Youth grapplers wrestle in Cyclops

As one wrestling season ends, another begins.

With the high school wrestling season officially over with the conclusion of the Montana All-Class meet in Billings two weeks ago, the youth wrestling season has now started up.

Members of the local Blue Hawk youth wrestling club competed in two tournaments in Butte last weekend, grappling in the junior high meet there Saturday and in the annual Cyclops tournament Sunday.

In the junior high tourney Saturday, Paul Sundstrom took second in the 68 pound division, Elijah Ratliff won third at 130 pounds and Max Hannum took sixth in the 125 pound class.

As a three-person team, the Falls grapplers finished a respectable 15th out of 33 junior high teams in Butte. One of the larger schools in the state, Billing West won the tournament team title.

In the Cyclops tourney Sunday, Neale Block wrestled in both the boys and girls division, winning second in the girls meet at PeeWee 36 pounds, and older sister Hartleigh Block, also wrestling both sides of the mat, did not place with the boys but won fourth place with the girls.

Lane Thilmony wrestled well but did not place in the Intermediate 56 division, Weston Block also wrestled well but did not place at Intermediate 59 and Andrew Sundstrom won fifth in the Intermediate 105 division.

Paul Sundstrom won fourth place at Novice 67, Hannum took third at Schoolboy 124, and highlighting the day for the Blue Hawk wrestlers, Ratliff won first place in the Schoolboy 130 division.

“We are proud of all the kids for both days,” coach Mike Thilmony said, “and all the kids that placed wrestled really well Sunday. Elijah winning his class Sunday was a great achievement, the Cyclops is a very tough tournament so this was a very big win for him.”