28 Highlanders joined the nearly 1600 wrestlers that converged on the Billings Metra for the Montana Open this past weekend. The Open is the premier amateur wrestling tournament in the state and this years version was one of the largest ever held in the State of Montana. Glasgow native Jason Weirs, Montana Open tournament director, has done an outstanding job over the past several years helping build this tournament into a powerful regional event.

Led by tournament Champion Kohl Kittleson, the Highlanders came away with an impressive 10 total placers on the weekend. A number of others were just a match or two away from placing. “There is nothing but good that can come from a tournament like the MT Open, said Coach Jory Casterline. “The kids that wrestled this weekend have gotten better each tournament. Their 5th & 6th places earlier in the year are turning into top three finishes”.

The State tournament in Butte this weekend wraps up the long and difficult season for the Highlanders. Expect another grinder, which caps off an extremely challenging stretch for the youngsters. “These kids are doing everything that’s asked of them and they’d run through a brick wall for their coaches. Their will to compete is strong”.

It’s not just the placers that are impressing Coach Casterline though. “You either win or you learn. That’s the way we look at it. All of our kids got better this weekend.”

The Highlanders conclude their season this weekend with the State AAU tournament in Butte.

MT OPEN PLACERS
KJ Ingram 5th
Grady Nielsen 2nd
Kohl Kittleson 1st
Alex McNew 2nd
Dylan Nieskens 5th
Trevor Overvold 3rd
Matt Reyling 2nd
Kasey Seyfert 5th
Tony Kaiser 6th
Tel Aune 6th

Picture: KJ Ingram cradles his opponent on his way to a 5th place finish.

The Highlanders wrapped up their regular season this past weekend at the Williston Invitational with 14 youngsters traveling to oil country. Highlighted by Mo Fast and Blake Overvold championships, 8 others came away with a top three finish.

Also, to the south, over 600 wrestlers converged on Spearfish, SD for the challenging Black Hills Nationals tournament. 16 Highlanders made the journey, led by Champion Kohl Kittleson, Dylan Nieskens 3rd, Tony Kaiser 3rd and Tel Aune 3rd, 14 Highlanders ended up placing in the top 8.

The Highlanders head to Billings for the Montana Open this weekend.

Black Hills Nationals

Flint Dix- 8th
KJ Ingram- 4th
Grady Nielsen- 4th
Kohl Kittleson- 1st
Kyler Hallock- 5th
Keigan Ingram- 4th
Cale Swanson- 5th
Dylan Nieskens- 3rd
Ty Kittleson- 5th
Tel Aune- 3rd
Oden Hallock- 5th
Cooper Allen- 5th
Alex Hallock- 5th
Tony Kaiser- 3rd

Williston Invitational

Mo Fast 1st
Colt Fast 2nd
Tristan Vandal 4th
Mitchell Overvold 3rd
Trevor Overvold 4th
Riley Llewellyn 4th
Riley Overvold 4th
Levi Overvold 3rd
Roman Fast 3rd
Connor Hudyma 2nd
Mason Hunter 2nd
Blake Overvold 1st
Ted See 3rd
Josh Llewellyn 3rd

19 Highlanders traveled to Denver for a great tournament, with six coming away with hardware. This is one of the toughest tournaments in the region every year. Rocky Mountain Nationals was a great measuring stick for these young wrestlers. 25 kids also traveled to the Havre Invitational with several wrestlers coming away undefeated and everyone getting 3-4 matches.

Out of the 340 teams represented at the Rocky Mountain Nationals in Denver this past weekend, our very own Glasgow Highlanders Wrestling Club was the 13th largest team competing with 19 athletes from high school to Kindergarten and second to only Sidney Wrestling Club in the state of Montana.

Competing for the Highlanders in Denver were Nate Hentges, KJ Ingram, Grady Nielsen, Aiden Hoerster, Kyler Hallock, Cale Swanson, Tel Aune, Skye Buckles, Trevor Overvold, Cooper Allen, Matt Reyling, Oden Hallock, Mitchell Overvold, Casey Seyfert, Cade Myrick, Blaine Myrick, Alex Hallock, Tony Kaiser & Cody King.

