Twelve schools participated in the 32nd Annual Bob Kinney Superior Invitational, with around 130 high school wrestlers from around Northwest Montana competing on Friday and Saturday at Superior High School.

“It was always called the Superior Invitational,” said Superior’s head coach, Charlie Crabb, “but when Bob Kinney passed away last year, the tournament was renamed in his honor.”

Kinney was Superior’s first wrestling coach. He cultivated the program, and co-authored the Western Montana Little Guy Wrestling program. He was instrumental in growing the program, starting in 1976 to become one of the largest youth athletic organizations in Montana.

Primarily, schools from the northwestern part of the state attend but some schools as far as Browning and Cut Bank made it to the B/C class tournament. 

Superior’s roster totes 9 kids: Tyler Vantassel 113 pounds, Jack Mitchell 120 pounds, Kaleb Ververis 130 pounds, Blaine Parkin 126 pounds, Tucker McLees 138 pounds, Ryan Cahalin 152 pounds, Bridger Lapierre 160 pounds, Trevor Linkey 170 pounds, Evan Hall, 205 pounds.

One student from Alberton wrestles for Frenchtown, freshman Jesse Shaske. He is in the 126-pound class. Assistant Frenchtown coach, Melvin Blanchard said that Jesse is the only Alberton student on the team, but past champions Cody and Tyler Ishler, who have graduated, often attend practices and help the team. 

“It’s great to have them come in and help give the kids pointers and teach them better techniques,” said Blanchard.

Whitefish came in first overall at the tournament with a score of 141. Thompson Falls was second with 139, and Frenchtown came in third with 121. Superior came in eighth with a score of 76.

Blaine Parkin came in first in the 126-pound class. Caleb Vereris came in third in the 132-pound class. In the 120-pound class, the championship went to Mission/Charlo Bailey Wieble over Superior’s Jack Mitchell.