Three Grapplers Place at CMR Holiday Classic Meet, Five as JV Tourney

The Malta-Whitewater Wrestling team had three placers in this year's CMR Holiday Classic event in Great Falls. The event started on Friday, December 20, and concluded in Saturday, December 21.

"That's the thing I mean, we went up against the state's best and and we felt like we came away from it feeling pretty good with our improvement," Malta Coach Steve French said.

The teams were led by Ava Hanson, who took third place in the Girls 170 class, after going 4-1 at the event.

Straud Sims was fifth in the Boys 175 Class after going 7-2 at the event. His nine matches were the most for any Malta wrestler in the varsity tournament.

Due to his efforts, Sims was named Malta's wrestler of the week.

Sims was able to win a big match against Florence's Jett Murray, who was ranked above him by technical fall (16-1).

Kenan LaBrie placed seventh in the Boys 190 class. He went 5-2 on the weekend.

After being eliminated from the varsity tournament, several Malta wrestlers competed in the JV Tournament on Saturday and five of them placed in the event.

Kaden Green took second place in the 190 class and gave the team a couple of matches that were among their Most Exciting matches of the week. The other match deemed Most Exciting went to Kenan LaBrie.

"The coaches there pointed out that he got put on his back twice and fought off and pin the kid (that he was facing)," Coach French said. "That's pretty darn cool that he did that."

LaBrie overcame a 3-0 deficit against Conrad's Tegan Jones, a state placer in 2024. LaBrie won by 10-7 decision.

Zander Fuller was second in the 285 class, going 4-3 last weekend.

Michael Love was fourth in the 285 class, going 5-4 last weekend.

All three of Malta's heavyweights, including Trevor Knowles, won two matches at the varsity tournament.

Coach French spoke well on the continued growth of Shaylee Hines, who took third place in the Girls 155 class and Carly Mears who took fourth place in the Girls 130 Class.

Coach French also mentioned the efforts of Freshman Lane Spencer, who went 3-1 day one of the varsity tournament. Spencer was one match away from placing.

"He lost out in the match to place, but to get to where he was, it was pretty impressive, so he just keeps getting better," Coach French said.

The Malta Quick Pin of the week was a draw between Hanson and Mears, who both pinned an opponent at 29 seconds.

Coach French said that there were coaches speaking well on the wrestling efforts of Skylar Gilkerson, who went 4-4 last weekend.

"His wrestling intensity and quality was improved," Coach French said.