Taekwondo students perform well in Billings, Livingston

Twenty-six members of Lone Wolf Taekwondo traveled to Billings on April 27 to compete in the Montana Invitational Martial Arts Championships. All 26 returned with one or more medals for placing in the top three.

The event attracted approximately 175 martial arts students from Wyoming, North Dakota and Montana in a showcase of Olympic-style sparring, form exercises and judo.

Students from Powell were prepared for competition by instructor Chris Ivanoff, Vickie Prante and Seth Partenheimer.

Prante and Partenheimer also competed during the event.

Results for students from the tournament included:

Aiden Greenwald (second in forms, fourth in sparring), Vickie Prante (second in forms), Tucker Prante (first in forms, first in sparring), Seth Partenheimer (first in forms, first in sparring), Cori Siggins (first in forms, first in sparring), Callie Siggins (second in forms, second in sparring), Cianna Siggins (first in forms, second in sparring), Cassidy Siggins (first in forms, first in sparring), Charity Siggins (second in forms, first in sparring), Carole Roe (third in forms), Brian Jurado (third in forms, second in sparring), Dillon Escalante (second in forms, second in sparring), Bruce Hogen (first in forms, first in sparring), Ethan Campbell (third in forms, first in sparring), Evert Campbell (third in forms, second in sparring), Ken Campbell (first in forms, third in sparring), Jace Bohlman (third in forms, first in sparring), Zach Peabody (second in forms, third in sparring), Jess Bakken (first in forms, second in sparring), Juanita Martinez (second in forms, third in sparring), Kyle Cheney (second in forms, second in sparring), Benjamin Whitlock (third in forms, second in sparring), Elizabeth Kellett (first in forms, second in sparring), Benjamin Kellett (third in forms, third in sparring), Dalton Worstell (first in forms, second in sparring) and Javier Gonzalez (third in forms, third in sparring).

“Not only did the students perform exceptional throughout the competition, but they also showed an extraordinary amount of team spirit that pushed everyone to their limits,” said Ivanoff. “It’s amazing to see a gym full of competitors attempting to win their divisions while still demonstrating respect and friendship towards each other.”

At the conclusion of the tournament, Ivanoff was awarded a trophy on behalf of Lone Wolf as the tournament’s outstanding team. Tucker Prante was honored as the best junior male competitor. Seth Partenheimer was named best male taekwondo competitor and Cori Siggins was named the best female forms competitor.

The following week, Lone Wolf sent 11 students to Livingston, Mont., to compete in the Paradise Valley Taekwondo Championships. All but one of the 11 returned to Powell having earned a top-three medal.

More than 150 competitors from Wyoming, North Dakota, Utah and Montana participated. Results for local competitors included:

Vickie Prante (third in forms), Tucker Prante (second in forms, third in sparring), Seth Partenheimer (third in forms, third in sparring), Brian Jurado (fifth in forms, fourth in sparring), Brice Hogen (second in forms, second in sparring), Jace Bohlman (first in forms, third in sparring), Kyle Cheney (fourth in forms, second in sparring), Dalton Worstell (first in forms, second in sparring), Nathan Feller (second in forms, third in sparring), Aiden Candler (second in forms, third in sparring) and Jedia Partenheimer (second in forms, third in sparring).

“This tournament was one of the most challenging competitions for our students and they performed at their very best,” said Lone Wolf Taekwondo instructor Chris Ivanoff. “Montana and Wyoming have some of the finest taekwondo athletes in the USA and they showed their true spirit at this competition.”

The next competition for Lone Wolf will be July 20 at the Big Sky State Games in Billings. Anyone interested in watching or participating in the activity should contact the Powell Recreation District at 754-5711 for further information.