BILLINGS -- No. 1 held off No. 3 in high school wrestling's main event Tuesday night helping Billings West handle crosstown Skyview 48-18 under the Golden Dome.
West's Drake Rhodes, ranked on top of Class AA's regular-season rankings in the 152-pound weight class, took control early over Skyview's 3rd-ranked Paolo Salminen on the way to an 8-2 decision. Rhodes is still perfect this season while the loss marks Salminen's first after winning each previous match via pin.
Max Murphy opened with a pin over Skyview's Kassidee Savaria before the Bears picked up a pair of forfeits for a quick 18-0 lead.
Top-ranked Jace Van Pelt took the 113-pound match over Kale Houchen with a 27-second pin building West's lead to 24-0.
Jesse Aarness and Gavin Stodmeister also turned in pins for West. Hunter Ketchum, Talen Barrington and Cameron Savaria each delivered pins for the Falcons.
Billings West 48, Billings Skyview 18
103 pounds: Keyan Hernandez, West, won by forfeit
113: Jase Van Pelt, West, p. Kale Houchen, :27
120: Hunter Ketchum, Sky, p. Carson Blaschak, 1:23
126: Jesse Aarness, West, p. Robby Gress, :54
132: Talen Barrington, Sky, p. Nathaniel Hoff, 3:03
138: RJ Lowdog, West, d. Dylan Emborg, 7-0
145: Gavin Stodtmeister, West, p. Colten Salminen, 2:37
152: Drake Rhodes, West, d. Paolo Salminen, 8-2
160: Cameron Savaria, Sky, p. Jake Jaeger, 3:08
170: Cooper Freitag, West, d. Nathan Kojetin, 4-0
182: Chris Garcia, West, d. Dilen Barrington, 11-5
205: Max Murphy, West, p. Kassidee Savaria, 1:08
285: Jadyn Hoff, West, won by forfeit
