Huntley Project team, coaches and managers pose with their newly awarded 1st place state trophy and hardware at MetraPark’s First Interstate Arena on Saturday, February 12, 2022. The last time Huntley Project wrestling one the state tournament was in 2000. This is the seventh time Huntley Project has won the state championship in school history. (Photo by Roger Nay)
The Huntley Project Wrestling Team achieved another milestone with winning the state Championship trophy and first place in last week’s State Wrestling Tournament at MetraPark Arena. This is the first time since 2000 when Huntley Project took the state championship status and the seventh time Huntley Project’s wrestling team has won the State Championship in school history.
“After coming up short the last two years with a second-place finish,” said Head Coach Tim Kaczmarek in his 13th year at the helm, “we separated ourselves this year and extended our lead in the Saturday morning matches which helped us win the state tournament as a team.”
“All the hard work paid off,” Kaczmarek said, knowing how hard they all worked as a team to achieve the goal they set out early in the season to accomplish.
“We had 16 wrestlers that went to the Divisional tournament and placed. All 16 of those wrestlers placed and advanced to the state tournament,” said Coach Kaczmarek, reflecting back on what got them there and put them in position to win the state Tournament. “Of all those that made it to the state tournament, 14 of the 16 wrestlers scored points” in helping the team achieve a first-place trophy with a commanding 192 points to win the state title with Cut Bank placing second with 113 points.
Overall, three wrestlers Cooper Lane (41-4 record), Gavin Nedens (39-16 record) and Gretchen Donally (36-5 record) took first place in their weight class divisions as State Champions. Gretchen Donally took fourth place last year and was able to overcome that status and up her game to become the State Champion this year in the girls’ division.
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