And just like that, the post-season is here. Jefferson High’s wrestling team competed at the Western B/C Divisional tournament Feb. 2-3 in Shelby, with tickets to State on the line — and in the end, nine Panthers made the cut.
Jefferson had 16 wrestlers entered in the competition, including three on the girls’ side: Spencer Abbott at 103 pounds, Emma Jurkovac at 107, Russell Douglas at 113, Maysa LaFromboise at 114, Dylan Mikesell at 120, Nik Richard and Leighton LaFromboise at 126, Dayton Brown and Megan Anderson at 132, Jeyce Sullivan and Steven Agge at 138, Cooper Mikesell and Drake Butala at 145, Mike Richard at 160, Andrew Rodriguez at 170, Brady Armstrong and Dylan Stevens at 205, and Kolbe Michaud and Brayden Tarr at 285.
After two rounds in the 32-team brackets, Abbott, Maysa LaFromboise, Dylan and Cooper Mikesell, Brown, Armstrong, Stevens and Michaud all picked up wins and make it to the quarterfinal round, qualifying for the second day of wrestling.
A win in the next round would put them into the semifinals and guarantee them a spot on the podium and a trip to state. And Maysa LaFromboise, Dylan Mikesell, Brown and Armstrong did just that.
Meanwhile, Jurkovac, Douglas, Leighton LaFromboise, Anderson, Sullivan, Butala and Richard came through the consolation bracket and made the cut for day two. That gave the Panthers a total of 15 wrestlers in Saturday’s action, and put them in fifth place among 23 schools. A
As the second day opened, Jurkovac, Douglas, Butala, Cooper Mikesell, Richard, Stevens and Michaud advanced to keep their hopes alive for state qualification. Jurkovac, Cooper Mikesell, Richard, Stevens and Michaud won again, punching their tickets.
Armstrong won his semifinal match to advance to the 205-pound final.And in the consolation semifinals Maysa LaFromboise, Dylan Mikesell and Brown won to advance.
Next was the consolation placing round: Jurkovac took eighth, Cooper Mikesell and Richard were sixth, Stevens and Michaud were fifth, Maysa LaFromboise was fourth and Dylan Mikesell and Brown both earned third. In the 205-pound final, Armstrong won to emerge as divisional champion, having pinned every one of his opponents in the tournament.
Jefferson finished fifth in the team competition with 155.5 points, and its nine qualifying wrestlers earned All-Conference recognition. They’ll travel to Billings this Friday and Saturday, Feb. 9-10, for the State All-Class Tournament.
Coach Humphrey’s comments: We competed really well and powered through a very tough divisional tournament. It was also refreshing to have two girls qualify for State, one of those an eighth grader — an achievement for Jefferson in its inaugural season of allowing eighth graders to participate. Since girls’ wrestling was approved as a MHSA-sanctioned sport a few years ago, we have struggled to get any interest at Jefferson. Hopefully this season will serve as a springboard for the Panthers girl’s wrestling program.
And it was gratifying to have a lot of fans travel to support the team and cheer on the Panthers; thanks to everyone who made the trip.
