Northeast Montana News

Highlanders Provide More Metra Magic

The Glasgow Wrestling Club has really been making the Metra in Billings their 2nd “Home” over the last few years and they continued that trend this weekend at the State AAU Folkstyle Tournament! The 1,592 wrestlers who competed over three days were the most ever in a State AAU Tournament in Montana. The Highlanders were a BIG part of helping set the new mark. A record 68 Highlanders competed at State AAU. Breaking last year’s record of 53 participants. GWC was the 5th largest club in attendance. Only Team Champs (Billings West), Heights Wrestling Club (Billings Skyview), Laurel, and Miles City brought larger squads than our local “feeder” program.

At the end of a LONG weekend of wrestling and outstanding performances; a couple more Club RECORDS were set! Our Highlanders finished with 37 State Placers; that is a NEW club record, breaking last year’s total of 32. Over HALF of our wrestlers competing in the event found their way onto the podium with a Top 6 finish. Wow.

We crowned EIGHT Individidual State Champions over the weekend. That is the 2nd most in club history. The boys, however, won seven of those Individual Titles; which ties a club record set way back in 1992.

This event is a TRUE ALL-Class State Tournament and judging by the final team standings, It was another outstanding performance by GWC! The Highlander Boys finished in 8th Place Overall out of 73 Clubs with 439.5 points (3rd among class B/C clubs) and the Highlander Girls finished in 4th Place Overall out of 55 clubs with 208 points (2nd among ABC clubs). That marks 8 consecutive years in the Top 10 for the Boys and 3 consecutive years in the Top 4 for the Girls. The Boys also finished in 2nd Place for the famed Bobby McKinley “10-Man” Traveling Trophy for a 2nd consecutive year. This year they were edged by the Billings Wrestling Club.

At the conclusion of the tournament; 6th Graders, Jack Morehouse and Aiden Aune both qualified for Team Montana! The boys will repesent the club and our great state at the AAU National Duals in Iowa on April 1st-2nd. Morehouse will be on the Middle School B Team, while Aune has secured his spot on the Middle School C Team.

We will officially put a bow on the 2023 season next Friday thru Sunday at the Montana Open. The “Open” is the premier youth wrestling event in the region and it will take place right back at the Metra in Billings. The Glasgow Wrestling Club is expected to invade the event with a RECORD 64 participants.

State AAU Individual Results:

Tot–

Theo Marks

Nels Redfield

Frank Pattison

Bjorn See

Silas Hopstad

Miles Henry

Aurora Markle 3rd Place

Viona Casterline 6th 

PlaceBrenley Flaten 6th Place

Bantam–

Howard Redfield *State Champion*

Dayton Markle

Rowen Thompson

Ledger Kaufman

Caleb See

CJ Sillerud

Buddy Cole 4th Place

Colt Knaff 3rd Place

Olive Marks 2nd Place

Rygan Gamas 2nd Place

Archer Henry 3rd Place

Collins Flaten 4th Place

Midget–

Tate Lehner *State Champion*

Milo Marks

Jett Morehouse 3rd Place

Murdock Pattison

Whit Ozark

Jaxon Budde

Knoxsen Harris

Walker Kirkland 5th Place

Eli Holinde

Josiah Hernandez 3rd Place

TenLea Sundeen

Gwen Torres

Kennedy Flaten 2nd Place

Piper See

Harlee Vandermars 4th Place

Lyla Lehner

Khloe Kaufman *State Champion*

Novice–

Anders Aune 6th Place

Ryker Nixdorf

Asher Wersal 4th Place

Hunter Pierce

Taden Sundeen *State Champion*

Devon Munroe

Saunten Gamas *State Champion*

Rylan Schultz

Riley Pattison 3rd Place

Schoolboy/Girl–

Aiden Aune *State Champion*

Weston Kirkland 6th Place

Jack Morehouse 2nd Place

Cody Kuka *State Champion*

Tyler King

Chaz Donohue

Cash Richardson 5th Place

DC Flaten

Ernie Vandall 3rd Place

Riley Pedersen 3rd Place

Ainsley Loftsgaard 6th Place

Chloe Lamb 4th Place

Cadet–

Makiya Plummer

Ted See

William Kirkland 2nd Place

Michael King 4th Place

Jaydeen Hanshew *State Champion*

Avery Pedersen 6th Place

Blake Ozark

Madison Lamb 2nd Place

Elite–

Joaquin Torres 4th Place

**Attached picture. One the many team "huddles" from an awesome weekend.**

Original source can be found here.