Bozeman Chronicle Features Tournament of Champions

http://bozemandailychronicle.com/articles/2009/02/17/sports/000toc.txt
The season continues
By PETE DELMOE Chronicle Sports Writer
Depending on whom you ask, this weekend will determine the real state-champion wrestlers in Montana.
ERIK PETERSEN/CHRONICLE Michael Carpenter works for a takedown during the 140-pound State Class AA championship match Saturday at the Billings Metra. Carpenter has been invited to the Tournament of Champions in Great Falls. One week after the state tournament in Billings, the inaugural Tournament of Champions High School All-Star Wrestling Tournament will be held in Great Falls this Saturday. The state tournament is broken up into classes AA, A and B/C, and wrestlers from those classes aren’t given the opportunity to compete against each other. The Tournament of Champions will match up all three champions from each class, including a wild-card entry.“I think it’s great,” Bozeman wrestling coach Nate Laslovich said. “It’s a good thing for kids to be able to all wrestle each other and see who the true state champion is.”Five wrestlers from Bozeman have been invited: state champions David Demo(119 pounds), Marshall Carpenter (135), and Michael Carpenter (140), along with third-place finisher Kyle Taranto (130) and fourth-place finisher Riley Berry (112).
Belgrade, which finished second in Class A at the state tournament, will have four wrestlers competing in the Tournament of Champions: state champion Tucker Taylor (152), third-place finisher Cole Schram (145), plus second-place finishers Jordan Malarchick (160) and Phil Prickett (189).The tournament was created by Zander Blewett and his sons Anders and Drew, who live in Great Falls and are all former wrestlers. Anders said people have talked for awhile about creating a tournament that matches up state champions from all three classes, but no one was willing to take the necessary steps.“We knew if we didn’t do it, it wasn’t going to happen,” Anders Blewett said. “We knew we had the will power, the resources and the connections around the state to get this thing going.”One of the challenges for the TOC is that some of the champions don’t want to wrestle in the tournament because they want to end their season on a high note, instead of risking a loss at the hands of another state champion.Anders Blewett said he expects the majority of the champions to compete in the tournament as long as injuries aren’t a factor.“Wrestling is a sport of fanatics and I think they’re guys who all have a thirst for competition,” he said. “Sandbagging and wrestling don’t go hand in hand, so I think that any challenge, most wrestlers are going to take.“Wrestling is not a glamorous sport. Those that do it and those that do it well really like to get out there and any chance they have to get at good competition, they take it.”With so many talented wrestlers participating in the event, there’s really no shame in losing.“For those kids, it should be a no pressure situation,” Laslovich said.“Everybody’s tough. You’re not going to run into a kid who’s not tough. Everybody at the tournament is a state champion or right there.”The tournament is essentially an all-star event. Belgrade coach Justin Taylor said some of his wrestlers were hesitant about wrestling at the tournament, but he mentioned that they shouldn’t feel pressure and that it was an honor to be selected, which helped convince them to participate.“Every other sport has an all-star tournament except wrestling,” Anders Blewett said. “We just thought it was long overdue that these wrestlers get the credit they deserve and the recognition they deserve.”At the state tournament, Justin Taylor had a hard time dealing with the stress of coaching his son Tucker in the finals. He said he’s looking forward to relaxing at this tournament.“I’m just going to be happy to watch, this time,” Taylor said. “I’m not worried about the outcome. That state championship he won is something they can’t take away from him, so I don’t look at it with a lot of pressure and I don’t think he will. It’ll be fun for a change.”The tournament will be held at the Great Falls High School Fieldhouse.Semifinals will be held in the morning, followed by the championship rounds in the early afternoon. The law firm of Hoyt and Blewett PLLC in Great Falls is sponsoring the event and paying for travel and lodging for the wrestlers and their coaches.“I think it’s a great idea,” Justin Taylor said. “What the Blewett family is doing to try to promote wrestling and give back to the sport they love is wonderful and that’s one of the reason’s why were going.”Anders said he hopes the event will be the first of many.“I think it will grow into a tradition,” he said. “The first year will be a good test for us to gauge support. I do have high hopes.”Pete Delmoe can be reached at pdelmoe@dailychronicle.com and 582-2670.