Now that he has settled on his weight at 165 pounds, Turner Milender sent a message to the rest of the Western B-C field at that weight by sweeping to the Ted Kato Invitational title in Thompson Falls Saturday.

Milender’s first place win at 165, culminating with a pin win over R. Christopherson of Darby in only 1:04 of the championship match, represented the best finish for a Superior Bobcat grappler in the Kato. Milender won all three of his Kato matches by pin.

Eighth grader Cael Crabb, the son of Bobcat coach Charlie Crabb, impressively won second place at 138 pounds and Sam Doughty battled gamely in wrestling down third place at 150 to also earn medals for Superior in the Kato meet.

“It was a good meet for the kids we had, three were out sick but the ones we had performed pretty well,” coach Crabb said.

Crabb said that Milender needed to get some more matches in at 165 after wrestling mostly at 175 up until this point. “He needed the matches,” he said. “Half of your wins have to be at the weight you want to compete in the post season at according to the rules. Hopefully, he will able to stay at 165.”

The Bobcat grappling team has two dates on its schedule this week, at a mixer in Arlee Wednesday and at the Mission Invitational tournament Saturday.

    SUPERIOR’S SAM DOUGHTY tries to get a handle on his Missoula Sentinel opponent in the Kato Invitational Saturday in Thompson Falls. Doughty went on to claim third place at 150 pounds in the Kato meet. (John Hamilton/vp-mi)