Editor's note: MTN Sports is featuring a Midland Roundtable Athlete of the Year finalist nightly leading into this year's awards banquet Monday, May 12 at 7 p.m. at the Billings Hotel and Convention Center. Ten graduating seniors (five boys, five girls) in the Billings area are nominated annually by coaches and activities directors. Roundtable members — a group of longtime sports enthusiasts in Billings — have then voted on one male and one female winner since 1989. In rare instances, the award has been shared.)
BILLINGS — When it comes to sports, Zach Morse has a one-track mind. He tried baseball, basketball, and football but found his true calling in wrestling, starting at a young age and watching older competitors for inspiration.
" Around (age) six or seven I started wrestling, and I think a couple years after that, I started watching stuff because I wanted to be like them,” Morse said.
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He doesn't just aspire to be like them; he's better than most of them. In a February state title match, he secured his place as a four-time high school champion. Only 42 wrestlers in Montana have ever accomplished that feat. Additionally, Morse helped his team, the Bears, achieve a three-peat in the state championships. Just as important, he got to take a break from cutting weight for a while.
"I'm eating good. I'm eating a lot, but I'm eating healthy — a lot of protein shakes, a lot of chicken, and a lot of burger," he said.
When asked if he ever gets "hangry," there was no hesitation. “Yeah, I do. When I have to cut (weight), but I haven’t been hangry for a while," he laughed.
That likely because he’s feasted on so much competition, leading to a next-level wrestling opportunity at Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota.
His high school record stands at an impressive 146-10, thanks in large part to Bears' coach Jeremy Hernandez.
“He’s the best coach ever. It’s really great," Morse said. "Yeah, he’s really intense, but he cares for us a lot. He’s a good coach in the sense that he knows who you are as a person and knows how to work with you on a personal level."
Last year at the Midland Roundtable's Athlete of the Year banquet, Zach had a seat waiting at the coach’s table.
"I got invited ... but went to the wrong place, so I missed it. Coach was so mad at me," he recalled, shaking his head with a sheepish grin.
Even Coach will admit you can’t blame a guy for putting in the effort.
Midland Roundtable Athlete of the Year
2025 Female finalists: Grace Curnow (West), Dani Jordan (Lockwood), Leela Ormsby (Senior), Rae Smart (Skyview), Becca Washington (Senior).
2025 Male finalists: Malachi Claunch (West), Jack DeBourg (Cenetral), Ryan Dierenfield (Skyview), Zach Morse (West), Ryder Murdock (Senior).
For banquet information, contact Kory Loberg at KoryL@universalawards.net. Tickets are $40 for individual and $300 for a table of eight.
