Wrestling Under the Lights: Keith Pierce Memorial Folkstyle Tournament set for August 5

The Wrestling Under the Lights: 2023 Keith Pierce Memorial Folkstyle Tournament is scheduled for Saturday, August 5, at the Three Forks High School Football Field.

According to Shaun Hungerford, proceeds from the fourth-annual tournament will go to the Keith Pierce Memorial Scholarship fund, which is given yearly to a graduating senior with ties to the Southwest Montana Little Guy Wrestling Program.

Wrestling is set to begin at 6 p.m., and admission is $7 or $5 for students. There is no charge for children under five. Divisions in the USA Wrestling Sanctioned event include 6U, 8U, 10U, 12U, 14U, 16U, and Juniors for both boys and girls. Registration is available at http://www.trackwrestling.com and will run until August 4 at 5 p.m. The cost to enter is $10.

While Hungerford said the turnout for the event hosted by the Headwaters Wrestling Club and Friends of Three Forks Wrestling has been okay the past few years, but with the event's timing, many people are busy.

One boon for attendance at the 2023 Tournament will be a 30 Guns in 30 Minutes Raffle. Hungerford said the proceeds from the raffle would help buy a new wrestling mat and, hopefully a wrestling room.

Before last year's event, Hungerford discussed the unique opportunity provided by the tournament.

"The kids enjoy wrestling outside. Usually, wrestling happens in the winter, and there aren't many opportunities to wrestle in an outdoor setting. I think wrestling under the lights is a pretty cool concept. Everyone that has come to it in the past has always said they will come back the next year," he said.