Brave, Bravette Brawlers round out dual season with wins
Daily Inter Lake | Daily Inter-Lake | UPDATED 2 hours, 43 minutes AGO
The Flathead Brave and Bravette Brawlers closed out dual season with a pair of decisive wins over Helena High and Helena Capital Friday at Flathead High School.
The wins helped the Braves to finish out the season 19-2 in duals and sets Flathead up for Western AA divisionals, which are next Saturday in Missoula.
"This team just stepped up to honor our seniors. We have a very special group of seniors that have been outstanding leaders for this team," Braves coach Jeff Thompson said. “Seniors Hunter Van Gundy, Ryker Zuffelato, and Gunner Busic really stepped up to the challenge wrestling varsity and all getting pins. Conor LeDuc and Dayton Naldrett just keep to business as usual and that is to win matches.”
LeDuc and Naldrett each scored falls for the Braves in a 63-14 victory over Capital. Zuffelato, Busic, Brett Chivers, Colten Conover, Kohen Riley and Jakob Berry also nabbed pins for Flathead over the Bruins.
Coy Miller, Jacob La Notte, Hunter Arriaga, Jasper Bench, Chivers, Conover, Hunter Van Gundy and Taw Thomas all added pins in an 82-0 win over the Bengals.
On the girls side, the Bravettes scored identical 72-12 victories, winning each contested match via pin.
“Senior leadership shined as Kiera Lackey recorded two pins, while Julia Kay and Bella Downing each added one in their contested bouts,” Bravettes coach Amber Downing said. “The underclassmen and juniors — Danica Hennell, Alisha Cook, Haley Wilson, Tarakona Bell, Alexis Thompson, Kyra McMahon, and Hannah Bailey — rose to the occasion as well, closing out the season with grit, confidence, and a little well‑earned fun on Senior Night.”
The Glacier girls were in action Friday also, with the Wolfpack downing Helena 42-12 and falling to Capital 42-24. Individual results were not made available.
The All-Class State Wrestling Tournament is Feb. 19-21 at First Interstate Arena in Billings.
Flathead boys 82, Helena 0
126 — Dawson Hamland, Flathead tech.fall Titus Rivers 20-5. 132 — Coy Miller, Flathead p. Tavin Noem. 138 — Jacob La Notte, Flathead p. Donovan Blackson. 144 — Hunter Arriaga, Flathead p. Mason Rose. 150 — Jasper Bench, Flathead p. Tyzer Murgel. 157 — Brett Chivers, Flathead p. Will Collins. 165 — Liam LeDuc, Flathead tech.fall Colin Mehrens 19-4. 175 — Colten Conover, Flathead p. Avery Severson. 215 — Hunter Van Gundy, Flathead p. Samuel Madsen. 285 — Taw Thomas, Flathead p. Jackson Flower. Flathead won at 103, 110, 118 and 190 via forfeit.
Flathead boys 63, Helena Capital 14
103 — Ryker Zuffelato, Flathead p. Bentley Harris. 110 — Dayton Naldrett, Flathead p. Joshua Simmons. 118 — Aidan Lake, Flathead tech.fall Pete Engstrom 20-5. 126 — Wyatt Shull, Capital tech.fall Dawson Hamland 20-5. 132 — Isaac Lagunas, Capital p. Coy Miller. 138 — Jacob La Notte, Flathead maj.dec. Herbert Lay 11-0. 150 — Mason Eblen, Capital dec. Cory Tappen 14-8. 157 — Brett Chivers, Flathead p. Kai Richardson. 165 — Gunner Busic, Flathead p. Noah Knapp. 175 — Colten Conover, Flathead p. Zachery Wyant. 190 — Conor LeDuc, Flathead p. Cash Kipp. 215 — Kohen Riley, Flathead p. Dean Kelley. 285 — Jakob Berry, Flathead p. Leland Hazlitt. Flathead won at 144 via forfeit.