Whitefish will send eight wrestlers to the State A tournament this weekend in Billings after a strong showing at the Northwest A Divisional tournament.

“Everyone had to beat guys to get into the tournament,” Whitefish coach Ryan Boyle said. “It’s the best divisional we’ve had in a while.”

160-pounder Judah Prestegaard and 285-pounder Steven Quimby each placed second at divisionals.

Prestegaard beat teammate Matthew Sampson to get into the championship. Boyle says both Prestegaard and Sampson have favorable brackets at state. Prestegaard is a No. 8 seed and Sampson No. 14.

“But that’s just on paper, we’ll have to wrestle to see how it works out,” he said.

Quimby also has favorable pairings at state as a No. 5 seed, Boyle said.

Also making the trip are 103-pounder Parker McWhirter, 120-pounder James Buckley, 126-poundDillon Thorsteinson, 132-pounder Garrett Rice and 205-pounder Travis Catina.

Boyle noted Thorsteinson’s performance at divisionals.

“He went after some kids and was really determined,” he said. “I hope we see that at Billings.”

As a team, the Dogs scored 70.5 points to finish in fifth place at divisionals. Columbia Falls won the tourney with 255 points.

Experience should lift the Dogs in Billings with seven of the eight making the trip having wrestled at state previously.

Boyle says his team needs to wrestle loose and carefree to have success on the mat.

“Sometimes we wrestle not to lose and don’t go after guys,” he said. “This week is the last week. We have to leave it all out there.”

Northwestern A Divisional

Saturday

at Polson

Team Scores – 1. Columbia Falls 255; 2. Polson 154; 3. Frenchtown 116; 4. Libby 90; Whitefish 70.5.

Championship

103 – Caleb Bagnell, FT, pin Austin Nelson, CF, 5:27. 113 – Cameron Brown, Pol, dec. Ben Windauer, CF, 6-0. 120 – Cody Warner, FT, dec. Parker Adler, Pol, 4-2. 126 – Haze Bell, CF, pin Laine Young, Lib, 5:53. 132 – Kaleb Gravelin, CF, dec. Jaben Wenzel, Pol, 6-2. 138 – Shonn Roberts, CF, pin Skylar Knutson, Pol, 3:19. 145 – Colton Gove, CF, pin Colton Sweeney, CF, :45. 152 – Zach Crace, Lib, pin Preston Downard, FT, 3:16. 160 – Storm Kemppainen, CF, dec. Judah Prestegaard, WF, 7-3. 170 – Garret Chapel, Lib, pin Tele Seeman, Pol, 1:47. 182 – Mikey Denison, CF, pin, Cole Jones, FT, 2:21. 205 – Mike Corrigan, Pol, pin Bekzat Abdyrazokov, CF, 2:19. 285 – Spencer Ross, CF, pin Steven Quimby, WF, 3:56.

Third Place

103 – Mateo Quinones, Pol, pin Parker McWhirter, WF, 3:48. 113 – Shayne Pierre, Pol, dec. Winfield West, CF, 9-3. 120 – Mason Fetters, CF, pin James Buckley, WF, 1:39. 126 – Thunder Morales, Pol, pin Dillon Thorsteinson, WF, :41. 132 – Tyler Isher, FT, pin Garrett Rice, WF, 2:27. 138 – Hunter Peterson, CF, dec. Bryce Williams, FT, 5-4. 145 – Jon Blanchard, FT, dec. Dylan Parrish, Lib, 9-3. 152 – Cody Walters, CF, dec. Wyatt Green, CF, 2-0. 160 – Michael Miller, Lib, pin Matt Sampson, WF, 2:58. 170 – Miguel Garate, CF, pin Alex Yeadon, Lib, 3:54. 182 – Tristan Austin, FT, win by forfeit. 205 – Nathan Bennett, FT, def. Travis Catina, WF, injury default.