BILLINGS — The first major decision in Flathead’s quest for a state championship did not go the Braves’ way.

Luckily for them, the rest of the decisions will be made on the mat.

Fourth-ranked Flathead enters today’s opening of the Class AA state wrestling tournament at MetraPark in Billings with its sights still set on a podium finish, this despite a contentious and very public court battle that swept up the team, the school, the Montana High School Association and one of the top wrestlers in the state earlier this week.

In an emotional battle over rule interpretations, coaching guidance — or the lack thereof — and how a student could be punished for the failings of those around him, Braves sophomore Payton Hume sued the MHSA and Flathead High School in Flathead District Court to try and reverse a Feb. 2 MHSA decision that ruled the top-ranked 138-pound wrestler in Montana ineligible for the state tournament.

On Tuesday, Hume’s requested injunction was not granted, leaving Flathead’s wrestling team without the stellar sophomore the rest of the year.

Even without Hume, the Braves have more wrestlers (21) in the field than any other Class AA team as they, and the rest of the field, look to end Great Falls High’s streak of three consecutive championships.

However, and especially without Hume, the Braves don’t have the same number of highly ranked wrestlers as the state’s other title contenders.

What Flathead does have is as much depth as anyone. The Braves qualified wrestlers at every weight class — although with Hume out, no Brave will wrestle at 138 — and put two wrestlers into the 16-person field at nine different weights.

Flathead has two top seeds out of the Western AA divisional, led by sophomore wunderkind Trae Vasquez at 120. The defending 113-pound state champion, Vasquez is looking to become the first Brave to win back-to-back state wrestling titles in six years and brings a perfect 24-0 record into today’s action.

Down at 103, junior Hunter Rush won last week’s seeding tournament in Missoula and puts a 20-3 record on the line. Rush was ranked fourth in the state in the most recent poll, released on Jan. 29.

Other ranked Flathead wrestlers include Logan Wilson (third at 183), Tucker Nadeau (fourth, 160), Payton Boyce (fourth, 205) and Matt Gash-Gilder (sixth, 170).

Glacier has eight wrestlers in the tournament, although none are ranked. Senior Tyler Eierdam, who finished fourth at the divisional at 138 pounds, is the highest-seeded combatant for the Pack.

A pair of Glacier heavyweights — Eli Horn and Andrew Klamecki — also qualified for the tournament field.

Wrestling at Rimrock Auto Arena at MetraPark begins today at 10:20 a.m., with gates opening at 8 a.m. First round and quarterfinal matches will be contested today, along with the first two consolation rounds. The tournament concludes on Saturday.

CLASS AA WRESTLING

At Billings

First-round matchups

Today

FLATHEAD

103 — Hunter Rush, Flathead, Jr. (20-3) vs. Kole Writingbird, Great Falls, Fr. (2-17)

103 — Dominic Battello, Flathead, Fr. (0-3) vs. Chance McLane, Bozeman, Fr. (24-1)

113 — Cody Devall, Flathead, Jr. (11-9) vs. Braden Ard, Billings Senior, Fr. (5-4)

113 — Bryce Schaffer, Flathead, So. (10-8) vs. Caleb McMillen, Great Falls (13-9)

120 — Trae Vasquez, Flathead, So. (24-0) vs. Kole McGrath, Butte, Fr. (2-4)

126 — Jaden MacNeil, Flathead, Fr. (4-2) vs. Tyler Vetter, Butte, Jr. (18-10)

132 — Kenyon Fretwell, Flathead, So. (9-10) vs. Brennon Veis, Billings Senior, Sr. (8-5)

132 — Miles Terry, Flathead, Sr. (3-2) vs. Braxton Henningsen, Butte, Sr. (26-5)

145 — Caleb Sherrill, Flathead, Fr. (3-11) vs. Tyger Frye, Billings Senior, Sr. (13-2)

152 — Nate Somers, Flathead, Sr. (7-11) vs. Trayson Marker, Billings West, Sr. (10-3)

152 — Taylor Morton, Flathead, So. (5-11) vs. Brock Bushfield, Billings Skyview, So. (18-1)

160 — Tucker Nadeau, Flathead, So. (21-6) vs. Taran Bennett, Butte, Sr. (8-8)

160 — Dechlan Sparrow, Flathead, Fr. (2-3) vs. Tommy McMillen, Great Falls, Sr. (23-0)

170 — Anthony Wright, Flathead, Sr. (15-6) vs. Grayden Irish, Great Falls CMR, Jr. (3-2)

170 — Matt Gash-Gilder, Flathead, Jr. (14-6) vs. Dakota Schott, Bozeman, So. (13-10)

182 — Hunter Wellcome, Flathead, So. (4-2) vs. Jensen Poirier, Great Falls, So. (6-8)

182 — Logan Wilson, Flathead, Sr. (15-3) vs. Seth Schimerowski, Great Falls CMR, Sr. (2-3)

205 —Payton Boyce, Flathead, Sr. (19-5) vs. Quinn Cunneen, Butte, Sr. (14-13)

205 — Alex Paull, Flathead, So. (2-3) vs. Rylan Moldenhauer, Great Falls, Jr. (19-4)

285 — Michael Lee, Flathead, So. (3-2) vs. Levi Malcolm, Billings West, Fr. (12-6)

285 — Cody Howe, Flathead, Sr. (11-9) vs. Jacari Murphy, Great Falls CMR, Sr. (3-3)

GLACIER

103 — Caden Willis, Glacier, Fr. (9-12) vs. Garreth Erhardt, Billings Senior, Sr. (9-1)

120 — Kyle Mulcahy, Glacier, So. (6-11) vs. Seth Boyd, Billings West, So. (9-6)

138 — Tyler Eierdam, Glacier, Sr. (10-9) vs. Chase Perry, Great Falls, Sr. (14-13)

160 — Donavon Macura, Glacier, Sr. (11-12) vs. Matt Larsen, Billings West, Sr. (10-10)

170 — Ney-J Johns, Glacier, Fr. (1-3) vs. Jake Malchuski, Billings Skyview, Jr. (15-1)

205 — Ashton Thompson, Glacier, Fr. (7-13) vs. Payton O’Reilly, Bozeman, Sr. (5-1)

285 — Eli Horn, Glacier, Sr. (13-11) vs. Jeff Queer, Butte, So. (18-9)

285 — Andrew Klamecki, Glacier, Sr. (1-3) vs. Noah Danielson, Great Falls CMR, Sr. (16-0)