It’s the first time the State AA wrestling championships have been in Kalispell since 1982, and it’s going to be a little different this time around.

COVID-19 considerations mean Friday’s first and second rounds at Flathead High School will be split into, well, two rounds.

The 103-pound to 145 weight classes start at 9:30 a.m. with their “pigtail round,” before the first round begins in earnest at approximately 10:15 a.m. The quarterfinals begin around 11:45.

By 2 p.m. or so the Flathead gym will be cleared ahead of the first two rounds for weight classes 152 to 285, who start wrestling at 3.

Within this framework the host Brave Brawlers will try to take down defending champion Great Falls along with Billings West and Billings Senior, if not Butte.

All of those teams put a lot of high-seeded competitors into this meet. Flathead coach Jeff Thompson has six No. 1 seeds, and eight wrestlers seeded 1 or 2 out of the Western AA.

“It’s tight,” Thompson said. “West has seven top-2 seeds, Butte also has seven. Great Falls has five and Billings Senior, four.

“Then when you look at top-three, it’s Butte 10, Flathead nine, Great Falls nine, Senior and West eight.”

Saturday is more of the usual day, like you might find at the all-class meet at the Billings Metra; semifinals for all weight classes begin at 10 a.m. and the championship round at 3 p.m.

By 5:30 or so Saturday we should have a team champion.

“Right now on paper, Senior is top dog,” Thompson said. “The first session, Senior most likely is going to have a pretty big lead on the rest of the pack. Meanwhile Great Falls is really strong in its upper weights so you could see a big comeback when they wrestle.

“We just have guys that are going to compete at every single weight. West is like us, balanced top-to-bottom. It makes it a very exciting tournament.. I’d say it’s one of the closest since I got here to coach in 2001.”

The Montana High School Association went to an all-class format in Billings in 1989. This is the second year the MHSA split it back up: in 2011 they had to because a tornado took the roof off the Metra the summer before.

Count Glacier coach Ross Dankers among those pleased to have this year’s AA here in Kalispell.

“It’s just felt a lot different this week, compared to any other year,” Dankers said. “Not prepping for a Wednesday leave time.. It seems like the guys are extremely focused and feeling fresh and feeling good.

“I also think it helps our young guys that have wrestled in that gym. They won’t be wrestling in a new, big space they’re not familiar with. I think that’s an advantage for the new guys.”

Glacier brings in 17 wrestlers, including top-three seeds Teegan Vasquez (defending champion and No. 1 at 120), Josh Melton (No. 3 at 113) and Kael Willis (No. 3 at 182).

If things go to plan, Dankers’ crew is looking for a middle-tier finish. But it’s anyone’s guess given this season was limited to conference duals only for AA.

“It’ll be interesting to see the east and west matching up. We haven’t seen each other at all,” Dankers said. “Preparation-wise it’s tough because we haven’t seen those guys, so that’s exciting.”

At that 1982 state meet Flathead’s own Jeff Anderson capped an unbeaten season with a state title. The Brawlers had no champions last year while edging out Senior for second at state.

It figures that Ethan Freund (126), Asher Kemppainen (132) Cade Troupe (145), Fin Nadeau (152), Chase Youso (170), and Ryan Nelson (182) have shots. As should Noah Poe-Hatten (160), who handed two-time state champion Hunter Meinzen of Missoula Big Sky a rare loss this season.

“It’s so exciting for the fans and for the teams,” Thompson said. “It’s not like we’re sitting here knowing who’s going to win the state title. Our kids know it’s going to be a war and we just have to concentrate on what we can control and that’s the match that’s in front of us.”