Wrestling Coach Looks Back At Solid Season

Wolf Point wrestling coach Scott Vandall was pleased with the Wolves’ efforts during the state meet in Billings. “We took four to state. We thought we would place four. We all had great first rounds. Jesse Reed beat his kid by fall. Mike Bell followed suit. Jeina Reum got the girls off to a great start. She also showed up and got the pin,” Vandall said. “Joli Beston wasn’t going to be showed up by her under classmates. She also recorded a fall. All four advanced to the quarter finals.”

During the quarter-finals, Reed beat a familiar foe from Circle. “He wrestled strong and smart. He controlled the at match. With that win, he advanced not only to Saturday but also put him on the podium. Mike had a tougher match with a Conrad kid. They were one and one on the season. We got the one-point win in double overtime. That also punched Mike’s ticket to the podium top six.”

Reum lost a heart-breaking match against a wrestler from Huntley. She then lost in the next round. Vandall said she had a great season with 20 wins. “She will be back with some passion,” he said.

Beston experienced a poor quarter-final match and also lost. She bounced back in the next round. “Joli came out on fire and just plain wrestled like we know she can. She won her match and moved on to the Saturday morning blood round,” Vandall said.

Beston won a tough match against a Hardin wrestler on Saturday morning. Reed lost a heart-breaker against a top wrestler from Cut Bank. Bell also lost against a standout wrestler.

Beston, Bell and Reed each wrestled in the consolation semi-finals. Beston faced the number one girl from the west. “Joli took it to her. She did a great job. She won a decision,” Vandall said.

On the third- and fourthplace match, Reed had a rematch with a Fairfield wrestler from earlier this year. “This was a barnburner. We lost the match, but we were in it. Reed faced a wrestler from Circle for fifth place. Bell drew a friend from Fort Benton to get into third and fourth. “This was a good match. It went into overtime. Mike lost to the kid, but was a hard-fought match,” Vandall said.

Reed came out and dominated the fifth-place match. “He did some things differently from previous matches. He controlled the pace. He got the fall in the second round,” Vandall said. Reed finished with more than 30 wins this season.

Bell defeated a wrestler from Baker for fifth place. “Mike is only a junior. We can’t wait for next year,” Vandall said. “He should place top three. Mike is just a gifted athlete. He hasn’t wrestled since seventh grade, but ended with 30-plus wins this season.”

Beston had a chance to meet the Conrad girl again. “She just couldn’t get over the hump with this girl. This was a hard one for both of us. She finished fourth,” Vandall said. “Joli has had a heck of a high school career. She finished with a 101-36 record and qualified for state four times.” She placed second, sixth and fourth at state during her career.

“We had a lot of tears from both of us Saturday after that match. It was emotional and not what we wanted, but [Joli] had a great high school career. And the best part is her career isn’t over. She is headed to college and will wrestle. I am very proud of how it turned out for her,” Vandall said.

“The season has been long and grinding with some tears. We showed lots of improvement,” Vandall said. “I can’t wait to see what happens next year.”