Little Guys win big at State

The Malta Wrestling AAU Little Guys had another strong meet as they won the Small Team first place trophy last Saturday, March 17, in Great Falls.

Boasting only 13 wrestlers, Malta placed thirteenth overall in the event with 174 points, but placed highest among teams with 15 wrestlers or less, making them champions in the Small Team Category.

Malta had three champions in their respective weight classes, including Kenan LaBrie in the 10 and Under 113-pound class, Straud Sims in the 10 and Under 77 class and Lane Spencer in the 8 and Under 62A class.

"Every single one of those 13 kids scored points for us and that was crucial in winning that team title for us," Malta Wrestling Club Coach Ryan LaBrie said. "Even the three that didn't place scored and that was a pretty big deal."

Malta outscored 11 teams, including three teams outside of the small team category.

Fort Benton was second in the small team category, scoring a total of 169.5. Chester-Joplin-Inverness took third with a total of 130.

The tournament's largest group, NMWC, who had 49 wrestlers, took first place with 586.5 points. Heisey Wrestling Club took second scoring 479.5 points with 45 wrestlers.

Ke. LaBrie scored a team-high 30 points, winning the 10 and Under 113 class by pinning Havre's Ty Terry at 1:05. He went 4-0 at the event.

L. Spencer scored 25 points for Malta. He won the 8 and Under 62A class title, after defeating Landon Odegard of Rustler Wrestling Club by a 9-4 decision in the first place match.

Sims scored 24 points, defeating Wesley Cox of Big Sandy Little Pioneers by a 5-2 decision in the 10 and Under 77 class first place match. Sims went 4-0 in the event.

Trevor Knowles took second place in the 8 and Under 62B class, scoring 10 points for Malta. Knowles lost the first place match by 6-4 decision to Kooper Coates of Heisey Youth Wrestling.

Cameron Spencer took third place in the 6 and Under 49A class, scoring 18 points. He defeated Gage Underal of Shelby Wrestling Club by 11-6 decision.

Kallie LaBrie took fourth place and scored 13 points in the 6 and Under 46A class, going 3-3 and losing the third-place match to Owen Peterson by 15-4 MD.

Steeler Blunt took fifth place and scored 13 points in the 8 and Under 62A class, defeating TeShaun Williams of NMWC by a 3-1 decision in the fifth-place match.

Trent Blunt took fifth place, scoring 12 points in the 6 and Under 40B class, defeating Kamdyn Perrin of the Great Falls Rug Rats by 11-3 MD.

Alex Oshio took sixth place in the 10 and Underclass, scoring eight points for Malta and going 2-3.

Gabe Oshio took sixth place in the 8 and Underclass, scoring six points and going 3-3, losing the fifth-place match to Aiden Pennington of Great Falls Rug Rats by pinfall at 1:26.

Chastidee Blakesly scored seven points in the 6 and Under 46C class, going 2-2 at the event. Brayden Score scored five points in the 6 and Under 49B class, going 2-2. Matthew Bilger scored three points for Malta going 1-2 in the 8 and Under 62B class.