First Cut Bank, then Choteau.

In the big scheme of things in Montana Class B-C wrestling for many teams, it always goes down like this after the New Year, first week back from the break is the Cut Bank Invitational and the second week back is the Choteau Invitational.

Having fulfilled their 2026 obligation at the Cut Bank Invite last weekend, the Thompson Falls Blue Hawks now turn their mat attentions towards Choteau and this week’s next big meet there Friday and Saturday.

Although not quite as large of an event as the Cut Bank Invite, the Choteau tournament is nonetheless one of the most significant events of any B-C season.

“These tournaments give you a chance to see what else is out there before the postseason,” Thompson Falls coach Nate Block said. “The Choteau is not quite as big as the Cut Bank tourney, but there are still a lot of B-C schools in it, I would estimate like three quarters of them, so it’s still am important event.”

Block added that several of the more populated brackets in Cut Bank last week featured full 64-wrestler draws, a rarity in Montana tournaments. Block said the official count showed 980 boys competing in Cut Bank, and 200 more with the girls in this year’s event.

Weston Block for the boys and Veronic Vega for the girls led the Thompson Falls grapplers in Cut Bank. Block won third place at 118 pounds, losing a tough semifinal match to No. 1 rated Anson Taylor of Circle in the semifinals before coming back for third. Vega won fifth place in the girls 115 pound division.

“Weston got caught after almost pinning Taylor in the semis,” coach Block said. “We look forward to a rematch at some point, that’s a match Weston wants.”

Coach Block also singled out freshmen Easton Helvey (157 pounds) and Zarek Pallister (215) for their fine mat work in Cut Bank. “Those two have shown a lot of growth recently,” Block said. “Easton made it all the way to the second day and ended up one

match away from placing. Zarek applied stuff we had been working on in practice, ran specific moves we have been working on, I was very impressed.”

Block added that Carson Kenney (138 pounds) and Ethan Traver (118) also competed for Thompson Falls with the boys and Lexi Volk (115) also grappled in the girls division in Cut Bank.