Grady Nielsen 4th, Trevor Overvold 4th, Skye Buckles 3rd, Tel Aune 5th, Cooper Allen 5th, Matt Reyling 5th.

There was also a dual tournament format for the Jr. High/High School aged kids. Matt Reyling, Trevor Overvold, Tel Aune and Alex Hallock competed for the Team Montana Jr. High squad and were able to help secure the 2nd place team trophy. The regular season is wrapping up this weekend with the Williston Invitational and Black Hills National tournament in Spearfish, SD.

Picture: Skye Buckles and Tel Aune pose with some weekend hardware.

Nineteen youngsters made their way to the Glendive Invitational for some inter-divisional competition this weekend.  With many of their teammates out with illness, these fortunate competitors put on quite a performance with twelve top three finishers and five individual champions.  ”I thought we wrestled great.  We’re improving every week and the kids are starting to catch on to the new things we’re throwing at them in practice” said Coach Ryan Fast.

Six Middle School aged Highlanders also competed in the first ever Montana Middle School State Championships in Lewistown, MT.  Three individuals came away with a top six finish.  As a reward for their top finishes, Matt Reyling 2nd, Cade Myrick 3rd & Oden Hallock 5th also earned the right to represent Team Montana at the Lee Pamulak National Dual tournament held annually in Des Moines, IA.   Great work boys!

The season is moving at a rapid pace.  The two remaining divisional tournaments at Havre and Williston, run concurrently with Rocky Mountain Nationals (Denver, CO) and Black Hills Nationals (Spearfish, SD).  The season wraps up with the two most challenging tournaments in the State with the Montana Open (Billings) and State AAU (Butte).  It’s a meat grinder but our youngsters are ready and up for the challenge.

GLENDIVE INVITATIONAL 3/8/14

TOT
Ethan Engstrom 5th
Cade Hudyma 1st

BANTAM

Aiden Tredway 3rd
Connor Hudyma 2nd
Flint Dix 1st
John Engstrom 5th
Mason Hunter 3rd
Roman Fast 4th
Ted See 4th

MIDGET

Aiden Hoerster 4th
Carter Hoerster 5th
Dalton Sand 1st
Keigan Ingram 3rd
KJ Ingram 2nd
Kohl Kittleson 2nd
Kyler Hallock 1st
Morgan Fast 2nd

NOVICE

Colten Fast 1st
Tristan Stewart 5th

The bitter cold and snow didn’t keep the young Glasgow Highlander wrestlers from bringing home some weekend hardware. Twenty eight young grapplers competed at the Miles City Invitational, highlighted by fourteen top three finishes. That was good enough to take home a third place team finish.

The older Highlanders competed at the Havre Middle School tournament with similar success. Five individual Champions and eleven top three finishes propelled the future Scotties to a second place team trophy.

The Highlanders will be competing at the Glendive Invitational and the Montana Middle School State Wrestling Championships in Lewistown next weekend.

Results-3/1/14

Miles City Invitational

Tot

Tyler King 4th
Ethan Engstrom 3rd
Reilly Llewellyn 5th
Cade Hudyma 1st

Bantam

Tavin Boland 5th
Roman Fast 4th
Ted See 3rd
Tripp Schmidt 2nd
Michael King 3rd
Grady Nielsen 1st
Mason Hunter 3rd
John Engstrom 4th
Connor Hudyma 1st
Riley Overvold 1st
Josh Llewellyn 4th
Flint Dix 2nd
Aiden Tredway 4th

Midget

Carter Hoerster 4th
Kohl Kittleson 3rd
KJ Ingram 5th
Nate Hentges 2nd
Levi Overvold 2nd
Keigan Ingram 4th
Aiden Hoerster 5th
Blake Overvold 2nd

Novice

Dawson Boland 4th
Tristan Stewart 4th

Schoolboy

Alec Boland 3rd

Havre Middle School

Matt Reyling 1st
Cael Swanson 1st
Oden Hallock 1st
Kaden Zimmerman 3rd
John Cremer 2nd
Mitchell Overvold 3rd
Alex McNew 4th
Dylan Nieskens 2nd
Cooper Allen 1st
Tel Aune 1st
Cade Myrick 2nd
Blaine Myrick 3rd
Trevor Overvold 4th