Tuesday, March 18, 2025
21.0°F

Grapplers do well at CMR Holiday Classic

AVERY HOWE | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year, 2 months AGO
by AVERY HOWE
Photographer | December 20, 2023 1:00 AM

Columbia Falls High School wrestling took seventh overall with eight individual placers in the Great Falls CMR Holiday Classic this weekend.

“In the years that I’ve been coaching, this has been one of our best showings team-wise,” boys wrestling coach Jessie Schaeffer said, noting that with around 60 teams competing, every kid stepping onto the podium deserved recognition. 

In the top for their weight classes, Traic Fainter (120) took fifth place, 13-3, 21 team points; Dylan Delorme (145) seventh, 11-5, 17 points; Billy Gustafson (152) seventh, 13-6, 18 points; Winslow Peter (160) eighth, 12-4, 13 points; Blaise Cronk (170) fifth, 9-2, 20 points; and Rowdy Crump (182) sixth, 10-5, 15 points. 

Additionally, Jaxon Sterling (113) went 6-2 with 10 points, Karson Spilis (126) 0-2, Blake Hoerner (132) 5-5 and 10 points, Rebel Crump (138) 0-2, Tucker Gonzales (205) 1-2 and 6 points, Gunnar Rathjen (285) 3-2 and 12 points. 

On the girls team, Jaelynn (100) and Vanessa Nace (100) were the first women in Columbia Falls High School wrestling to place at the CMR Holiday Classic, with seventh and eighth respectively. Jaelynn went 10-4 with 13 points and Vanessa 7-6 with 10. Girls wrestling coach Ben Schaeffer said the Holiday Classic is the toughest competition all year, and he was excited to see the girls making CFHS history. 

Kaycee Orvis (114) went 0-2, Delilah Hanson (120) 0-2, Seirra Born (120) 6-5, Paris Jerome (126) 0-2, Ella Timlick (138) 1-2 and 3 points, Lucie Love (145) 5-6 and 6 points, and Samantha Larsen (152) 0-2. 

The long term goal for the girls team as a whole is to work on breaking down technique so more of the underclassmen will see the podium their senior year. 

“We’re pretty young, we have a long way to go before the end of the season, but this Saturday the girls said they’re willing to put in the effort to close that gap,” Ben Schaeffer said.

Up next, the Wildcats will host a home tournament Thursday, Dec. 21 starting at 5 p.m., with Hamilton, Libby, Corvallis and Big Fork invited to attend. 

“Our goal is to get as many kids on the podium as possible,” Jessie Schaefer said.

The Browning Tri/Quad scheduled for Dec. 14 was canceled following bomb threats to Browning Public Schools, an incident that occurred in schools around the state on Thursday, but has not been found credible by law enforcement. 

MORE SPORTS STORIES

Grapplers compete in Butte, Kalispell
Hungry Horse News | Updated 1 year, 3 months ago
Grapplers do well at Rocky Mountain Classic
Hungry Horse News | Updated 1 year, 2 months ago
Cronk, Crump and Fainter Divisional Champs
Hungry Horse News | Updated 1 year, 1 month ago

ARTICLES BY AVERY HOWE

March 4, 2025 11 p.m.

Neighbors, health department oppose addition to wellness retreat

Bigfork Land Use Advisory Committee heard a request from Samaa Retreat for a conditional use permit to add a retreat center building on their property on Aero Lane during their Thursday, Feb. 27 meeting.

March 4, 2025 11 p.m.

Public offers mixed opinions on Lakeside sewer permit

Views were split in Thursday’s hearing. The majority of speakers were in favor of the permit, composed of public works employees, a few elected officials and members of the public.

March 3, 2025 11 p.m.

Lakeside sewer project draws mixed review

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality held a public hearing regarding a potential groundwater discharge permit and draft environmental assessment for the district, part of a larger plan to update the district’s outdated treatment system and ultimately allow treated wastewater to be released into the site’s groundwater via a rapid infiltration system.