The Missoula Sentinel wrestling team showed why they are among the top three or four teams in the state as the Spartans overpowered Capital High in the Bear's Den Tuesday, 62-12.

The Bruins won just three bouts on the night. The contest started at 152 pounds, where Capital's Patt Legg lost an evenly-matched tilt to Eli Kindred, 2-0.

After dropping the next six contests in a row -- three by pin and three by forfeit -- the hosts finally got on the scoreboard, when freshman Alex Markle won by decision over Luke Davenport, 5-0 at 105. Markle, who normally competes at 98, improved his season record to 7-3.

Two of the more entertaining bouts of the evening just happened to be Capital victories. Kyle Webster moved up a weight class from 119, and pinned Jeff Meier in 5:48 at 125 pounds. The contest was a topsy-turvey, back-and-forth battle.

Webster, who injured his ribs last weekend in the Butte Duals, fell behind 6-3 at the end of the first period. But in the second frame, he came back to score a reversal and two near falls to go up, 11-6. Then Webster pulled ahead 18-9 before getting the staple.

At 135, CHS' Maverick Mansfield was leading Joey Hiett comfortably, 9-4 in the third period. The Bruin matman then went for a cradle, and in the process got too far off-balance and was flipped onto his back for a reversal and near fall, knotting the score at 9-9. Mansfield was quickly able to reverse Hiett, and then held on for a white-knuckle 11-10 triumph.

The powerful Spartans fielded three state place-winners, led by Jake Love at 130. Love, a Class AA runner-up at 125 last year, pinned Simon Asay in 4:31. At 112, Sentinel's Cliff Evans posted a major decision over Steve Emge, 14-2. Evans placed fourth at state last year. Justin Mikkola, who also took fourth, got the best of Capital's Caleb Spangler at 140 pounds, 18-5.

CHS' Kyle Emge had a tough kid at 152, and held his own versus Josh Seeberger, dropping a respectable 9-4 decision.

Capital had to forfeit four matches.

Two weeks ago, at the Polson Invitational, the Spartans finished second behind defending AA champion Flathead by a mere three points.

"We were a little short-handed tonight, but Sentinel is a great team," Bruins coach James Sheridan said. "I thought the main positive of the match is that we wrestled well on the top. We have a lot of work to do, but we'll get better."

Reporter Curt Synness: 449-2150 or curt52s@bresnan.net

Missoula Sentinel 62, Capital High 12

98 - Brandon Edwards (MS) won forfeit; 105 - Alex Markle (CHS) dec. Luke Davenport (MS), 5-0; 112 - Cliff Evans (MS) maj. dec. Steve Emge (CHS), 14-2; 119 - David Marne (MS) won forfeit; 125 - Kyle Webster (CHS) pinned Jeff Meier (MS), 5:48; 130 - Jake Love (MS) pinned Simon Asay (CHS), 4:31; 135 - Maverick Mansfield (CHS) dec. Joey Hiett (MS), 11-10; 140 - Justin Mikkola (MS) dec. Caleb Spangler (CHS), 18-5; 145 - Josh Seeberger (MS) dec. Kyle Emge (CHS), 9-4; 152 - Eli Kindred (MS) dec. Pat Legg (CHS), 2-0; 160 - Josh Hamilton (MS) won forfeit; 171 - Tanen Doty (MS) won forfeit; 189 - Jace Prideaux (MS) pinned Silas Easterling (CHS), :37; 215 - Bentley Alsup (MS) pinned Nick Alamia (CHS), 1:34; Hvwt - Burton Schilling (MS) pinned Tom Larson (CHS), 1:28.