Sandpoint Could Break Through For Idaho
An Idaho team hasn’t won the team title at the Tri-State Wrestling Tournament since Lakeland in 1988.
But Sandpoint, the two-time defending Idaho A-1 champ, could change that trend this week as 38 teams come to Christianson Gym.
The Bulldogs return all 12 state qualifiers from last year. Four are reigning Tri-State champs.
Sandpoint seniors Brett Lawrence at 125 pounds and Trevor Walkington at 135 seek to join an elite group of six previous three-time Tri-State winners.
Bulldogs sophomore Jared Lawrence at 112 and junior Shawn Garner at 130 bid for repeat Tri-State titles.
Fewer than four points have decided the past two team champions, including Moses Lake (Wash.) in 1994 and La Grande (Ore.) in 1993.
“I think Sandpoint has got the kids to carry it through,” Moses Lake coach Ron Seibel said. “We had quite a few that were seniors last year. We’re going to be younger. I give (the team edge) to Sandpoint, from 112 all the way to 152 they are pretty tough.”
The Chiefs, defending Washington AAA champs, return one Tri-State champ in Rees Chlarson who is up one weight at 140. However, Chlarson is just coming back after orthoscopic knee surgery three weeks ago.
La Grande, a distant third last year, has seven wrestlers it will try to seed among the top six in each weight class, including two-time Tri-State runners-up Eric Jorgensen (145) and Shawn O’Rourke (160).
“Sandpoint has got the power in terms of the lower weights,” Tri-State tournament director Bill Pecha said.
“I think (La Grande) would be the possible team to beat Sandpoint, just looking at the lineups,” Pecha added. “You never know in those upper weights. The big tournaments, the teams who’ve got your champs are going to win it. There’s some awful tough kids in (the Bulldogs’) weights.”
Sandpoint actually had six finalists last year, but got no team points throughout from Zach Vaughan competed unattached and was second to teammate Garner. The Bulldogs won’t have that problem this year, as Vaughan is at 119.
Pecha has pared the field down after the record-setting 508 wrestlers in 1994 took 17 hours to complete the first day of the tournament.
“I have to do something to control it,” Pecha explained.
The most interesting fields are at the weights of 112, 135 and 177.
There are two past Tri-State winners at 112, including Jared Lawrence and Walla Walla’s Rich Fraire who won at 103 in 1993. Josh Bales of Capital (Boise) was second to Lawrence at state last year. Polson (Mont.) freshman Pat Owen is 12-1 on the year.
A pair of two-time Idaho and Washington state champions join Walkington as the headliners at 135, including Billy Greene of Lewiston and Jay McGuffin of Cashmere (Wash.). Nate Kron of McMinnville (Ore.) and Zeb Wilson of Lake Stevens (Wash.) are undefeated.
Bonners Ferry senior Justin Pluid, an Idaho A-2 champ, and Otto Olson of Everett, a two-time Washington state champ, top 177. Olson bowed 11-1 in the 1994 Tri-State final to Kole Clauson of Lakeland who was named tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler. xxxx TRI-STATE WRESTLING TOURNEY Where: North Idaho College, Christianson Gymnasium When: Today and Friday First round: Today, 10:30 a.m. Quarterfinals: Tonight, 7 p.m. (follow opening ceremonies) Semifinals: Friday, 12:15 p.m. Championships: Friday, 6 p.m. Admission: All-session passes, adults $12, students $8. Single-session pass, adults $4, students $3.