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2014 CLASS A
February 2014
STATE WRESTLING CHAMPS
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2014 CLASS A
February 2014
Blue Ponies go back to work at CMR Classic Daniel Horton
Havre Daily News sports writer gferguson@havredailynews.com The holiday break is just around the corner for Havre High, but first, the Havre wrestling team must take on the 36th annual CMR Holiday Classic. The annual tournament is undoubtedly one of the state’s toughest, bringing in standout programs and individuals from all over the state. And the Central A Blue Ponies will look to make their mark on the two-day event as they attempt to one-up last year’s second-place finish. The No. 1-ranked Ponies will be in Great Falls Friday and Saturday for their last source of competition until January. Last year, the Ponies were the No. 2 team with 205 points, finishing behind Great Falls High with 243 at the CMR tourney. And Havre is coming off of a disappointing dual loss to Class AA Great Falls High Tuesday night at the Havre High gymnasium. But looking to quickly move on, the Ponies are prepared for another strong showing this weekend. “We are looking forward to wrestling this weekend,” Havre High head coach Scott Filius said. “We are looking forward to going to a tournament where we can get some individual stuff done.” Last weekend, the Ponies emerged as the No. 1 team at the Mining City Duals in Butte. That is the goal this weekend in Great Falls, where the Ponies should have several indi-
viduals shine. Last year HHS had eight grapplers earn matches in the semifinals, six in the finals, and had one individual champion, Grayson Brenna at 105 pounds. The Havre lineup has been strong to this point, and could very well top last years’ impressive finish against the field of talent from Great Falls High, CMR, Bozeman, Forsyth, Belgrade, Kalispell Glacier, Helena High, Choteau, Ronan, Missoula Big Sky, Laurel, Kalispell Flathead and many more. This weekend’s field will also include the Harlem Wildcats, who will make some noise individually, as well as Chinook and Chester/J-I. During the Tuesday night dual against the Bison, it was the first time the Ponies weren’t at full strength. They had some holes at 106 and 160 pounds. If the Ponies can get back to full strength, the lineup should do well in Great Falls. The expected Havre varsity lineup will be Tate Munyon (98), Keegan Kennelly (106), Logan Pleninger (113), Brenna (120), Dylan Stewart (126), Thomas Gruber (132), Parker Filius (138), Kody Pribyl (145), Gunnar Aageson (145), Jase Stokes (152), Jayson Kohler (160), Jordan Schroeder (160), Jake Williams (170), Dustin Odegard (182), Jace Billy (195), Tyler Adams (220) and Travis Adams (285). “Early in the season I like the team tournaments because everybody advances and everybody gets matches,” coach Filius said. “But we are ready for an individual tournament. Even the Havre Invite is like a team tournament because of the way we run things,
STATE WRESTLING CHAMPS
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Two Brothers, One Medal
Havre High's Tyler and Travis Adams compete for a 220-pound title Daniel Horton Havre Daily News sports writer
Havre Daily News/Daniel Horton Havre High's Parker Filius, left, battles Great Falls High's Austin Schupe during a dual Tuesday night in Havre. Filius and Shupe could meet again at this weekend's CMR Holiday Classic in Great Falls, where the Ponies and Bison will be favored. so we are ready for this weekend.” The Ponies will be in Great Falls Friday
and Saturday for the CMR Holiday Classic which will be held at the CMR Fieldhouse.
