High school wrestling in this area, where Little Guy wrestlers get started at an early age, is often, quietly, the most successful local sport.

The bi-county area that is Sanders and Mineral County, have been a big part of that success, with awards now reaching national status.

Thompson Falls wrestlers Eli Ratliff (senior) and junior Max Hannum, recently competed in a prestigious AAU tournament in Des Moines, Iowa and both came away with All-American status.

Ratliff, who is heading to Montana Tech this fall on a football scholarship, went 5-3 for the invitation-only tournament last month in the 160-pound category, while Hannum matched that achievement at 182 pounds.

Both tournament marks were enough to earn the “All-American” title at the event, which attracted top wrestlers from throughout the Western United States.

“There were some very good wrestlers there,” said Ratliff, who finished his high school career with a 41-3 record for the 2022-23 season and a second-place medal at the MHSA State Championships in Billings. “We both went into the AAU tournament with the goal of being competitive in a field of really good wrestlers”.

For Hannum, who finished his regular season as the state B champion at 170 pounds while compiling a 32-7 season record, said the Des Moines event was the second best wrestling thing that happened to him this past season.

“Being chosen as an All-American in Des Moines was good,” he said. “But I think the state championship meant more to me”.

Hannum will have a chance to repeat as state champion next season, most likely moving up to the 182 pound weight class.

Ratliff, who has competed in the AAU event in previous years, had his strongest showing this year, an accomplishment that was the crowning moment of his high school wrestling days.

“This was, for me, the biggest accomplishment of my wrestling days”, he said. Ratliff plans to focus on football at Montana Tech next season. He was signed as a defensive back.

Both wrestlers were also members of the Blue Hawks 2021 State Champion Class B-8 team, and were part of this year’s move to 11-player football.

They both got involved in wrestling via the area’s strong Little Guy football system.

“All my friends were wrestling in Little Guy and I wanted to be part of that,” Ratliff said. “I really like the competition involved in wrestling”.

For Hannum, the lure of wrestling was essentially similar, with a slightly different twist.

“I like the grind of the season,” he said. “I like to compete”.

Local wrestlers in the last two years have produced several championship performances in addition to the achievements of Ratliff and Hannum.

Thompson Falls standout wrestler Trey Thilmony, who was a three-time state champion, signed a scholarship offer to attend North Dakota State where he is a member of the Bisons wrestling team.

This past season, a pair of state champs, 126-pound Decker Milender and Heavyweight Chandon Vulles, helped lead the Superior Bobcats to the State Class C team championship and coach of the year honors for Charlie Crabb.