Mears earns second at Wrestling Championship

The Malta–Whitewater Wrestling Team was represented in the last round of wrestling at the 2022 MHSA State Wrestling Championships in Billings Montana.

Malta's Camryn Mears (35-10), a junior, wrestled returning champion Austin Vanek (38-0) of Cut Bank for the 182-pound championship, on Saturday, February 12, but fell short as he was pinned by Vanek at 1:25.

"It didn't end the way we wanted, but we are there," Malta-Whitewater Head Coach Jake French told the PCN. "We have that experience. He will have that going into the next year, and hopefully some motivation to get going."

Coach French also hopes that the team, five of which were first time state competitors, were fired up by Mears' match for next season.

"Hopefully they will want to get a little taste of (the championship) next year," Coach French said.

Mears led Malta scoring 22 points. Spencer Gibbs, a sophomore wrestling at 170 points scored seven points. Tye Jones, a junior heavyweight scored three points. Senior 145-pounder Shawn Gilkerson had four points, and freshman Colton Mears, wrestling at 160-pounds had one point. Also making state appearances were freshmen Kohner Schipman (126-pounds), and Taylin Johannesen (145-pounds).

Mears became the first Malta wrestler to reach a state championship round since his older brother Callan Mears wrestled in the 160-pound title match in 2020.

Malta went to state with seven wrestlers, most of which had reached state for the first time this season. Two Mustangs, Mears and Spencer Gibbs reached day two.

The 2022 event was welcomed back to the First State Arena (commonly known, as MetraPark), for the first time since 2020. In 2021, state wrestling events were held in four different sites. B-C State was held at Shelby High School.

"This place is like the Coliseum," Coach French said. "I love it here. I think that it is the best time of the year, it is the best tournament. It's my March Madness, in February!"

Malta scored a total of 36 points and placed twentieth amongst all B-C Schools at the meet. Huntley Project won the event with 192 points, Cut Bank was second with 113 points, Jefferson County (Boulder) was third with 112.5, and Glasgow was fourth with 100 points.

Prior to his loss to Vanek, Mears had pinned two of his three opponents. His first win came against St. Ignatius-Charlo's Deago Hostetler (18-22). Mears pinned Hostetler 43 seconds into the second round.

Mears then defeated Fairfield-Augusta's Cael Giles (17-9) by a 5-0 decision in the quarter-finals.

In defeating Giles, Mears became the first of two Malta wrestlers to reach day-two.

"I had a good day," Mears said. "I am feeling pretty good. I got into a tough match in my quarterfinal match, but I controlled the match and ended up winning it."

The next day, Mears would pin Connor Sawyer of Cascade with only three seconds remaining in the third period.

Camryn Mears was named the team's Wrestler of the Week.

Spencer Gibbs (33-20) was one match away from placing at state. He lost by 8-5 decision in the third round of consolation to Manhattan's Cyrus Richardson (16-9). Overall Gibbs went 2-2 at state, winning his opening match over Broadwater's Klause Rauser (34-9) by pinfall at 3:38. Gibbs lost his quarterfinal match to Jefferson County's Brady Armstrong (37-9) by pinfall at 4:22. Gibbs won his match against Superior-Alberton's Chase Woodson (16-16) by pin fall at 3:14.

Shawn Gilkerson went 1-2 at state. He lost his opening match to Griffin Hunt (27-12) of Broadwater by pinfall at 1:35. He then pinned Gabe Hungerford (28-19) of Three Forks-Ennis at 2:19 in his first round of consolation. Gilkerson was pinned by John Armstrong of Jefferson County in 51 seconds in the second round of consolation.

Tye Jones (25-18) went 1-2, losing his opening match to Cut Bank's Jeremy Gallagher by pin fall at 1:16. He would give Malta the team's quick pin in the first round of consolation, by pinning Ethan Short of Columbus-Absarokee-Park City, in 1:18.

Jones was pinned in forty seconds in the second round of consolation by Lincoln County's Riley Hume (31-9).

Colton Mears went 1-2 at state, but gave Malta their "Most Exciting Match of the Week" in his lone victory; a 13-11 sudden victory by way of takedown in the fourth period. His opponent was Red Lodge's Remington DeSarro (13-10).

"I tied it up and I knew that it would be tough (to win) because I wrestled this kid before," Colton said. "I wanted to stay in the match and go a little harder."

Colton was asked what was going through his head before he earned his final points during the match.

"Just give it my all and take the win," Colton said.

Malta's team and coaches witnessed Colton's match.

"I was thinking that if he (Colton) got cradled one more time, I was going to be mad," Camryn said. "I was hoping we would win and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time."

Colton lost to Glasgow's Devon Nesbitt in the second round of consolation by pinfall at 1:42.