Once a Havre High wrestler reaches the state tournament, he finds himself facing an individual from another area of the state — most of the time. Typically, it is an opponent outside the division for the Central A Blue Pony grappler. Most times, Havre grapplers have to get through Sidney, Corvallis, Laurel and the rest of the Class A to reach glory. Sometimes, the two going head to head for state supremacy have never even crossed paths in the past, but on some occasions the two may be extremely familiar with one another. Take senior Tyler Adams and sophomore Travis Adams for example, two of the Blue Ponies who will be wrestling this weekend at the Metra Park Rimrock Auto Arena in Billings in the Class A state meet. The HHS brothers have had their share of battles in the practice room and even carpool to the Havre wrestling room after school. The Adams brothers don’t often face off during the season, as Travis wrestles up. Travis wrestled as the HHS heavyweight this season, but they will compete together and against each other as they both chase an individual state title. Last year, Tyler and Travis both wrestled at 215 pounds at the state
tournament. Tyler made the championship match and finished No. 2 for the Ponies. Tyler also wrestled at 215 pounds two years ago when he took fifth. Travis didn’t have quite as much success as his older brother did last year, finishing the state weekend with sixth place, but this weekend both Tyler and Travis will wrestle at 220 pounds, and they are both looking to win the same state championship. It’s a unique situation, to say the least. It is almost a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for two brothers, two years apart, to face off in the state championship match. “It’s pretty exciting and makes me proud that we will both be there,” Tyler said. “On one end, it kind of sucks because Travis is my little brother, but on the other hand I am still proud of him that he has this chance. But he has all the chance in the world to beat everybody in our weight class, but me.” Tyler made the bold statement with a smile on his face and laugh under his breath. But Travis brushed off his brother’s statement and did what any smart little brother would do in his situation, complimented his older brother, not giving Tyler any extra incentive. “I think that he is a great wrestler,” Travis said. “He is the best in the state at 220 pounds in the Class A. I have been wrestling with him for years now, since we were young.
I have learned the same things he has learned, just right after him, and I think we have helped each other grow over the years.” Every day in practice means Tyler and Travis go head to head. But they don’t have the longest resume when it comes to meeting on the mat outside the practice room. Technically, the two are 1-1 against each other. Tyler defeated Travis in their first meeting last season with a win in the Central A semifinals. This year, Travis got his revenge, at least on paper, when he got the default win over Tyler in the Central A finals, leveling the playing field just before they hopefully cross paths in the Class A state championship match. While both have proved they are talented Blue Ponies, Tyler may have the edge because of the extra experience. “That would be my explanation for it, experience,” Tyler said. “Travis is good. But it works out well because when we face each other in practice we expose each other to what we need to work at. Some of the time, what I am not good at, Travis is good at, and what Travis isn’t good at, I may be good at. It is a give and take and it is good for us, so I think this could be an interesting finals match.” But when asked if he would let his little brother stand in the way of getting an individual title after a second-place finish a year ago, Tyler’s statement was short and to the point. “I will not let him win,” Tyler Havre Daily News/Daniel Horton Havre High sophomore Travis Adams, left, wrestles a Browning heavyweight at the 2013 Havre Invitational back in December. Adams placed sixth at the state meet a year ago in the heavyweight division and was solid throughout the season for the Blue Ponies, but he has since dropped down to the 220-pound weight class and will compete against older brother Tyler for the coveted state championship this weekend in Billings.
Havre Daily News/Daniel Horton Havre High senior Tyler Adams, top, is the No. 1 220-pounder in Class A and a heavy favorite to win the Class A state championship this weekend in Billings. However, Adams might have to go through younger brother Travis to get there, and he says that's just fine with him. said. But a win by Travis would mean a win for little brothers everywhere. “If I win, that would probably be one of the biggest moments of my life,” Travis said. “I will be honest, in a way I hope Tyler can win because it is his senior year, and I have two years left, but I definitely won’t be making it easy on him.” Tyler also went on to explain how this match could be very entertaining, or could be somewhat boring to fans. The two know each other’s style so well, it may be a battle just to earn a point. As much as both would love to come out and dominate in the state title match, if these two brothers take down the rest of the field to meet there, then it might be a chess match for the coveted top spot.
“I just have to wrestle my best, wrestle like I was taught and how I have trained. That is what I expect out of him, too,” Tyler said. “But it will be a good match for us either way, exciting or not. For example, I can tell when he is going to do something like an arm drag, and he can tell when I am going to take a shot, we are used to each other. But I also think that could make it more interesting.” In order to wrestle for the 220-pound state championship, the Adams brothers each have to win three times, including twice today in the opening rounds of the Class A state tournament in Billings. But if they both do succeed in getting to the finals, it will be a great situation for Havre, and an interesting and intense one for two brothers, who are both big, and both good.