Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
All wrestling considered, it was a pretty good weekend for the Plains-Hot Springs Savage Horsemen in Eureka.
Coach Jeff Kujala and his Horsemen wrestled in a mixer in Eureka Friday night and then competed in the Buzz Lucey Invitational tournament at Lincoln County High School Saturday, winning sixth place in team scoring while crowning two individual champs and placing two others second and third.
The amazing mat brothers, junior Conrad and senior Josiah Vanderwall, led the Savage Horsemen again in the Lucey, winning the 132 and 138 pound divisions in convincing fashion. Josiah has become accustomed to winning tournaments but the Eureka title is Conrad's first ever.
Taylor Angle pinned her way to the championship match at 103 pounds before settling for a second place medal, and Peter Carey fought back after a tough loss in the semifinals to win third place honors.
Bert DeTienne (145 pounds), Jesse Uski (160), Kenzie Angle (138) and Stephen Yoder (285) also all wrestled in Eureka but did not earn medals.
Conrad Vanderwall won his first tournament championship in convincing fashion, pinning Flathead's Tim Dicker in only 20 seconds in the quarterfinals, sticking Bigfork's Vaughn Pendlay in 1:40 of the semifinals, and scoring a major decision win of 15-5 over Flathead's Braden Comer in the 132 pound championship.
Josiah Vanderwall was even more dominant than his little brother in bringing home his 138 pound title, pinning Bigfork's Eli Tidwell in 25 seconds of the quarters, pinning Thomas Peters of Columbia Falls in 3:03 of the semis and falling Colt Crawford of Arlee in 2:47 of the championship final.
Taylor Angle won two matches by pin – flattening Asher Rice of Flathead in 4:46 and Braedon Illiff of Polson in 3:02 – to gain the finals, but was pinned by Nathan Sproul of Whitefish in 1:10 of the 103 pound championship match.
Turning in another fine tournament performance, Carey came back from a tough 7-5 loss in the semifinals at 120 to win third place, pinning Kellen Norman of Polson in 3:36 of the conso semis and then sticking Kaleb Rhubottom of Flathead in the consolation final.
DeTienne and Uski both won matches by pin before being eliminated in the wrestlebacks in Eureka.
Plains-Hot Springs wrestlers return to action after the holiday break at the Ronan Duals Jan. 4-5.
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