Butte High School, Front Page

Bulldogs second overall at Gillette tourney

GILLETTE, Wyo. — Butte High’s wrestling team had another very good day Saturday to cap another very good weekend.

The Bulldogs went 3-1 on the second day and finished second overall at the invitation-only Pat Weede Memorial dual meet. The Bulldogs finished with a 7-2 record in duals.

Butte High actually beat the teams that placed first, third and fourth, but tiebreakers put the Bulldogs at second in the final standings. The tournament did not include a championship match.

“It was just weird match ups that made us take second,” Bulldog coach Cory Johnston said.

Butte High dropped a 40-34 decision to Natrona County, Wyoming on Saturday. The Dogs beat Bismark Century, North Dakota 45-33, Scottsbluff, Nebraska 39-34 and Sidney, Montana 42-37.

Scottsbluff finished No. 1 in standings, and Sidney took third.

“It was a hell of a day,” Johnston said. “It was a great day.”

The win over Sidney, the four-time defending Montana Class A state champion, was particularly sweet for the Bulldogs, Johnston said.

“That’s a big stepping stone for our kids,” the coach said.

Mason Christian went undefeated at 195 pounds on the weekend to lead the Bulldogs. He posted a 9-0 record that included one forfeit victory.

Trey Whitlock, at 113, and Maverick McEwen, at 138, both went 8-1 over the two days against elite competition. McEwen went 4-0 on Saturday, including one forfeit victory.

Riley Downey went 6-3 at 182 pounds, while Bulldogs Kyler Raiha (120 pounds), Karson Pumnea (126), Kip Pumnea (132), Connor Konda (145) and Gavin Vetter (170) all went 5-4.

Reid Whitlock (106), Trey Hansen (152), Morgan McClernan (160) Cohen Grunhuvd (220) and Kade Schleeman (285) all won multiple matches for Butte High on the weekend. The Bulldogs racked up 51 pins over two days.

“They’re feeling really good about themselves,” Johnston said of his wrestlers. “It was just a ton of great duals.”

The second-place finish is the second in as many weeks at prestigious dual meets for the Bulldogs. Last week, Butte High placed second at the Mining City Duals/Jim Street Classic, reaching the finals in the tournament for the first time in 18 years.

“It was another good weekend,” Johnston said. “It’s back-to-back runner up finishers. We’ll find a way to get to the top.”

Next up for Butte High is a dual Tuesday at Missoula Big Sky. The Bulldogs beat the Eagles at the Mining City Duals, and Johnston said he will rest some of his top guys in that dual.

Butte High’s Saturday results follow. Complete results are available at trackwrestling.com.

Natrona County defeated Butte 40-34

106 – Kaden Orr (Natrona County) over Reid Whitlock (Butte) Maj 12-2
113 – Trey Whitlock (Butte) over Jay Trujillo (Natrona County) Fall 1:07
120 – Tate Tromble (Natrona County) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
126 – Kael Johnson (Natrona County) over Kyler Raiha (Butte) Fall 4:23
132 – Karson Pumnea (Butte) over Austin Blajszczak (Natrona County) Fall 3:56
138 – Kip Pumnea (Butte) over Beau Russell (Natrona County) Maj 14-1
145 – Maverick McEwen (Butte) over Teagan Berdan (Natrona County) Fall 1:10
152 – Jayce Berry (Natrona County) over Connor Konda (Butte) Dec 5-3
160 – Tucker Magrum (Natrona County) over Morgan McClernan (Butte) Fall 1:35
170 – Billy Brenton (Natrona County) over Gavin Vetter (Butte) Dec 10-5
182 – Noah Sides (Natrona County) over Riley Downey (Butte) Fall 0:32
195 – Mason Christian (Butte) over Colton Jardiene (Natrona County) Fall 0:56
220 – Spencer Hansen (Natrona County) over Cohen Grunhuvd (Butte) Fall 1:35
285 – Kade Schleeman (Butte) over Jace Brezina (Natrona County) Fall 2:00

Butte defeated Bismark Century 45-33

120 – Kyler Raiha (Butte) over Ethan Kuntz (Bismark Century) Fall 0:58
126 – Brayden Morris (Bismark Century) over Karson Pumnea (Butte) Fall 1:47
132 – Kaden DeCoteau (Bismark Century) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
138 – Kip Pumnea (Butte) over Brody Ferderer (Bismark Century) Fall 1:07
145 – Maverick McEwen (Butte) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
152 – Connor Konda (Butte) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
160 – Jax Gums (Bismark Century) over Morgan McClernan (Butte) Fall 1:26
170 – Gavin Vetter (Butte) over Ole Taylor (Bismark Century) Fall 5:00
182 – Riley Downey (Butte) over Grant Carlson (Bismark Century) Fall 3:57
195 – Mason Christian (Butte) over Chance Gries (Bismark Century) Dec 12-7
220 – Lykken Gensrich (Bismark Century) over Cohen Grunhuvd (Butte) Fall 1:53
285 – Isaiah Kwandt (Bismark Century) over Kade Schleeman (Butte) Fall 1:09
106 – Cole Bohne (Bismark Century) over Reid Whitlock (Butte) Dec 6-4
113 – Trey Whitlock (Butte) over Riley Stain (Bismark Century) Fall 0:31