The Ronan girls wrestling squad proved their dominance at the Western A Wrestling Divisional Tournament, clinching the team championship with a series of outstanding performances.

Leading the charge was River Cote (105 pounds), who dominated the bracket, pinning Brayden Wolftail of Browning in just 32 seconds in the semifinals before taking down Polson’s Avari Stone in 1:18 to claim the championship.

In the 110-pound division, Marie Cheff powered her way to the top of the podium. After a bye in the quarterfinals, she secured a major decision victory over Columbia Falls’ Jaelynn Nace (10-2) and capped her run with a fall over Corvallis’ Kaelynn Vanderpool in 3:42.

At 115 pounds, Saellah Nomee put on an impressive display, scoring three consecutive victories by fall and tech fall to earn first place. She defeated Cassy Schlicht of Bigfork in just 29 seconds, then pinned Tymber Barnes of Beaverhead Co. in 1:05 before overpowering Frenchtown’s Bella Amen with a 15-0 tech fall.

Aaliyah Stewart (125) also claimed gold for Ronan, delivering a trio of commanding performances. She pinned Corvallis’ Raigan Bauman in 44 seconds, followed by a quick semifinal victory over teammate Jewell Reum in 37 seconds. In the finals, Stewart secured the championship by pinning Shyloh Huffine of Polson in just over a minute.

Leona Dodson Howe (155) continued Ronan’s dominance, earning her divisional title with a flawless run. She pinned Corvallis’ Audrey Webber in 59 seconds and then took down Brylee Rees of Frenchtown in 41 seconds before securing the title with a 17-1 tech fall victory over Browning’s Hayden Edwards.

In the 235-pound division, Tirza TwoTeeth claimed another first-place finish for Ronan. She received a bye into the semifinals and then won the championship match with a 15-0 tech fall victory over Browning’s Kendahl Guardipee in 4:14.

Ronan’s success wasn’t limited to champions; several wrestlers delivered strong performances to boost the team’s point total. Destiny Finley (130) battled her way to second place, securing two falls and a disqualification win before injury defaulting in the finals. Hadassah Read (170) also earned a runner-up finish, pinning opponents in the quarterfinals and semifinals before falling in the championship match.

Bronze medals went to Giselle Barron-Valenzuela (120), Luliana Brown (190), and Haven Houle (235), all of whom delivered crucial victories in the consolation bracket. Barron-Valenzuela edged Tyler Gibson of Beaverhead Co. in a tight 9-8 decision, while Brown and Houle advanced with byes in their respective third-place matches.

Fourth-place finishes came from Jewell Reum (125), Lola Schock (140), and Jasmin Hakes (145), adding valuable points to Ronan’s team total. Hakes, in particular, showcased resilience by securing three falls in the tournament.

Ronan’s depth was evident throughout the tournament, with Kylee Bourdon (170) securing a fifth-place finish, while Sarah Templer (135) took seventh.

Polson girls place third at Divisionals

The Polson girls wrestling team delivered an outstanding performance at the Western A Divisional Tournament in Browning over the weekend, bringing home two individual titles and multiple podium finishes to place third as a team.

At 100 pounds, Ciri Nice battled her way to a divisional title with a series of impressive victories. She started her tournament run by pinning Columbia Falls’ Vanessa Nace in just 2:21 during the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Nice continued her dominance, securing another fall over Gwyn Brown of Beaverhead County in only 1:32. The championship match proved to be her toughest test, as she went the distance against Persephone Cox of Frenchtown. The match came down to a dramatic tiebreaker, where Nice edged out a 10-8 victory to claim the gold.

In the 190-bound bracket, Abighail Sorrell also secured a divisional title with a commanding performance. In her semifinal match, she made quick work of Ronan’s Luliana Brown, pinning her opponent in just 45 seconds. The championship match was decided by forfeit, ensuring Sorrell finished the tournament atop the podium.

Polson also had three wrestlers reach the finals in their respective weight classes, finishing as divisional runners-up.

At 105 pounds, Avari Stone had a strong start to her tournament, advancing to the finals after winning by injury default over Stevensville’s Avery Faler in the semifinals. In the championship match, Stone faced an undefeated River Cote of Ronan, who managed to secure the win by fall at 1:18.

Shyloh Huffine also had an impressive tournament at 125 pounds, advancing to the finals after receiving a bye in the opening round and pinning Butte Central’s Amira Gonzales in the semifinals. Huffine’s championship match against Ronan’s Aaliyah Stewart ended in a fall at 1:13, but her runner-up finish added crucial team points for Polson.

At 145 pounds, Venessa Wheeler put together a strong performance to earn second place. After receiving a bye in the first round, Wheeler pinned her quarterfinal opponent, Bigfork’s Angela Farrier in just 1:31. She followed up with another dominant pin in the semifinals against Ronan’s Jasmin Hakes. In the final, however, she fell to Columbia Falls’ Samantha Larsen, ending her tournament as a well-earned silver medalist.

Polson’s depth was evident throughout the tournament, as several other wrestlers secured key top-five finishes.

At 110 pounds, Graci Hammer battled her way to a fourth-place finish. She received a bye in the quarterfinals before falling in the semis to Kaelynn Vanderpool of Corvallis. Hammer rebounded with a big win in the consolation semifinals, pinning Browning’s Nerreyah Snow in 4:09. She ultimately placed fourth after losing by fall to Columbia Falls’ Jaelynn Nace in the third-place match.

Skyla Nielsen also placed fourth at 130 pounds. She started her tournament with a quick pin over Baya Eddie of Beaverhead County before falling to Whitefish’s Taylor Dorvall in the semifinals. Nielsen bounced back with a dominant 42-second pin in the consolation semis but fell in the third-place match to Stevensville’s Keenya Gibson by major decision (11-1).

At 140 pounds, Piper Adams showcased resilience by earning a third-place finish. After pinning Jasmine Monroe of Browning in the quarterfinals, Adams lost to Faye Holland of Beaverhead County in the semis. However, she fought back in the consolation rounds, winning an 8-7 decision over Columbia Fall’s Ella Timlick before securing third place with a pin over Ronan’s Lola Schock.

Another key contributor was Ariella Mihara at 120 pounds, who finished in fifth place. Mihara suffered an early loss in the quarterfinals but rebounded in the consolation rounds, earning a fall over Delilah Hanson of Columbia Falls. After dropping a major decision in the consolation semis, she finished strong by pinning Shannon Woll of Bigfork in just 1:23 to claim fifth place.

With two divisional champions, three runners-up, and multiple top-five finishes, the Pirates showed their strength against some of the toughest competition in the region. The team will now shift its focus to the upcoming state tournament in Billings, where they will look to carry their momentum and build on their divisional success.

    Tirza TwoTeeth