Mat Stars

Teegan Vasquez has always wanted to surpass his siblings on the wrestling mat — no easy feat. 

His older brother, Trae, won back-to-back state titles and wrestles for Cal Poly. His older sister, Tilynne, was the highest-placing female at the state tournament, prior to Montana’s adoption of girls wrestling as a sanctioned sport. And his father, Rich, was a college wrestler and coached Teegan and his siblings. 

That’s a long list of family achievements to outdo. 

“They always told me I could be a four-time champion,” Teegan said. “It’s been my goal since I was 6, and I’ve worked harder than anyone since then to get ready for this moment.”

At the 2023 Montana High School Association (MHSA) state tournament on Feb. 11, Teegan won his fourth-straight title, achieving a goal 12 years in the making.

When Teegan showed up at Glacier High School as a freshman, he was already an elite who wasted no time getting to work, winning his first title at 113 pounds. After every title Vasquez earned wrestling for the Wolfpack — as a 120-pound sophomore and a 132-pound junior — he held up one more finger to the cheering crowd, signaling that he was a year closer to joining one of the most exclusive clubs for Montana prep athletes. 

Prior to the 2023 state tournament, only 38 wrestlers had captured quadruple titles, and only 13 of them were Class AA athletes. But as testament to the class of athletes Montana cultivated this year, Teegan wasn’t the only person looking to join the all-time club — Bozeman’s Avery Allen was also aiming for a four-peat this season at 145 pounds.  

When you’re the best of the best for three straight years (Vasquez only lost one high school match as a freshman), it can be hard not to settle, something he was acutely aware of in his junior and senior year. 

“I definitely knew I had to stay focused, stay vigilant and continue to work my hardest,” Vasquez said. He spent time last summer wrestling with his brother and some of his collegiate teammates, as well as national-caliber wrestlers from around the country. “Getting in all that extra work sharpened my mental game even more. I kept telling myself that I needed to start thinking of myself as a college level wrestler and be at that level even though I had one year left in high school.”

In his final appearance at the Montana state tournament in Billings, Vasquez smoothly sailed through the rounds, landing four pins, including his first in a blistering 11 seconds. 

“I’d set a goal with my dad to get the quick pin award, and that match was a great start to the tournament,” Vasquez said. “I kept having the thought to make sure I took a little wave after my matches and soaked in the feeling. Everyone reminded me that I worked hard to get here four times, so I should enjoy it.”

The final match was the culmination of a dozen years of work, and Vazquez “couldn’t believe it was time to fulfill the dream.” With his parents in the stands, and an early morning text from his brother letting him know he was capable of winning still on his mind, Vazquez took to the mat. He was able to work his positions, take it at his own pace and even “earned some blood time,” after knocking heads with his opponent from Butte. 

But then it was over, and Vasquez raised four fingers on each hand with a broad smile. 

“Seeing everyone stand up in recognition for what I’d worked for was an insane feeling,” he said. “I did it.”

MatCats Earn Second Title

It had been more than two decades since Columbia Falls wrestlers grappled their way to a state championship, but the MatCats only needed a day at the tournament in Billings to let the other Class A schools know they were intent on bringing a trophy home to the Flathead. 

A day of happy upsets — including Chris Rathjen overcoming a first-round matchup against a three-time defending champion and eventually punching his ticket to the finals — gave Columbia Falls a clear lead heading into the second day. 

Nine Wildcats made it through to the semifinals, and three earned spots in title matches, including Justin Windauer, who capped an undefeated senior season with a championship at 160 pounds. 

“Lots of coaches will say their teams peak for the end of the season, but every single one of our wrestlers performed at their absolute highest over the weekend and left it on the mat,” said coach Jessie Schaeffer, who’s been with the wrestling team for 17 years. “They absolutely rose to the occasion. We had the most placers in school history and it was the most fun tournament we’ve ever coached as a staff.”

Windauer’s win was his second, and his third time placing at the state tournament, but he said that the team title was by far the more meaningful achievement. 

Schaeffer said he saw the potential in this year’s team early in the season, when the MatCats seemed to not have any down weekends in tournaments. 

“They kept stepping it up and I think they really took it upon themselves to see this thing through,” he said. “Now we know what it’s like to win one. These kids enjoyed being on top, enjoyed getting the fire truck ride through town and seeing their peers cheering or them.”

“These are the things that will stay in the back of their minds and they’ll want to recreate the feelings,” he added. “I think we’ll find ways to get the back on the podium next year.”