U-Hi Takes Lead Without Injured State Champ

Prep wrestling

Despite the absence of a state champion, University took the team lead Friday after the first day of the District 8-AAA wrestling tournament at Mead High School.

The Titans, Greater Spokane League champions for the first time, scored 113.5 points - 10 more than the host Panthers, who won district last year.

U-Hi competed without defending state champ Andy Roberts, the top seed at 122 pounds. Roberts broke his left thumb Wednesday while practicing with older brother Dusty. The U-Hi sophomore, who sought the advice of at least three doctors, is finished for the season.

Rogers scored 94 points to take a narrow lead for third place over Gonzaga Prep, which tallied 93.5. Central Valley (86) is fifth.

The tourney resumes today, with matches starting at 8 a.m. Finals are expected at 7 p.m.

Most weights went as expected, with the top four seeds advancing after two rounds.

Top-four seeds lost just seven matches. G-Prep pulled three of the upsets, with Ryan Malone (141), Wendell Smith (168) and Dave Rucker (190) knocking off high seeds.

In the biggest upsets, CV’s Shane Yackel (148) pinned No. 2 Corey Laughary of Shadle, and U-Hi’s Mike Clark (190) defeated CV’s second-seeded Justin Linerud, 6-2.

Class AA: Defending champ East Valley took a narrow lead after one round of the District 7-AA tournament at Pullman.

The Knights, Frontier League champions, scored 34 to the 31 of West Valley and 30.5 of Clarkston. Pullman (27.5) and Cheney (27) are right behind.

All No. 1 seeds advanced. EV pulled upsets over second seeds, with Gary Adamson (101) defeating Cheney’s Joel Stewart 13-7 and Jeremy Smith (122) beating Colville’s Denali Velikanje 10-6.

Ben Gecas (168) of host Pullman defeated second-seeded Ben Miller of Colville 4-1.