The Jefferson High wrestling squad continues to steamroll through the season, easily winning a dual meet in Cascade and then, for the first time in 20 years of competing, the team placed in the top three at the highly competitive Cut Bank Invitational tournament.
On Thursday, Jan. 6, Jefferson dominated Cascade 51-18. Leo Anderson and Dylan Mikesell won their matches at 113 pounds, as did Cameron Mikesell at 126 pounds, Colman Thornton at 138, John Armstrong at 152 pounds, Jace Oxarart at 160, Brady Armstrong and Kolbe Michaud at 170, and Jeyden Sullivan at 205.
The next morning, the Panthers got on the bus again and headed to Cut Bank for a two-day tournament with 24 teams, including several AA and A schools.
Ten of Jefferson’s 15 wrestlers advanced from the first round: Anderson, Dylan and Cameron Mikesell, John and Brady Armstrong, Oxarart, Wyatt Rauch at 160, Micah Hartman at 170, Braeden Jones at 182, and Sullivan.
In the second round, Anderson, both Mikesells, both Armstrongs and Sullivan won, all by pin, moving them into the semifinals and guaranteeing them spots on the awards podium.
In the first consolation bracket, Thornton was eliminated while Reed Zander, Nik Richard, and Leighton LaFromboise at 120 pounds, as well as Michaud at 170, advanced. In the second, Richard, LaFromboise, Micah Hartman and Jones were eliminated, while Zander, Rauch, Oxarart and Michaud claimed victory and advanced to the second day.
In Saturday’s first consolation round, Rauch and Michaud both lost, eliminating them from the tournament. But Zander and Oxarart both won by pin, putting them in the top six in their brackets.
Next up were the semifinals, where Anderson and Cameron Mikesell won by pin, advancing to the championship. The Panthers really got on a roll by taking five of six matches in the consolation semifinals, with wins by Dylan Mikesell, Zander, both Armstrongs, and Oxarart. In the placing matches that followed, Sullivan was fifth, Zander and John Armstrong fourth, and Dylan Mikesell, Oxarart and Brady Armstrong third.
In the finals, Leo Anderson took his second consecutive Cut Bank championship, while Cameron Mikesell lost a close match to take second. As a team, Jefferson finished with a school-record 150.5 points, enough for third place out of 24 teams.
During Saturday’s tournament matches, the athletes eliminated on Friday were entered into a mixer competition. LaFromboise and Thornton won both their matches by pin while Michaud collected one pin. Richard, Rauch and Hartman wrestled hard, but came up short.
Coach Humphrey’s comments: “The team wrestled 90 matches this week against some very tough competition. We dominated the competition at Cascade and showed we are certainly a force to be noticed at Cut Bank. In 20 years of attending this tournament we have never before brought home a trophy. The wrestlers are stepping up to the challenge and gaining confidence each week.”
Brady Armstrong was selected by his coaches as Panther wrestler of the week: In the Cascade dual, Armstrong went up a weight class and defeated a former state placer on his home mat. Armstrong also became the highest placing freshman in JHS history at Cut Bank, finishing third.
John Armstrong had the quick pin of the week, dispatching his opponent in 18 seconds during the Cut Bank Tournament.
Jefferson has another tough test ahead with the Choteau Classic Tournament, featuring over 30 Class B and C schools, this Friday and Saturday, Jan. 14–15.
