Jase and Kaleb led the way, and the rest of the Hawks followed.

Competing against a quality field of sqauds which included Class AA, A and B-C teams, the Thompson Falls Blue Hawks impressively wrestled down fifth place in team scoring at the Owen Invitational in Polson Friday and Saturday.

Fresh off an all-state season of football for the Hawks, senior Jase Sorenson led the Thompson Falls contingent in Polson, winning the championship at 170 pounds. Fellow senior Kaleb Frank also did his part, fighting his way into the title match at 120 before falling to a Class A grappler who went undefeated on his way to a State A title last winter.

Additionally, senior Cody Garrison won fourth place at 152 pounds after losing a tough semifinal match.

A total of eight Hawk grapplers were eligible to score team points, and 10 were entered in the tournament's main draw. "That's some pretty good stuff, some of the bigger schools had the full 13 scoring and we win fifth with only eight," coach Ian Taylor said. "I couldn't ask for a whole lot more than what our guys were able to do."

And it wasn't just those three place-winners. Roman Sparks (113 pounds), Nathan Ostwald (126), Sam Ostwald (160), Austin Cooper (205) and Seth Allarcon (Heavyweight) all lost in the consolation semifinals and were "only one match away from placing," Taylor said.

Sorenson's title run at 170 was the highlight for the Hawks in Polson. Sorenson out-pointed Ben Windauer of Columbia Falls 8-6 in the championship match. "Windauer lost to a four-time champion in the Class A State championship match last year, he is an outstanding wrestler in his own right," Taylor said. "Jase had a great tournament, really opened up his offense in Polson."

Sorenson placed second

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at 170 in Polson in 2016.

Taylor said Frank, who won the title at 120 a year earlier, also had a great meet, losing only to Frenchtown's Jake Bibler in the championship. And Bibler has not lost a match in at least two years now.

Garrison, after falling in the semifinals, came back to earn his spot in the 152 consolation final, where he fell to Libby's Laine Young by decision. All the grapplers that placed ahead of Garrison were either from the Class A and AA ranks. Garrison had won second place in Polson at 152 a year earlier.

A sophomore, Allarcon was the only other Blue Hawk to advance to the semifinals, but all eight scoring grapplers contributed to the Falls point total in the meet.

Missoula Sentinel won the meet with 193 points, Frenchtown (161) was second, Polson (140.5) third, Columbia Falls (119) fourth at the Hawks (87.5) fifth in the 18-team event.

Angela Lovell Franck

CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT - Blue Hawk senior Kaleb Frank grapples with Frenchtown's Jake Bibler in the 120 pound championship match in the Owen Invitational at Polson Saturday. Thompson Falls assistant coach Ryan Ostwald watches the match unfold in the background.

The Hawks have two more wrestling dates on tap this week. Mission-Charlo and Arlee will join Thompson Falls in competing in the Plains Quadrangular along with host Plains-Hot Springs Thursday night, and most Class B-C teams from western Montana, and a few from outside of the area, will wrestle in the Bob Kinney Memorial in Superior Saturday.

The Hawks won second place in the Superior meet last year and won the team title in it two years ago.