rival Ronan 45-39 on Tuesday, Jan. 20 in Ronan with some big wins by younger wrestlers and then went on to split weekend road duals, downing Whitefish 66-19 on Thursday before losing 47-34 to Columbia Falls on Saturday.

In Ronan, Polson sophomore Jesse Alfiero pinned Ronan’s Ethan Fryslie at 105 pounds, junior Randy Kelley pinned Ronan’s Dustin Goldsby at 135, freshman Chris Cote pinned Ronan’s Bryce Greenfield at 145, and junior Brock Picard won by 7-3 decision over Ronan’s Toby Cheff at 171. 

The team also won four weights by forfeit.

“We hadn’t beat them in a couple years now so it was nice to get the win,” head coach Bob Owen said. 

He said Ronan’s short roster helped give his team the edge.

“To be honest, they don’t have full lineup,” Owen said. “That had a lot to do with it.”

Owen was impressed with the match Jacob Young put up against Ronan’s Cameron Neiss, recent winner of the Rocky Mountain Classic for the 125-pound weight class.

Young lost in a 10-6 decision to Neiss.

At Whitefish, wrestling another team lacking in numbers gave Owen a chance to put in a few of his JV wrestlers.

The team’s only senior, Keio Salmonson pinned at 130 pounds. Kelley, Cote and junior Ty Fouty also pinned and the Pirates won six weights by forfeit.

Against Columbia falls, an unsportsmanlike disqualification of Polson junior heavyweight Kaden Thomas hurt the Pirates, when wrapped up, Thomas bit his opponents’ arm.

“Hopefully the lesson is learned and we’ll get on with business,” Owen said of the penalty.

Young beat Columbia Falls wrestler Travis Pete 3-1 in the 125-pound match and junior Logan Clay pinned Columbia Falls wrestler Josh Folsom.

Kelley and Cote each lost 1-point matches, and Owen said they are a little work away from reaching the next level.

“Hopefully we can get them over that hump,” he said,

The Pirates host Ronan at 6 p.m. on Friday for the final dual meet of the season then go to the Columbia Falls invitational at 3 p.m. on Saturday.