Schipman Earns 138 Title at State; Mears Fourth, Stiles Sixth

Malta-Whitewater has a new champion!

On Saturday, February 12, MHS junior Kohner "Chaka" Schipman became the Malta/Whitewater Mustang wrestling team's latest state champion after defeating Poplar's Navarjo Escarcega 3-1 in the championship round of the 138 pound weight class at the 2024 State B-C Wrestling Tournament in Billings.

"It feels awesome," Schipman told the PCN. "It has been my dream since I was a little kid, just to win state. I'm just proud. This is great."

Schipman has been wrestling since the age of four years old. He has given the Malta-Whitewater Mustang wrestling team their second champion in two years. Spencer Gibbs, a 2023 graduate of MHS, won the 2023 Class B-C 205 Title.

Malta Coach Jake French was asked about Chaka's win.

"Kohner took care of business," Coach French said. "It was all him. He was in the mode. Focused. He did exactly what he went out to do and he got it. We are really proud of him. We are proud of his teammates that helped him get there. I am proud of our coaches. This was a team effort. I am really proud for Chaka and the Malta community."

Coach French was asked about the program's success in having another state champ.

"Two state champions in two years," he said. "I would say that it is a great start."

The Mustangs fared well in the two-day event that started on Friday, February 11. The team started with seven wrestlers and by the end of the first day six were wrestling to place. Of the six that wrestled on Saturday, Schipman won the 138 Title, senior Colton Mears was fourth in the 182 class, and sophomore Trooper Stiles was sixth in the 138 Class.

As a team, the Malta-Whitewater Boys team took twelfth overall with 60 points. Huntley Project ran away with the team title scoring 206 points. Lincoln County was second with 124 points. Conrad was third with 103.5 points. Glasgow was fourth with 98 points. Florence-Carlton was fifth with 89 points. Choteau and Cut Bank tied for sixth with 86 points.

Though she was the only Malta Girls wrestler, Hanson scored nine points for Malta, which tied for 48th overall. Billings Senior High School won the Girls Team Title with 236 points. Ronan was second with 160.5. Custer County was second with 103.5. Billings Skyview was fourth with 98 points. Baker with fifth with 89.

Schipman entered the State Championship as the top seed from the Eastern B/C after defeating Poplar's Escarcega in the divisional tournament's 138 title match.

He was asked how he was able to defeat Escarcega again.

"I wrestled him once before at divisionals," he said. "I just worked on what I needed to work on to end up winning."

There was no score in the first round as neither Schipman, nor Escarcega could land a takedown.

Escarcega won the flip and chose the bottom position to start the second round. He was able to escape 40 seconds into the period.

Schipman was able to grapple with Escaracega and eventually score a takedown, putting him up 2-1 with 10 seconds remaining in the second round.

Schipman chose the bottom position to start the third round and was able to escape with 1:25 remaining in the match. Neither athlete was able to land a takedown and Schipman won 3-1.

Schipman was asked about his takedown defense late in the match.

"I am not the fastest sprawler out there, so I have to use my technique that I learned from the coaches," Schipman said.

As time elapsed two Mustang Wrestling Club Club members, Rio Oxarart and Calvin Squires, could be seen in the background celebrating as Schipman let out a victory roar. The duo was pumped despite working at mat one as towel boys all tournament.

Schipman, who once looked up to many wrestlers before him, was asked what he could say to those looking up to him.

"You just have to be confident in yourself," Schipman said. "Yeah, there are going to be doubts in your head, but you can't let your mental or negative thoughts get a hold of you. You have to be focused on your next match all of the time."

Schipman scored 27 points for Malta, and went 4-0 at the tournament, pinning Chantz Connolly of Valier at 1:30 in the opening round and Anaconda's Zack Blodnick at 3:50 in the quarterfinals. On Saturday he defeated Red Lodge's Nolan Evenson by 12-0 major decision.

Colton Mears, a senior, also reached a longtime dream of his, placing at state.

His freshmen year, the COVID year, the State B-C Tournament was held in Shelby. Though he made it to state he was unable to place. He won a match in the consolations his sophomore season, but was unable to place. His junior season, he was unable to win a match at state.

He was asked what it meant to place at state this season.

"It means a lot to me," Mears said. "It shows a lot of the underclassmen what you can do. There was a two-time state champion that lost today. It kind of says everything; that you can achieve your goals."

This season, Mears reached the third place match by defeating four of his five opponents. The fifth opponent, Tegan Jones of Conrad, had defeated Mears twice at state. Jones won their first match in the quarterfinals by 10-4 decision and the third place match by 7-4 decision.

