Malta Mustang Wrestling 2018-19

The Mustang Wrestling Team was the first team to see action in the 2018-19 season, having attended the Havre Mixer and Invitational on Friday, November 30 and Saturday, December 1, respectively.

The team will also host the first home meet amongst Phillips County Teams this winter on Thursday, December 6, as the team is scheduled to hold a Malta-Fairfield-Simms Triangular at 6 p.m. at the Old Gym.

This season the Malta Mustangs hope to win their third straight Northern B title in a row, but they have some big onesies to fill, having graduated four seniors including Trey Simanton who was a four-time placer at state for Malta. Also graduated is Kaden Moore, who placed three times at state, as well as Ceaton Mears and Travis Epperson who both placed last year at state.

"As far as a total class, those four were as good as they come," Coach Ryan LaBrie told the PCN.

This year the Malta wrestling team consists of seniors Kolter Schipman and Andres Lopez, junior Callan Mears, sophomores RC Skiff, Jay Nicholson and Colt French, and freshmen Shawn Gilkerson, Shane Soul, Zac Judd, Oren Mackey, Cash Salsbery, and Kaden LaBrie.

The team is missing several wrestlers due to injuries sustained in other sports and other reasons.

"We have a big freshman class and a lot of our older kids for whatever reason are missing and that happens," Coach LaBrie said.

At the Havre Invitational on Saturday, December 1, Malta took eighth place out of eleven teams ranging from Class AA to Class C. The Mustangs scored 37 points with seven wrestlers present.

Senior Kolter Schipman took fourth place in the 138-pound bracket, scoring 16 points for Malta. Schipman had a 3-1 record with a first-round bye. He pinned Chinook's Ethan Liddle at 1:45 in the quarterfinal round and Chinook's Garrett Pruttis at :43 to qualify for the third-place match. Schipman would lose a 6-4 decision to Braeden Lomas of Great Falls High School.

Returning from a knee injury after missing last season, Schipman's work ethic has caught the eye of his coach and team.

"Having him back on the mat again definitely helps, with him having a great work ethic and other things that you just can't replace," Coach LaBrie said. "He is kind of a one-of-a-kind individual as far as work ethic goes."

Though he did not wrestle in Havre, Andres Lopez brings back plenty of experience from the senior class, having performed at state in previous years.

"He definitely has the ability and the make-up of a solid wrestler, we just have to get all of the pieces to fall in place for him," Coach LaBrie said.

Junior Callan Mears took fifth place in the 145 bracket, scoring 11 points for Malta. Mears went 4-2, including a first-round bye. Mears pinned Kellan Lawhon of Great Falls CMR at 1:38 in the second round of consolation. Mears won an 8-5 decision over teammate Colt French in the third round of consolation. He then went on to lose a 3-0 decision over Cache Hilliard of Great Falls High in the Consolation Semi-finals. Mears took fifth place by pinning Hayden Hedges of Cut Bank in the fifth-place match.

"He is another hard worker who has put the time in with us in season and off-season," Coach LaBrie said. "With him and Kolter being pretty close in weight, they push each other along."

Sophomore Colt French went 2-2 in the 145 bracket grabbing a win against Blaine Thielman of Simms by pinfall at :24 in the opening round of the tournament. French also pinned Peter Johnson of Simms at 2:24 in the second round of the consolation bracket.

Sophomore Jay Nicholson is unable to compete for a couple of weeks due to injury.

"We look forward to having him back in the room with us," Coach LaBrie said.

RC Skiff is another returning sophomore who will wrestle in either the 145 weight class or 152 class.

Freshman Shane Soul placed sixth in the 132 class, scoring seven points. He pinned Ryder Cole of CJI at :21.

Freshman Kaden LaBrie took sixth place in the 182 bracket.

Freshman Zac Judd went 2-2 in the 145 bracket, defeating Simms' Johnson in the opening round at 5:01 and later defeating Thielman at 2:09 in the second round of consolation.

2018-19 Malta Wrestling

Schedule

VARSITY

DATE DAY EVENT Time SITE

Nov. 15 Thursday First Practice TBA Wrestling Center

Nov.30 Friday Havre Mixer 1 p.m. Havre

Dec. 1 Saturday Havre Invitational 9:30 a.m. Havre

Dec. 6 Thursday Malta-Fairfield-Simms 6 p.m. Malta Old Gym

Dec. 7 Friday Glasgow Duals 9 a.m. Glasgow

Dec. 8 Saturday Glasgow Invitational 9 a.m. Glasgow

Dec. 14 Friday Shepherd Mixer 5 p.m. Shepherd

Dec. 15 Saturday Huntley Project Duals 8:30 p.m. Worden

Dec. 21 Friday Glasgow Duals 6 p.m. Glasgow

Jan. 4-5 Fri.-Sat. Cut Bank Invitational 12 p.m. Cut Bank

Jan. 10 Thursday Fairfield Mixer TBA Fairfield

Jan. 11-12 Fri.-Sat. Choteau Classic TBA Choteau

Jan. 17 Thursday Hays-Lodgepole 4:30 p.m. Hays

Jan. 18 Friday Chinook Mixer 4:30 p.m. Chinook

Jan. 19 Saturday Harlem Invitational TBA Harlem

Jan. 25 Friday Malta Duals/Mixer 5 p.m. Malta

Jan. 26 Saturday Malta Invitational 9:30 a.m. Malta

Feb. 2 Saturday Divisional Tourney 9:30 a.m. Cut Bank

Feb. 8-9 Fri.-Sat. State Tournament TBA Billings MetraPark