March 17 and 18, nine Malad Brothers of Steel wrestlers competed at the Cradle for the Cure tournament at the Ford Center in Nampa, Idaho.  The Cradle for the Cure wrestling tournament is a fundraising tournament put on by Cougar Wrestling Club to bring awareness and raise money for a different form of cancer each year. Since the tournament’s beginning, over $30,000 has been raised in support of youth wrestling and families affected by cancer. This year 1400 wrestlers competed in the tournament to help raise funds for the fight against leukemia. 

The tournament began Friday when the youngest of the wrestlers battled it out for the custom medals and singlets awarded to the top placers of each bracket. From Malad, Lily Blaisdell took 1st in her bracket, winning the champion singlet and medal.  Kyler Blaisdell brought home the 2nd place medal and Zach Ward took 6th at the tournament. 

Saturday the remaining brackets took their turn on the mat, including eight wrestlers from Malad.  Rustin Montgomery won the 95lb bracket in the 9/10 year old division, earning Montgomery the Idaway Triple Crown award for the 2023 season. The triple crown is an honor won by wrestlers that win their bracket at three of the toughest Idaway tournaments of the season. Rustin won the triple crown backpack as well as the tournament champion singlet and medal. 

Bentley Maddox took 1st place in the 9/10 year old 90lb bracket.  Riggin Montgomery won the true 2nd medal in his bracket. Oakley Maddox double bracketed in the tournament, wrestling in both the middle school 140 weight class, where he won 1st place, and the high school 138lb class, where he won 4th place.  Blaiz Wright competed in the Junior/Senior high school bracket, winning 5th place.  This was the first Idaho tournament Jase Blaisdell competed in, wrestling extremely tough and gaining valuable experience.  

Also wrestling over the weekend were two lady Dragons. Wrestling at the Fremont tournament in Utah both Cambree Howe and Dezirae Haven represented Malad wrestling. Both ladies wrestled incredibly well and brought home medals. Friday was the Folkstyle tournament. Dezirae Haven won 2nd and Cambree Howe took 3rd. Saturday Dezirae competed in her 1st freestyle tournament and won the 4th place medal.