G-Prep’s Strategy Sets Up Showdown Against Cv

Prep wrestling

Gonzaga Prep’s Peter Foltz made a prophet of his coach and assured a match between Greater Spokane League wrestling unbeatens next week.

Prep edged Mead 34-32 and will host Central Valley, a 49-24 winner over Shadle Park, for undisputed first place. Both teams have 5-0 league records.

Elsewhere it was: Ferris 50, North Central 25; University 43, Lewis and Clark 19; and Rogers 49, Mount Spokane 18.

Prior to Thursday night’s match against the Panthers, G-Prep coach Phil McLean had said his team would need a 13-point lead going into the final two weight classes.

Foltz lost 1-0 to Chris Mattingly on a stall point in his 190-pound encounter, keeping Prep ahead 34-20, which was an insurmountable lead and nearly the point differential McLean envisioned for the final two matches.

“Coach told me just not to get turned and make it a match,” said Foltz.

Said McLean, “the goal obviously was not to get pinned and win the dual, but he forgot to go after it.”

Critical to Gonzaga Prep’s victory were earlier pins by Tim Ulmen and Sean Malone at 135 and 141 pounds, respectively.

Ulmen faced a stubborn Brandon Wichman, who refused to be turned until a second remained in the second period.

Malone followed with a cradle move that ended his match against Keith Riddle with just 32 seconds remaining. He was leading 12-7 at the time.

“We just got outcoached,” said Panthers coach Scott Bliss. “I thought we were in the driver’s seat when Jesse McCarty won. Phil made the moves at (135) and (141) and that’s what beat us.”

Both Ulmen and Malone are 135-pounders, although Malone has wrestled at a heavier weight on occasion.

“I didn’t know who I was going to wrestle,” said Ulmen. “Wherever coach stuck me I’d just go out there and go after it.”

The match began in lightning fashion, with the score tied 6-6 after just over a minute of wrestling.

Then Bullpup Chris Montgomery prevailed over Mark Denholm in a match between state placers.

McCarty followed with a major decision.

Mead followed with another major decision for a 14-9 lead before Ulmen and Malone turned the tide.

Three straight wins between 158 and 178 pounds put Gonzaga up by 17 points, and Foltz made sure Mead didn’t get the three straight pins necessary to spoil next week’s showdown with CV.

“It ended the way I had hoped,” said McLean, “just because it makes for a neat event. It will be quite a spectacle in the Prep gym, a packed house I’m sure.”

At Central Valley, five pins and a technical fall in the first seven matches lifted the Bears to a 35-6 lead against Shadle Park (1-4). CV’s Jesse Gehrett (190) defeated Jeremy McVay 9-8 on a takedown with 22 seconds left.

At Ferris, all but one match was lopsided as the Saxons (3-2) defeated North Central (1-4).

At Lewis and Clark, University’s Tyler Cosby had an escape with 30 seconds left to defeat Justin Schreck 6-5 at 129, and U-Hi’s Conor Jordan (141) edged Derek Johnson 3-2 at 141 with a third-round escape to help the Titans (3-2) defeat the Tigers (1-4). LC’s Dan Cowger upset Ben Osborn 8-1 at 148.

At Mount Spokane, Rogers’ Ben Houk (108), Kris Clarke (148), Brandon Lang (168) and Danny Gonzales (215) got pins to guide the Pirates (3-2) over the Wildcats (0-5).

Great Northern League

Tim Weisser defeated Jesse Moroni 5-2 at 122 in a matchup of returning state placers and visiting Lakeside defeated Medical Lake 55-12 as the 1996-97 Northeast A co-champions opened league competition.

Elsewhere, Riverside defeated Deer Park 46-34 and Colville stopped Newport 69-9.

Pins by Spenser Murphy at 178 and Damen Tokarz at 190 pulled Riverside into a 34-all tie, and DP forfeited the match at 215.

Colville had nine pins in its win.

, DataTimes