SPORTS

Teammates remember Chinook wrestler killed in crash

Grady Higgins
ghiggins@greatfallstribune.com
Valier coach Erik Watson wears an armband honoring Jesse Dannels’ memory during the MHSA State Championships quarterfinals in the Billings MetraPark on Friday. Dannels was killed in a car crash earlier in the week.

An understandable sadness is seen in their eyes whenever his name is brought up.

Yet, none can seem to hold back a smile when they talk about Jesse Dannels.

Dannels, a football and wrestling standout for Chinook, died in car crash Sunday at only 18 years of age, sending shock waves not only throughout the community but the region.

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Teammate Jake Norby, who has played sports with Dannels since the third grade, remembers him as someone who simply had an enthusiasm for life.

“He always has the biggest smile,” Norby said. “He cheers everybody up. He’s the biggest jokester and gave our teachers a hard time,” he said with a laugh.

“He’d do anything to make your day better. He was one of my best friends.”

Veteran Chinook head wrestling coach Perry Miller remembers Dannels fondly.

Chinook Coach Perry Miller talks to Tate Niederegger after winning his quarterfinal match during the MHSA State Championships in the Billings MetraPark on Friday.

“He was just a great, great kid,” Miller said. “People always say that, but he really was such a great kid. It’s just a tragedy. We’re just hoping to help his family through it.”

Dannels was a key player on the Sugarbeeters’ state championship team this fall and finished second Feb. 6 at the Northern B-C Divisional Tournament, on a Chinook wrestling squad that is looking to defend its Class C title at the All-Class State Wrestling Tournament in Billings, which started Friday and concludes Saturday.

It’s plain, however, that Dannels’ impact on his teammates and community transcended any field or any wrestling mat.

“It’s making things a lot tougher, to go out and do what we would normally do,” said friend and teammate Tate Niederegger, who looks to defend his state championship in Billings this weekend for Chinook. “It means a lot more now, though.

Chinook’s Tate Niederegger battles Libby’s Laine Young during the MHSA State Championships quarterfinals in the Billings MetraPark on Friday.

“We want to do it for Jesse, at this point.”

“It goes much deeper than wrestling,” Norby added. “Sure, we’d like to go out and win and people talk about the football state championship and wrestling, and how good of an athlete he was, but it’s more than that. He’s our brother.”

A moment of silence was held in honor of Dannels prior to the start of the state tournament on Friday, and countless athletes, coaches and spectators, Sugarbeeter and foe alike, were seen wandering the Metra donning either an orange “182” (Dannels’ weight class) ribbon, a “Remember Jesse Dannels” armband and several other shows of support.

“Jesse was just that guy,” Niederegger said. “There was never a dull moment with him.

“He was the guy you wanted to be around.”