To reach the third place match, Mears defeated Baker's Jesse Brawley by pinfall in the consolation semifinals on Saturday afternoon.

"I lost to him at divisionals in Wolf Point," Mears said. "Anything can happen here. Everyone thinks that it is bigger than it is, but it's just a plain old mat, you and your opponent, as Coach Jake would say. Coach Jake and the other coaches were hyping me up."

He said that the coaches were saying its round two! Let's go! We gotta get you hyped!

"They hyped me up and they got me good," Mears said. "I like the way they pushed me and kept me going. I will always come back to them and say thank you for this time. They pushed me really hard in practice and made me achieve my goal."

He admitted that it may not have ended how he wanted but...

"I placed at state, so I am happy," Mears said.

First time high school wrestler Trooper Stiles took sixth in his first state tournament. He went 3-3 pinning two opponents including Valier's Connelly at 4:15 in the first round of consolation and Broadwater's Blake Wellenstein in the second round of consolation at 1:24. He beat Huntley's Eli Broadbrooks by a 9-7 decision in the third round of consolation, solidifying a placement in the top six.

"It's a new experience," Stiles said. "I have played basketball my whole life and this is really my first year wrestling. It's just different."

He learned a lesson early at state in his loss to Blodnick. A match that was won by 14-10 decision.

"I just didn't come out fired up," Stiles said. "I didn't have much energy. I didn't wrestle to what I could."

After his win over Broadbrooks, Stiles was asked how he was able to refocus and pick up wins.

"It was pretty much the coaches," Stiles said. "Nolan (Simanton) really has my back. He is always harping on me to forget about it, pick myself back up, and move on from a loss."

Though they did not place, junior Ava Hanson and eighth grader Lane Spencer made history for Malta-Whitewater wrestling. Spencer was the first eighth-grader in the program's history to reach state and Hanson was the first Malta Girls wrestler to reach state and win a match. Hanson won three matches, two by pinfall and one by decision.

She won her first two matches by pinfall, pinning Kinsey Ward in the first round at :37 and Browning's Hayden Brugh Edwards at 2:25.

Her third match was a rematch against Jayda Harbaugh of Baker who defeated Hanson at the Eastern B-C. Harbaugh would again beat Hanson by pinfall at 3:10 in the quarterfinals and would eventually become the runner-up in the 165 class.

Hanson had to bounce back, despite being tired from having three matches. Hanson won her next match against Helena's Rylee Murgel by 2-0 decision.

"It's kind of hard to get up after a tough loss, but I did it," Hanson said.

She was asked what would take her further at state.

"A big thing for me is having confidence in myself because I kind of lack that, but I have gotten better about that," Hanson said. "I am just trying to enjoy all of it and take it all in."

When asked about her favorite win, Hanson said her win over Edwards.

"I lost to Hayden earlier at CMR earlier this year," Hanson said. "She threw me in a head and arm and stuck me in a few seconds, so I was super happy that I had the opportunity to wrestle her again and get a comeback."

Though they did not place, sophomore Straud Sims wrestling at 152 and freshman Kenan LaBrie wrestling at 170 triggered cheers from Malta fans as they both went 2-2 at state.

Coach French gave a few words after the state tournament concluded.

"I appreciate the Malta community. The team, the school, the administration, the parents, the club," Coach French said. "It is not a single effort here. It's a whole community and program coming together and it is fun. It's fun to win."

MHSA State Championships Results for Malta (Girls).

G - 165: Ava Hanson (28-12) place is unknown and scored 9.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Ava Hanson (Malta (Girls)) 28-12 won by fall over Kinsey Ward (Columbia Falls (Girls)) 12-23 (Fall 0:37). Champ. Round 2 - Ava Hanson (Malta (Girls)) 28-12 won by fall over Hayden Brugh Edwards (Browning (Girls)) 25-9 (Fall 2:25). Quarterfinal - Jayda Harbaugh (Baker (Girls)) 36-4 won by fall over Ava Hanson (Malta (Girls)) 28-12 (Fall 3:10). Cons. Round 4 - Ava Hanson (Malta (Girls)) 28-12 won by decision over Rylee Murgel (Helena (Girls)) 16-13 (Dec 2-0). Cons. Round 5 - Abighail Sorrell (Polson (Girls)) 20-7 won by fall over Ava Hanson (Malta (Girls)) 28-12 (Fall 0:45).

MHSA State Championships Results for Malta / Whitewater

B/C - 126: Lane Spencer (17-9) place is unknown and scored 0.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Bridger Molenda (Cut Bank) 30-15 won by fall over Lane Spencer (Malta / Whitewater) 17-9 (Fall 1:30). Cons. Round 1 - Diego Long (Thompson Falls / Noxon) 15-24 won by fall over Lane Spencer (Malta / Whitewater) 17-9 (Fall 1:43).

