Northern B-C Divisional Wrestling Tournament, February 2-3

The Malta-Whitewater Mustangs Wrestling team won the 2017 Northern B-C Title last year, but there are plenty of teams with plenty of talent looking to take the crown.

The 2018 Northern B-C Divisional tournament will be held on Saturday, February 3, at Malta High School, with the Parade of Athletes starting at 9:40 a.m. and matches beginning at 10 a.m.

Each of the Northern B-C division's twelve teams will be present including Chinook, Choteau, Conrad, Cut Bank, Fairfield, Fort Benton/Big Sandy, Harlem, Hays-Lodgepole, Malta-Whitewater, Shelby, Simms and Valier.

The Malta Invitational tournament held on Saturday, January 27 at the Malta High School Gymnasium featured 11 teams from around the state, but several Northern B-C teams were present, and a few coaches were gracious enough to talk about their teams.

Randy Holly, Head Coach of the Hays-Lodgepole Wrestling Thunder team, briefly talked about his team which consists of 160 pounder-Gabriel Werk and heavyweight Mikkel Main.

"We have got two kids coming out, that have had a long year," Coach Holly said. "They have had a long year. They have never given up and they are giving it all they've got. They are learning as they go and we plan on attacking divisionals and challenging for a spot at State.

Cut Bank's JR Seawald was the 160 champ in the Malta invitational, but according to Cut Bank Head Coach Cody Fetters, Seawald isn't the only Wolf wrestler looking to make noise on Saturday.

"Since they made the division change a few years ago, our division is tougher and tougher," Coach Fetters said. "I got JR Seawald at 160, and he is favored to win it, and I have got a couple of others that have a good shot at coming through the backdoor; 132-pounder Andrew Anderson, 138 pounder Colten Barsness, 145-pounder James Estey. We are pretty green at 205, but we have beaten everybody above us once this year. Nothing is guaranteed; that is why we wrestle them all."

Perry Miller, long-time Head Coach of the Chinook Sugarbeeters Wrestling team talked about his team.

"We have got JT Hauer at 152, he is a solid kid and just a sophomore," Coach Miller said. "Reubin Swenson at 205, he is also a sophomore but he's a solid kid. Our senior Colton Little is a 132 pounder and Garrett Pruttis at 120 pounds is wrestling strong. Rebecca Stroh is doing a good job for us at 103. They've all come a long way. They are working hard in the room and we are tickled. I think they are ready and where we need to be. They are peaking at the right time. We just need to keep our energy up and get through divisionals to get to the state tournament."

An All-Day ticket will be $12 for adults and $8 for students. An after 3 p.m. ticket will cost $6 for adults and $4 for students.