Plains-Hot Springs wrestling coach Jesse Jermyn thinks his Savage Horsemen grapplers are at the tipping point, on the verge of something special at just the right time.

Approaching that tipping point with some great wrestling on a teamwide scale, the Savage Horsemen qualified seven wrestlers for this week’s State B tournament at the Metra in Billings by placing them at last weekend’s Western B-C divisional meet at the Civic Center in Butte Friday and Saturday.

Matthew Thurston (126 pounds), Billyray Holotta (144) and Beau Crabb (150) all won second place Western B-C medals, with all advancing into championship matches but falling there, Cody West (157) placed sixth and Brock Ryan (also 157) seventh for the Savage Horsemen boys to also earn berths at state.

Plains-Hot Springs girls Ireland Crobin (third at 130 pounds) and Kiara Brown (fifth at 125) also punched their tickets to Billings in Butte.

Andrew Waterbury (144) and Remy Ryan (150) with the Savage Horsemen boys, and Hyla Wright (150) with the girls, wrestled well in Butte but didn’t manage to earn berths into the State B-C.

Jermyn gave credit where credit was due to his wrestlers. “We are in a good spot heading into State,” he said. “We have been building here lately, making real progress and we darn near tipped the scales our way last week. Our guys are competing very well with opponents they were struggling with earlier this season.

“The cards didn’t fall our way in Butte,” he added. "But we are getting closer to our potential and this week in Billings would be a good time to reach it.”

All three of P-HS’s matches in the finals in Butte started with the Savage Horsemen doing quite well, Jermyn offered

“Matthew was dominating the match with Eureka, the No. 2 rated kid in the state,” he said. “But got caught going for a throw and got pinned.”

Jermyn said Holotta was dominated by his finals opponent from Fairfield earlier this season but that he very nearly took him out this time before losing in Butte.

Crabb also enjoyed a very competitive match in his finals bout at 150 with a highly ranked Deer Lodge wrestler before falling back. “Beau is creeping up on him,” Jermyn said of the Warden grappler. “He’s getting closer every time.”

Jermyn has a simple message for his Savage Horsemen as they prepare for the long trip to the bright lights of the Metra in Billings.

“This is the fun part, we are peaking at the right time,” he said. “We just need to go out, wrestle hard and wrestle smart and see what that gets us.”

    PLAINS SENIOR Brock Ryan qualified for this week’s State B-C meet in Billings by placing at the Western B-C meet in Butte last week. (Kami Milender photo)
  

    PLAINS-HOT SPRINGS’ Beau Crabb in control of an opponent at the Western B-C divisional wrestling meet in Butte last week. (Kami Milender photo)