If there was concern over how the Flathead Braves’ wrestling team would respond to a new coach and the graduation of a handful of its top wrestlers, this weekend’s domination at the 96-team Sierra Nevada Classic in Reno should eliminate any anxiety. The Braves, the three-time defending Class AA champions, proved once again they are one of the top wrestling teams you’ll find anywhere in the West, and elsewhere for that matter.
Led by junior Joaquin Calderon, who won the 125-pound championship, Flathead won the prestigious tournament by scoring 239 ½ points. The only other team to reach the 200-point plateau was Snohomish, Wash., which earned 200 ½ for second place. Senior Tyler Thomas narrowly lost the heavyweight title, losing a 3-2 decision in the championship match. Bryce Stacy, a senior, was Flathead’s other second-place finisher in the 160-pound division.