Great Falls High sending 22 grapplers to Montana All-Class Wrestling Tournament, CM Russell 21

The Montana All-Class Wrestling Tournament kicks off Friday at the Billings Metra, with Great Falls High and C.M. Russell High each sending a healthy contingent of grapplers to compete on the biggest stage.

The Bison finished tied for second with Billings Senior at the Eastern AA divisional last weekend in Belgrade and qualified 22 athletes from both the boys’ and girls’ teams, while the fourth-place Rustlers saw a combined 21 wrestlers make the top eight to advance.

Great Falls High earned three divisional boys’ champions in defending state champ Brendan Lockart at 205, senior Irish Furthmyre at 152, and freshman Jace Komac at 132. State champ Kaylin Taylor earned an Eastern AA title at 114 for the girls, while Layla Svigen placed fifth at 132.

CMR’s A.J. LaFurge was the tournament champion in Belgrade at 182 pounds by way of three pins, while sophomore Landon de la Garza (126) and Dalton Ecklund (120) made the divisional finals to take second. Andrea Kennedy was the top finisher for the Rustler girls, taking second at 107 pounds.

Billings West took the Eastern AA divisional boys’ championship, while the Billings Senior girls were also tourney team champs.

Sophomore Gage Clothier finished second for Great Falls High, falling to teammate Komac in the finals at 132, while Dylan Block also had a silver finish at 160 for head coach Luis Carranza.

Finishing third for mentor Aaron Jensen’s Rustlers were freshman Paydon de la Garza at 103 and senior Logan Younkin at 113 and Cayden Doran at 160. Addison Orusa was also third for the CMR girls at 152.

The state tournament starts at 10 a.m. on Friday with the Parade of Athletes before competition begins at 10:20. Semifinal matches begin at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday before the finals at 4 p.m.

Here is the complete list of Bison and Rustler wrestlers heading to the state tourney this weekend in Billings (divisional places in parentheses):

Great Falls High

113 – Cash Clark (6^th); 120 – Ross Tolliver (6^th); 120 – Bladen Madel (5^th); 132 – Jace Komac (1^st); 132 – Gage Clothier (2^nd); 138 – Gavin Cotton (4^th); 138 – Eli Oakland (7^th); 145 – Teancum Palmer (8^th); 145 – Kale Baumann (4^th); 152 – Luke Aakre (8^th); 152 – Irish Furthmyre (1^st); 160 – Dylan Block (2^nd); 160 – Aaron Liscum (5^th); 170 – Dameon Furthmyre (7^th); 170 – Daniel Mann (4^th); 182 – Braedon Rankin (8^th); 182 – Ray Johnson (7^th); 205 – Issac Tolan (6^th); 205 – Brendan Lockart (1^st); 285 – Ethan Bunton (6^th).

Girls: 114 – Kaylin Taylor (1^st); 132 – Layla Svigen (5^th).

CMR

103 – Paydon de la Garza (3^rd); 113 – Logan Younkin (3^rd); 120 – Dalton Ecklund (2^nd); 120 – Kyle Barnes (7^th); 126 – Cole Dejean (8^th); 126 – Landon de la Garza (2^nd); 132 – Kael Dixon (8^th); 138 – Joe Fernandez (8^th); 145 – Ethan Jarrett (5^th); 160 – Cayden Doran (3^rd); 160 – Levi Giles (4^th); 170 – Liam Gage (8^th); 182 – A.J. LaFurge (1^st); 182 – Nick Bodge (5^th); 205 – Jacob Reeves (4^th).

Girls: 107 – Andrea Kennedy (4th); 114 – Arabella Nichols (4th); 120 – Shea Breen (8th); 120 – Alonna Fulmer (4th); 152 – Addison Orusa (3rd); 235 – Kittalla Wise (5th).

Grady Higgins covers prep sports for the Tribune and can be reached at ghiggins@greatfallstribune.com. Photos provided courtesy of Matt Ehnes of Jared’s Detours.

This article originally appeared on Great Falls Tribune: Great Falls, CMR wrestlers headed to Montana state tournament