Ep. 2 of ‘Earned Not Given:’ It’s more than wrestling for Montague — it’s family

MONTAGUE — Girls and boys in Montague’s wrestling program are more than just wrestlers.

Through shared sacrifice, they become more like sisters and brothers. They’re family.

In Episode 2 of CatchMark SportsNet’s three-part video series title “Earned Not Given: Lady Mat Cats, On and Off the Mat,” we examine bonds between the Lady Mat Cats and the Wildcat boys wrestlers and their coaches.

Five Lady Mat Cats and two boys wrestlers will be representing Montague at the Michigan High School Athletic Association individual state finals Friday and Saturday (March 1-2, 2024) at Ford Field in Detroit.

Regional champion Ava Pelton will be joined by Emma Pendell, Savannah Winkleblack, Abby Thommen, and Trisha Beckman at the individual state finals for the Lady Mat Cats.

Jimmy Thommen and Christopher Aebig are headed to Ford Field, repping the Montague boys wrestlers.

In Episode 2, titled “Perspective,” we introduce Pelton and freshman Zaniya Meza and you’ll also see interviews with girls coach Andrew Nold, boys wrestlers Thommen and Aebig, as well as head coach Kris Maddox. Interviews with Maddox and Abby Thommen are particularly heartfelt.

In the first episode, we introduced Maddox and the Lady Mat Cats’ four seniors: Beckman, Thommen, Winkleblack, and Pendell. We shed light on how they got into wrestling, why they continue to do it, and how empowering it is. You may watch Episode 1 at the bottom of this story.

Watch Episode 2 in the video at the top of this story.