Billings Central Boys’ Wrestling travelled to Butte, Montana the last weekend in January to compete in the Montana Class A Duals tournament. BCCHS’s Girls’ Wrestling competed in a separate tournament. Junior, Djay Wipf, and defending state champion, Kaius Rivera, each went 8-0 in individual matches. Wipf picked up a win against fifth-ranked, Fisher Whitaker, from Columbia Falls, and Rivera only let one match last to the third period.
Assistant coach Angelo Rivera and junior Alex Bear Don’t Walk during blood time at 2026 Class A Duals in Butte, Montana (Dane Mueller)
Returning state placers, Trystan Knight and Xander McCann, each went 7-1, with their only losses coming against wrestlers ranked top two in their weight class. Senior, Jett Lafontaine and freshman, Johnny Foster, each went 6-2.
For the team as a whole, the Rams Boys’ Wrestling went 6-2 in duals, including a 51-point win over Park (Livingston), and a 33-point win over their Eastern A rivals, Fergus County (Lewistown). Their losses came from ranked, Frenchtown and Columbia Falls. They dropped duals against fourth-place Frenchtown and Columbia Falls.
Undefeated freshman Ashlyn McCann gets her hand raised at 2026 Class A Duals in Butte, Montana (Dane Mueller)
On the Lady Rams’ side, Ashlyn McCann, a freshman at BCCHS, continued her dominance, extending her undefeated streak to 27-0 for the season, including fourth-ranked Corissa Baker from East Helena. State finalist, Emma Hernandez, sophomore, moved to 28-3, while picking up four wins during the weekend. Freshman, Azaelya Pates also picked up four wins.
Sidney/Fairview captured the Class A Duals team title with a dominant 72-6 win over defending state champions, Laurel. The Eagles had eight wrestlers go undefeated, and no wrestler had more than two losses. Sidney dominates the middle weight classes, with wrestlers ranked number one at 144, 150, and 157. Brody Keysor, their 150 pounder, took down defending state champion, Cale Nedens from Hardin to make the difference in their semifinal dual. Sidney’s only dropped match against Laurel was at 190, where defending state champion and All-American, Holden Hoiness picked up a first period pin. Hoiness is primed to pick up his second state title.
In third place, the Hardin Bulldogs had six wrestlers go undefeated, including Fargo Nationals All-American, Bruno Pallone. Pallone captured a state title last year as a freshman at 190 pounds. Now at 215, he is undefeated and looking to get his second state title this season. He has blown through the competition, pinning everyone ranked below him in the first period. The Bulldogs also dominate lower weights, with Jesse and Chris Grossman at 118 and 132. The Grossman brothers are each defending state champions, Jesse last year with Hardin and Chris twice at Billings Skyview in AA.