B/C - 138: Kohner Schipman (44-7) placed 1st and scored 27.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Kohner Schipman (Malta / Whitewater) 44-7 won by fall over Chantz Connelly (Valier) 15-13 (Fall 1:30). Quarterfinal - Kohner Schipman (Malta / Whitewater) 44-7 won by fall over Zach Blodnick (Anaconda) 29-18 (Fall 3:50). Semifinal - Kohner Schipman (Malta / Whitewater) 44-7 won by major decision over Nolan Evenson (Red Lodge HS) 27-9 (MD 12-0). 1st Place Match - Kohner Schipman (Malta / Whitewater) 44-7 won by decision over Navarjo Escarcega (Poplar) 39-8 (Dec 3-1).

B/C - 138: Trooper Stiles (32-22) placed 6th and scored 10.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Zach Blodnick (Anaconda) 29-18 won by decision over Trooper Stiles (Malta / Whitewater) 32-22 (Dec 14-10). Cons. Round 1 - Trooper Stiles (Malta / Whitewater) 32-22 won by fall over Chantz Connelly (Valier) 15-13 (Fall 4:15). Cons. Round 2 - Trooper Stiles (Malta / Whitewater) 32-22 won by fall over Blake Wellenstein (Broadwater (Townsend)) 22-14 (Fall 1:24). Cons. Round 3 - Trooper Stiles (Malta / Whitewater) 32-22 won by decision over Eli Broadbrooks (Huntley Project (Worden)) 22-21 (Dec 9-7). Cons. Semi - Nolan Evenson (Red Lodge HS) 27-9 won by major decision over Trooper Stiles (Malta / Whitewater) 32-22 (MD 10-2). 5th Place Match - Drew Carey (Plains / Hot Springs) 33-5 won by fall over Trooper Stiles (Malta / Whitewater) 32-22 (Fall 0:58).

B/C - 152: Straud Sims (25-20) place is unknown and scored 5.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Straud Sims (Malta / Whitewater) 25-20 won by decision over Brett Riley (Florence-Carlton) 25-20 (Dec 7-0). Quarterfinal - John Waterbury (Plains / Hot Springs) 38-5 won by major decision over Straud Sims (Malta / Whitewater) 25-20 (MD 12-2). Cons. Round 2 - Straud Sims (Malta / Whitewater) 25-20 won by fall over George Stenberg (Manhattan) 29-13 (Fall 2:53). Cons. Round 3 - Lucas Kovalsky (Superior) 44-10 won by major decision over Straud Sims (Malta / Whitewater) 25-20 (MD 14-0).

B/C - 170: Kenan LaBrie (32-18) place is unknown and scored 2.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Jett Murray (Florence-Carlton) 32-14 won by fall over Kenan LaBrie (Malta / Whitewater) 32-18 (Fall 3:40). Cons. Round 1 - Kenan LaBrie (Malta / Whitewater) 32-18 won by decision over Eric Humphreys (Broadwater (Townsend)) 9-6 (Dec 6-0). Cons. Round 2 - Kenan LaBrie (Malta / Whitewater) 32-18 won by decision over Chancy Segeberg (Columbus / Absarokee) 28-13 (Dec 5-4). Cons. Round 3 - Michael King (Glasgow) 40-20 won by fall over Kenan LaBrie (Malta / Whitewater) 32-18 (Fall 2:38).

B/C - 182: Colton Mears (34-18) placed 4th and scored 16.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Colton Mears (Malta / Whitewater) 34-18 won by fall over Chase Woodson (Superior) 11-8 (Fall 5:48). Quarterfinal - Tegan Jones (Conrad) 38-10 won by decision over Colton Mears (Malta / Whitewater) 34-18 (Dec 10-4). Cons. Round 2 - Colton Mears (Malta / Whitewater) 34-18 won by decision over Donovan Daniels (Saint Ignatius / Charlo) 10-12 (Dec 8-6). Cons. Round 3 - Colton Mears (Malta / Whitewater) 34-18 won in sudden victory - 1 over Gabe Rasmussen (Plains / Hot Springs) 26-17 (SV-1 4-2). Cons. Semi - Colton Mears (Malta / Whitewater) 34-18 won by fall over Jesse Brawley (Baker) 19-11 (Fall 2:51). 3rd Place Match - Tegan Jones (Conrad) 38-10 won by decision over Colton Mears (Malta / Whitewater) 34-18 (Dec 7-4).