Chinook, Harlem wrestlers compete at Northern B/C Wrestling Divisional in Shelby Wildcats will send five wrestlers, Chinook qualifies two for the State Tournament in Billings this weekend

Some of the best wrestling in the state happened this last Saturday when ninety-four Wrestlers descend on Shelby for divisional wrestling. The thirteen different weight classes ranged from three to thirteen Wrestlers per class. The 138, 145 and 152 weight classes each had 16 man brackets. Fifty of the wrestlers advanced to the state tournament that takes place this weekend in Billings at the METRA. Blaine County had a good showing with seven advancing to state. Chinook has two advancing to state: Tate Niederegger and JT Hauer. Harlem has five advancing: Zach Jackson, Gavin Horn, Alex Kirkaldie, Reece Hutton and Curtis Huphreys.

Tate, Gavin and Reece all made it to the finals where Gavin and Tate completed as divisional champions. Reece finished second behind Hunter Mycke from Conrad who started the weekend with a record of 43-2. Hutton is going to state this weekend with a record of 28 -8. Hutton placed last year at state and he is hoping to improve that this year. Horn wrestled Justin Sanders from Fairfield-Sims for his championship where he pinned Sanders at 1:17. Niederegger completed his four-time divisional championship as he pinned Ceaton Mears from Malta at 5:15 into the match. Tate is looking for his third state title this weekend. He has an impressive record this year of 36-3 with two of his three losses coming from Parker Filius of Havre and one from Michael Weber of Forsyth.

So much goes into preparation

Wrestling is the means by which Chinooks wrestling coaches take the youth they work with and mold them into positive members of society. Coaching for these men is less about winning championships and more about growing and showing those they work with that they can do hard things and that they can push through physically and mentally strenuous times. That when they push through they get stronger. That through the process of pushing and growing they find within themselves someone who can learn and can control themselves. When those who are coached start to go down that path that is when a coach wins.

This year each young man on the Chinook team has grown stronger and has learned much. Coach Perry Miller said "I am extremely pleased with the kids they all wrestled hard this past weekend at Divisional". Watching from the sidelines over the past couple of months and observing both in practice and in the matches, I have been able to see the dedication and devotion that the coaches have for each one of the boys. Coach Miller, Tilleman, and Stroh each take a big part of their life and their families life to have a positive influence on those who are involved with the wrestling program. The performances given at divsional's showed the coaching team that their team of wrestlers are learning how to be more assertive and that they are learning not just about wrestling but how to apply themselves positively in life. Miller told the boys that did not advance to state before they left the bus that "next year's season starts today."

In life as you complete a season that is when the next season starts. Like coach Miller says that "next season starts today", we do not get to take a break before the next season starts in life. When a season ends and the next one starts we need to be ready for it. Learning to use the most of the time we have, to grow and learn so that at the end of the season we can look back and say we did our best and we are proud of what we have accomplished with those who we chose to surround ourselves with. The wrestlers will look back in future seasons of their life and say that what they learned in wrestling this season from their coaches and team mates are skills that they have utilized for good throughout their life.