Pascoe And Stark Strike Gold Lakeland And Priest River Wrestlers Top Off Impressive Day For Iml
Intermountain League wrestlers didn’t pick up a wheelbarrow-load of medals, but the majority of the ones they acquired Saturday in the final day of the State A-2 tournament were colorful.
As in gold and silver.
Lakeland senior Nathan Pascoe, the winningest wrestler in school history, put a fitting touch on an impressive career by collecting his second straight championship.
Pascoe, perhaps the strongest A-2 wrestler, manhandled Stephan Morley of Middleton 14-7 in a battle of undefeated wrestlers at 171 pounds.
The IML’s other champion also became his school’s first-ever state titlist.
Priest River junior Jake Stark, seeded sixth, shut out Ted Larsen of Kuna 6-0 for the championship at 140.
In the race for the team championship, powerhouse Sugar-Salem posted 195.5 points for its second straight title and fourth in the last six years. Weiser was second with 158.5 and Snake River took third with 115.
Lakeland finished 23 points out of a trophy at seventh (77) and Priest River tied for 10th with Soda Springs (61). St. Maries was 14th (53), Kellogg was 19th (29) and Bonners Ferry 23rd (19.5).
Four IML wrestlers placed second.
Stark’s teammate, Quinton Holbrook, fell behind early and couldn’t recover in a 12-4 setback to Sugar-Salem’s Tyler Schwendiman at 135.
Pascoe’s brother, Travis, a freshman, ran into a defending champion and seasoned senior in Kuna’s Sam Eckhart, who stuck the younger Pascoe in 57 seconds at 145.
In between the Pascoes was teammate Sean Barnhart at 152. Barnhart also fell victim to a better wrestler as Weiser’s Matt Cobb pinned him in 3:30.
The IML’s final hope for a state championship, 189-pound senior Tyrel Hendrix of Kellogg, fell to Ty Matthews of Jerome in a score more appropriate for football, 32-20.
The match, in fact, had the flavor of a football game. Hendrix fell behind early 14-4 and had to start throwing bombs. Or, in wrestling parlance, he had to go for quick takedowns and allow escapes to rally.
In so doing, Hendrix got caught a couple of times by Matthews.
Nathan Pascoe was particularly pleased that he wrestled well after what he termed a poor effort in the semifinals.
“All last night and all day I was thinking about things I missed (in the semifinals),” said Pascoe, who finished 28-0 for the season and recorded 113 career victories.
“I just put it all together,” Pascoe said. “I had my toughest matches since Tri-State (where he won). I knew it was going to be a battle.”
The Pascoe legacy will continue with Travis, who posted a 28-5 record this season.
“I’m so proud of him,” Nathan said. “He’s as good as a state champion”
Lakeland coach Mark Johnson was as proud of Travis as he was Nathan. And Barnhart for that matter.
“Nathan wrestled a very good match, a very tactical match against a wrestler who hadn’t been beaten,” Johnson said. “That’s a tall order, but he dominated the match and never let his opponent have anything.”
Johnson was emotional about the losses by the other two finalists.
“I’m disappointed. Your heart breaks when they lose,” Johnson said. “As a coach you’re with them, you wrestle the match with them. When they get beat it breaks your heart.”
Priest River’s Stark put his name in school history - and it’s right at the top. He plans to defend his title next year.
He had to wrestle the final moments of his match in obvious duress. He took a heel in the groin. It was the second time it happened in the tournament, and he was still doubled over well after the match.
“I didn’t expect to do too well after I lost at districts and finished second,” said Stark, who was the school’s first district champ two years ago. “But I just came back and gave it my all. It’s really cool to be the (first state champ).”
Seven years ago wrestling was started at Priest River. Spartans coach Ed Arvin relished Stark’s win.
“Everybody keeps telling me that after you get your first one they come easier,” Arvin said, smiling. “I don’t know. We’re just going to keep working hard.”
Other IML placers were: Travis Duffey of St. Maries (103, fourth); heavyweight Jack Allman of St. Maries (fourth); Winter Braden of Bonners Ferry (125, fifth); Rodney Hill of St. Maries (189, fifth); and Lucas Blaine of Priest River (119, sixth).
, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo