Thompson Falls, Plains-Hot Springs Wrestlers Advance to State Tournament

Nine athletes from the Blue Hawks and Savage Horsemen punch their tickets to the state wrestling meet.

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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The Thompson Falls Blue Hawks and Plains-Hot Springs Savage Horsemen and Trotters wrestling teams sent nine athletes to the Western B/C divisional wrestling meet, with all nine qualifying for the upcoming state tournament. Standout performances included second-place finishes for Matthew Thurston (126 lbs), BillyRay Holotta (144 lbs), and Beau Crabb (150 lbs) for the Savage Horsemen, as well as a second-place finish for Weston Block (118 lbs) of the Blue Hawks.

Why it matters

Qualifying for the state wrestling tournament is a major accomplishment for these student-athletes, as it represents the culmination of their hard work and dedication throughout the season. The state meet is the highest level of competition in Montana high school wrestling, and these wrestlers will have the opportunity to compete against the best in the state.

The details

At the divisional meet, Matthew Thurston, BillyRay Holotta, and Beau Crabb all finished as runners-up in their respective weight classes for the Savage Horsemen. Thurston and Holotta both won their first two matches by pin before falling in the finals, while Crabb won his first match by pin and his next two by decision before losing in the finals. For the Blue Hawks, freshman Weston Block also took second place at 118 lbs, winning his first three matches by pin before falling in the finals.

  • The Thompson Falls Blue Hawks and Plains-Hot Springs Savage Horsemen and Trotters hit the road on Friday for the Western B/C divisional wrestling meet.
  • The state wrestling tournament in Billings starts on Thursday.

The players

Matthew Thurston

A wrestler for the Plains-Hot Springs Savage Horsemen who took second place at 126 lbs at the divisional meet.

BillyRay Holotta

A wrestler for the Plains-Hot Springs Savage Horsemen who took second place at 144 lbs at the divisional meet.

Beau Crabb

A wrestler for the Plains-Hot Springs Savage Horsemen who took second place at 150 lbs at the divisional meet.

Weston Block

A freshman wrestler for the Thompson Falls Blue Hawks who took second place at 118 lbs at the divisional meet.

Jesse Jermyn

The head coach of the Plains-Hot Springs Savage Horsemen wrestling team.

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What they’re saying

“Hunter is ranked second in the state, so we knew it would be a hard match. But for the first half Matthew was dominating. Ultimately Hunter got the pin, but Matthew really wrestled well at the tournament.”

— Jesse Jermyn, Head Coach, Plains-Hot Springs Savage Horsemen (scledger.net)

“BillyRay has been wrestling really well, and he came close to taking first place, but he's been improving at every meet.”

— Jesse Jermyn, Head Coach, Plains-Hot Springs Savage Horsemen (scledger.net)

“Beau and Bo have been going at it all season, and Beau came really close during divisionals. He's heading in the right direction and we are excited for his matches during state.”

— Jesse Jermyn, Head Coach, Plains-Hot Springs Savage Horsemen (scledger.net)

“Ireland is doing well. She is still working on her confidence on the mat. This year we don't have the numbers to place as a team at state, but our hope is everyone who placed at divisionals can bring home some hardware from the state tournament.”

— Jesse Jermyn, Head Coach, Plains-Hot Springs Savage Horsemen (scledger.net)

“Weston did very well and almost had that win, but got caught up at the last second. I think he's going to do well during state.”

— Nate Block, Head Coach, Thompson Falls Blue Hawks (scledger.net)

What’s next

The Thompson Falls Blue Hawks and Plains-Hot Springs Savage Horsemen will compete at the state wrestling tournament in Billings starting on Thursday.

The takeaway

The strong performances by these young wrestlers at the divisional meet demonstrate the dedication and talent of the Thompson Falls and Plains-Hot Springs wrestling programs. While they may not have the numbers to compete for a team title at state, the individual qualifiers will have the opportunity to showcase their skills against the best in Montana and potentially bring home some hardware for their schools.