MISSOULA — High school wrestling is expanding to 14 weight classes for both boys and girls this season, meaning a record 56 individual state champions will be crowned in February at First Interstate Arena at MetraPark in Billings.
Eighteen boys and seven girls are looking to defend their titles this season, including some potential history-makers. Billings West senior Zach Morse will be seeking his fourth individual championship after former teammate Keyan Hernandez last year became the first Golden Bear to accomplish the feat. Morse has won titles at 103, 113 and 120 pounds.
Makael Aguayo, a junior at West, is pursuing his third title as the Bears go after their third consecutive Class AA team championship. Aguayo is the reigning champion at 132 after winning at 103 as a freshman in 2023.
Sophomores Danny Green of Billings Skyview, Cael Floerchinger of Great Falls High and Tyson Syth of Sidney are looking for their second titles after each won gold medals as freshmen at last year’s state tournament.
Another name to watch is Blake Ramaeker of Huntley Project. He won the Class B/C 113-pound championship last year as an eighth grader, which positions him over the next few years to become the first Montanan to attempt to win five state wrestling titles.
On the girls side, Montana is still awaiting its first four-time state champion as the sport enters its fifth year and continues to expand. There are now 85 high school girls wrestling teams in Montana (compared to 88 boys teams).
Of the seven girls seeking consecutive individual championships this winter, three are going for their third titles: seniors KyLee Lindsley of Belgrade and Tirza TwoTeeth of Ronan, as well as junior Kaura Coles of Kalispell Glacier.
TwoTeeth is the No. 1-ranked wrestler in the country at 235 pounds. Coles, who won a gold medal at the U17 World Championships in August, was previously ranked first at 115 pounds but is now fourth at 120.
And three sophomores — Ronan's River Cote (2023 100-pound champion), Simms’ Hayley Petersen (107) and Billings Senior's Meadow Mahlmeister (126) — are aiming for title No. 2 this winter.
Returning state wrestling champions are listed below. Please report any errors or omissions to scores@montanasports.com.
(Note: School years listed are for 2024-25)
Boys
Weight classes for 2024-25: 103, 110, 118, 126, 132, 138, 144, 150, 157, 165, 175, 190, 215, 285.
Class AA
Reigning state champion: Billings West (two-time).
103 – Danny Green, Skyview, soph.
113 – Cael Floerchinger, Great Falls, soph.
120 – Zach Morse, West, sr. (also won 113 in 2023, 103 in 2022).
132 – Makael Aguayo, West, jr. (also won 103 in 2023)
138 – Christopher Acuna, Senior, sr.
152 – Nikola Coles, Glacier, sr.
182 – Cole Graham, Capital, sr.
Class A
Reigning state champion: Laurel.
103 – Tyson Syth, Sidney, soph.
132 – Dalton Hinebauch, Lockwood, sr.
145 – Tahj Wells, Browning, sr.
Note: Logan Barnes (Dillon), Brody Ketterling (Lockwood) and Reece Graves (Sidney) are looking to get back on top of the podium after winning championships in 2023 but not 2024. In 2023, Barnes won 113 as a freshman, Ketterling won 120 as a freshman and Graves won 132 as a sophomore. Graves also won 113 as a freshman in 2022.
Ketterling placed fourth at 138 last season and Graves placed fourth at 145. Barnes did not wrestle at the state tournament last year.
Elijah Nose of Laurel is another former champion looking to get back on top. After winning the 103-pound championship as a freshman in 2022, he placed fourth at 113 in 2023 and was the runner-up at 120 pounds last season.
Cole Krutzfeldt won the 126-pound titles as a sophomore in 2023 and junior in 2024 at Lockwood but has since moved to Iowa.
Class B/C
Reigning state champions: Class B — Huntley Project (three-time); Class C — Forsyth.
113 – Blake Ramaeker, Huntley Project, fr.
120 – Baylor Burton, Huntley Project, sr. (also won 103 in 2023).
126 – Asher Clayton, Choteau, sr. (also won a state title as a sophomore in Alaska).
138 – Kohner Schipman, Malta, sr.
152 – Khye Gamas, Glasgow, jr.
160 – Hayden Ramaeker, Huntley Project, sr.
170 – Chris Graham, Conrad, sr.
205 – Brady Armstrong, Jefferson, sr.
Note: Timothy Schmidt of Eureka won the 113-pound championship as a freshman in 2023 but lost to Huntley Project’s Burton in the 120-pound championship bout last year.
Girls
Weight classes for 2024-25: 100, 105, 110, 115, 120, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145, 155, 170, 190, 235.
Reigning team champions: Class AA — Billings Senior (two-time); Class A — Ronan (two-time); Class C — Baker.
100 – River Cote, Ronan, soph.
107 – Hayley Petersen, Simms, soph.
114 – Kaura Coles, Glacier, jr. (also won 114 in 2023).
120 – Bella Downing, Flathead, jr.
126 – Meadow Mahlmeister, Billings Senior, soph. (Mahlmeister won the 2023 126-pound championship while wrestling at Lockwood).
165 – KyLee Lindsley, Belgrade, sr. (also won 165 in 2023).
235 – Tirza TwoTeeth, Ronan, sr. (also won 235 in 2023).
Note: Poplar’s Angelina Escarcega has won two titles — 103 as a freshman in 2022 and 100 as a sophomore in 2023 — but lost to Simms’ Petersen in last year’s 107-pound championship.
Rebecca Birdwell (Lewistown), Taylor Lay (Helena Capital) and Kaitlyn Thorn (Bozeman) also won 2023 championships. Birdwell did not wrestle at the 2024 state tournament, while Lay finished runner-up to Downing at 120 pounds and Thorn placed second at 138 pounds.
