LCHS Wrestling 2023-24
By AJ Truman
January 1, 2024
The boys wrestling team kicked off their season with a third place team finish in Polson (18 teams), third place finish in Kellogg, ID (18 teams), first place finish at the Buzz Lucey in Eureka (nine teams) and third place in Cut Bank (25 teams).
The girls placed seventh in Polson (14 teams), then went to Kalispell placing 27th (33 teams), second at the Buzz Lucey (four teams) and 14th in Cut Bank (22 teams).
The boys are led by Seniors Caden Pecora, Blake Lancaster, and Riley Hume; Junior Wesley Banks; and Sophomores Colin Hickman and Timothy Schmidt. They also have a lot of young talent with freshman Hunter Grieve and Ayden Helgert competing at the varsity level.
The Lion Boys are expected to succeed this winter and have delivered up to this point with three third place team finishes and one first place. Of the three third place finishes, only one Class B team finished ahead of them: that being Conrad in Cut Bank. Last year the boys finished third last year at State B behind Huntley Project and Three Forks.
Last year at the State B meet, the following individuals placed: Timothy Schmidt (first), Blake Lancaster (third), Caden Pecora (third), Wesley Banks (third), and Riley Hume (fourth).
The girls team has one Senior Ellah Macabinguil, Juniors Ayla Marsh, Hailey Unrein, and Alexee Profitt, and Sophomores Kicket Bridges and Sarah Espinoza. The girls program is still getting their feet under themselves with only one year of competing but have shown improvement and gained interest from new wrestlers. They have been competing at high level tournaments and holding their own.
None of the current Lady Lions wrestled at State last year.
Lady Lions Coach Chris Meester said, “We are a young team, but constantly improving. We are hoping to place top five at divisionals and have over half the girls qualify for state.”