Flathead, Glacier wrestlers head to Divisionals

Flathead and Glacier have one more tournament to decide which boys and girls get to the State wrestling championships in Billings next week.

The Western AA Divisional tournaments are set for Saturday at Missoula Sentinel. The top eight finishers in each weight class, boys and girls, qualify for State next week at First Interstate Arena in Billings. 

Flathead is taking 28 boys — two in every weight class — to Missoula, including six who placed at State last season, led by champion 144-pounder Hunter Arriaga. The Brave Brawlers are ranked No. 2 in AA after going 19-2 in duals this season; 11 of their wrestlers fill up the latest AA rankings, including Kellen Downing (No. 2 at 132) Brett Chivers (No. 1 at 157) and Kohen Rilley (second at 215). 

The Flathead Bravettes went 9-0 in duals and have built a resume in the four-plus years of girls wrestling: they won the first two state team titles and finished third and second the last two seasons. 

Julia Kay leads the way, ranked first at 130 pounds; Bella Downing and Kiera Lackey are two more leaders for the contingent of 23 headed to Missoula. 

Glacier, under Mark Fischer and Chris Leck, seem to be building up nicely in the first season of Fischer’s second tenure.  

For the boys, Aiden Sweat is ranked no. 1 at 118 and Matt Aher is No. 2 at 175; three more wrestlers — Daniel Pederson (190), Noah Horn (285) and Zander Fuehr (126) — are in the top six. 

The Wolfpack are taking 19 boys and 11 girls to Missoula. Top girls wrestlers include Katelyn Sphuler and Keira Oftedahl, both at 100. 

In addition the AA meet, Columbia Falls and the rest of the Northwest A boys head to the Western A Divisional in Dillon this weekend; the Ronan girls continue to be a top-flight team in A and will be in Dillon as well. 

The Western B/C Divisional, which includes Eureka and Mission-Charlo, convenes in Butte.