For local high school wrestling fans, the 157-pound match between Superior sophomore Turner Milender and Plains-Hot Springs senior John Waterbury would be the dream match of the year.

Waterbury, from Hot Springs and wrestling for the Plains-Hot Springs co-op, was in his first match back from a nasty ankle injury suffered in the first Hot Springs football game of the year.  Like Milender, both were top five placers at the state B-C championships last year in Billings. 

It was a collision that was bound to happen, and the outcome did not disappoint local fans and those in attendance at the Cut Bank Booster Invitation this past weekend. 

Waterbury finished fourth in the state last year at 152 pounds, while Milender placed fifth at 160 pounds. 

It was a match meant to be. 

In the end, Waterbury pulled out a hard-fought 15-12 decision over Milender in a grueling show of strength and wrestling skills. 

Waterbury’s win helped the Plains-Hot Springs Savage Horsemen place tenth in the field of 36 boys and 24 girls' teams from throughout the area with a combined boys and girls total of 490 entrants. 

Huntley Project won the boys team title with 249.0 points, while the girls team crown was claimed by the Conrad High girls with 109.0 points. 

Locally, Plains-Hot Springs had 103.5 points in the boys’ competition and Thompson Falls girls were18th with 34.0 team points.  Superior’s boys placed 20th with 58.5 points, while the T Falls boys were 25th with 40.5. 

Plains-Hot Springs 190-pounder David Chapman placed fourth in that category, losing to Layne Wallace of Fort Benton in the consolation championship round. The Savage Horsemen also got a sixth-place finish at 126-pound division from Isiah Schultze. 

Superior’s Sam Doughty placed sixth at 150 pounds. 

Plains Hot Springs’ Ireland Corbin finished fifth in the 125-pound category, while Jaden Bewick of T Falls was sixth at 110 pounds for the Lady Hawks. 

Thompson Falls had the largest number of wrestlers among local teams (Plains-Hot Springs, Superior and T Falls) with 12 competitors.  Plains-Hot Springs also entered a dozen grapplers, while Superior had five. 

Next on the agenda for local schools is the Choteau Classic for Plains-Hot Springs and Thompson Falls wrestlers, while Superior will attend the Jug Beck Invitational in Missoula.  Both of those events are this Friday and Saturday (Jan 11-12).  

    Dylon Arbogast of Superior (blue) goes for a pin during a 126-pounder match at the Cut Bank Booster Invitational this past weekend.  (Photo by Kami Milender)