The Libby Loggers wrestling team opened its season last Friday at the Owen Invitational in Polson.

Libby seniors Jace DeShazer and Marley Erickson were each 4-0 to win their respective weight classes while leading the Greenchain to a seventh-place team finish.

Libby’s 115 points put it just behind Lake City’s 117.5. The Loggers had five grapplers place in the top six. The Ronan Chiefs were champs with 266 points in the 18-team field. Ronan had four champs.

Frenchtown was second with 226.5 while Eureka was third with 160. Columbia Falls was fourth with 156 and Corvallis was fifth with 135.

DeShazer won the 205-pound weight class after pinning Lake City junior Garrett Leonard in 2:31. As he did in winning a second consecutive state title earlier this year, DeShazer didn’t spend much time on the mat.

After a first-round bye, he pinned Frenchtown sophomore Cole Houlihan in 32 seconds. Against Superior senior Chase Woodson, DeShazer needed 33 seconds to score the fall. In the semifinals, DeShazer took 57 seconds to deck Lake City junior Sebastian Mosman.

Erickson beat Frenchtown sophomore Cole Johnson, 4-1, in the finals to claim the 138-pound weight class. He began his 4-0 run with a pin of Florence sophomore Isaac Nicoson in 3:38, then decked Hamilton senior Adam Loveless in 1:04. Erickson claimed a 10-7 decision over Corvallis sophomore Ben White to reach the finals.

Other Libby place winners included sophomore Gabe Kosters, sixth at 138, senior Xavier Reatz, sixth at 145, and freshman Hunter Rooney, sixth at 160, 

Eureka crowned two champs. 

They included Blake Lancaster (126) and Riley Hume (285). The Lions had a runner-up at 120 pounds in Timothy Schmidt, a third-place finisher at 205 pounds in Wes Banks, and another runner-up in Colin Hickman at 113 pounds.

The Loggers return to action tonight at Stevensville where they’ll face the hosts and Whitefish in a tri-meet. Then they’ll travel to Superior Saturday for the Bob Kinney Classic.

    Libby wrestler Marley Erickson got the better of Florence’s Isaac Nicoson at the Owen Invitational wrestling tournament in Polson on Friday, Dec. 1. (Avery Howe/Hungry Horse News)
  

Libby's Connor Benson was 2-2 at 152 pounds Saturday, Dec. 2, at the Owen Invitational in Polson. (Photo courtesy Bob Gunderson)

Libby's Gabe Kosters placed sixth at 138 pounds Saturday, Dec. 2, at the Owen Invitational in Polson. (Photo courtesy Bob Gunderson)