Prep wrestling: Mead, Central Valley share District 8 4A title
Phil McLean didn’t like his team’s start Friday in the District 8 4A wrestling tournament at Mt. Spokane High School.
The Mead coach, though, appreciated the Panthers’ finish Saturday – which was in a tie with Greater Spokane League champion Central Valley.
In one of the tightest finishes in some time, Mead and Central Valley finished with 322.5 points each to share the district championship. University took third with 308.
“We have a good young team and when you have guys at every weight at a district tournament it’s going to help you where it might not next week when it thins out down the road,” McLean said. “This was really good considering Friday wasn’t a good.”
The top three in each weight advance to regionals Saturday against the Big Nine and Mid-Columbia conferences at U-Hi. The top four there move on to state.
In the District 8 3A tournament, Mt. Spokane ran away from the other three teams, finishing with 355.5 points. North Central was second (264) and Rogers (234.5) third.
The top four in each weight earned berths to regionals Saturday at Hanford High School. The top four there advance to state.
4A: CV, which takes most of any team to regionals (12), had nine in the finals with teammates going against each other at 120 pounds.
The Bears had six champions – Bryce Gardner (120), Bryson Beard (126), Bridger Beard (132), Gage Connole (138), Braedon Orrino (145) and Zach Stratton (160).
Bridger Beard, a junior who was fourth at state last year, scored a minor upset when he topped Cam Sorensen of U-Hi 4-1. Sorensen is a two-time state finalist.
After losing to Sorensen 1-0 in a dual last week, Beard knew he could bounce back. Sorensen, who chose down in the second period, got an escape for a 1-0 lead.
In the previous match, Beard chose neutral because he wasn’t sure he could get out from underneath Sorenson if he went down. But Beard took down to start the third period.
With 45 seconds to go, Beard rolled into a reversal and added two back points to secure the win.
Beard and Sorensen could meet again next week and the week after at state.
“I knew he was tough on top and I didn’t want to take a chance to go to my back,” Beard said of the earlier match. “This match I knew I could get away. We worked on it a lot.”
When a reversal presented itself, Beard struck.
“I know when I’m in that situation I’m good at it,” Beard said. “I saw an opportunity and took it.”
Mead had three champs: freshman Chase Tebbets (106), Christian Hunter (152) and Trevor Senn (170).
U-Hi also had three champs in Terrell Sanders (113), defending state champ Levi Meinzinger (182) and Clayton Fincher (220).
Lewis and Clark had the final two champs. They were Jermaine Ducham, who upset Tyler Rickel 13-7 at 195, and heavyweight Noah Buckley.
First-year CV coach Shaun Williams was pleased overall.
“We came in the tournament with 20 guys, we placed 15 of them and we qualified 12 for the regional tournament,” Williams said. “You can’t ask for anything more. I thought we did our job. There were a couple of matches that we left out there that probably could have won the whole thing for us.”
3A: Mt. Spokane coach Travis Hughes was impressed with the quality.
“It was a tough tournament,” Hughes said. “There were four good teams there. I was excited about our younger guys. There were a couple matches in the finals that didn’t go well. But you can’t complain about getting 20 guys through.”
Mt. Spokane had four champs. They were Blake Haney (106), Jake Howerton (120), Morgan Ruegsegger (160) and Jake Sander (182).
NC moved 13 to regionals including five champs – Clayton Gilliam (113), Clai Quintanilla (126), Cameron Bowerman (145), Bryan Wais (152) and Tom Blake (195).
Rogers advanced 12 with four champs: Edward Smith (132), Marcus Phillips (138), Timo Harter-Lupesoli (220) and heavyweight Marcus Robinson.
Shadle had one champ, TJ Trout (170), and will take 10 to regionals.
In a matchup of defending state champs, Quintanilla stopped Alec Hoover of Mt. Spokane 3-1. Quintanilla had a first-period takedown and an escape in the second.
“I wasn’t really pleased,” Quintanilla said. “I’m always looking to dominate and looking to get the majors (decisions) and the (technical falls). I get bummed out every time I end with decisions.”
In an entertaining final, Rogers’ Smith defeated Andrew Hoover of Mt. Spokane 6-1. Smith got a takedown with 45 seconds remaining along with three back points.
“I’ve been working so hard trying to reach my dream to win state,” Smith said. “I want to make it reality this year.”
2A: At East Valley, the host Knights captured the District 7 title with 261.5 points. Defending state champ Clarkston was next with 245 and Cheney (188.5) was third.
The top three in each weight move on to regionals next weekend at West Valley.
Clarkston had six champs: Dalton Port (106), Jordan Welch (113), Spencer Clegg (120), Tanner Benton (132), Hunter Sisemore (182) and Dylan Beeler (195).
Beeler scored a 9-1 major decision over Devon Waterman of Cheney.
EV had three champs: Randy McDonald (126), Logan Sundheim (138) and Trey Meyer (170).
Cheney also had three champs: Cameron Wisemore (145), Michael Ferguson (220) and heavyweight Garrett Pederson.
WV had two champs in Drake Ferguson (152) and Quintin Stansbury (160).
1A: At Medical Lake, Colville captured the team title with 290 points, holding off Deer Park (285) and defending state champ Freeman (282).
The top six in each weight advance to regionals next weekend at Colville.
Colville had four champs in Trevor Morrison (106), Trent Baun (113), Ryley Smith (170) and Zack Pieper (182).
DP had the most champs with five. They were Seth Hoog (120), Brent Hodgson (138), Tysen Jorgensen (145), Dean Lockwood (152) and Trevor Eicher (220), who won with a pin in seven seconds.
Freeman had two champs in Sebastian Hyta (195) and heavyweight Peyton Smetana.
Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls) had two champs in Dalton Young (132) and Garrett Brown (160).
Matthew Crise (126) was Chewelah’s lone champ.
Idaho: Three North Idaho wrestlers won matches in the second annual Hall of Fame Classic at Meridian.
Casey Randles of Sandpoint won at 182 with a technical fall.
Post Falls had two winners in Ridge Lovett (98) and Matt McLeod (120).