Panthers of the mat more than hold their own among tough customers in Missoula

By Steve Moseley
Posted 1/21/20

By their coach’s account the Panthers “wrestled really well” as a team Friday and Saturday at the Jug Beck Rocky Mountain Classic in Missoula, Montana.

Calling it a …

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Panthers of the mat more than hold their own among tough customers in Missoula

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By their coach’s account the Panthers “wrestled really well” as a team Friday and Saturday at the Jug Beck Rocky Mountain Classic in Missoula, Montana.

Calling it a “tough tournament,” Powell High School head coach Nate Urbach said that “even in our losses I thought we battled really well.”

Seth Horton “again wrestled lights out” at 152 pounds, Urbach said, and “beat a couple of tough kids to get in the finals,” where he, “lost a tight one to one of the best juniors in the nation.”

That junior is Hunter Meinzen of Missoula Big Sky/Loyola Sacred Heart, who took win No. 30 against zero losses by escaping Horton 4-0.

Meanwhile, “Colt Nicholson had a heck of a tournament” in placing third, commented the coach, adding that his 103-pounder, “has come a long way this year.”

Bo Dearcorn, the Panther strongman at 170, finished sixth on his bracket.

Corey Linebaugh “upset his kid in the quarterfinals to place,” Urbach said, but “got banged up a bit so we forfeited him to sixth.”

“Michael Maddox looked solid throughout, had some hard-fought wins and losses,” Urbach said, and landed seventh.

The coach said his man at 145, Riley Bennett, “came very close to placing,” but “lost in the blood (last wrestleback) round.”

Urbach said he was “impressed with his [Bennett’s] improvement, attitude and work ethic.” Bennett went 3-2 in Missoula.

Records for the other Panthers: Emma Karhu (120) 2-2; Trevor Feller (126) 2-2; Matthew Seckman (182) 1-2.

With 106 points, PHS took 10th place among the 16 teams at the Jug Beck. Great Falls topped the field with 213 points.

This weekend the stakes go up at the Ron Thon Invitational in Riverton, a meet Urbach said is effectively a Class 3A state preview.

Powell High School, Panther Wrestling

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