Solid Field Lakeside, Riverside And Medical Lake Expected To Lead Pack

Lakeside has pretty much been a sure thing when it comes to winning Great Northern League wrestling championships.

But, say coaches, there are no sure things in this year’s GNL.

“The cards and moon are going to have to be aligned,” said Riverside coach Randy Miller. “It’s going to be match-for-match, point for point.”

The Eagles beat the Rams who beat Medical Lake. Most coaches figure it’ll be among those three for the title.

Deer Park had but four seniors in its starting lineup last year. Chewelah is tournament tough and Newport has several experienced wrestlers, but they are young.

“I think the league is back pretty solid which is actually a good thing,” said Lakeside coach Scott Jones. “I like it when the league is really competitive.”

Lakeside’s strength is in the weights from 152 pounds and lower. Riverside’s strength is from 152 on up. Medical Lake is balanced throughout.

The good news is that the GNL gets three wrestlers per weight to state, up one from last year.

“Last year two was fine,” said Miller. “This year it would be a crime to send just two.”

Eagles have tradition to uphold

Perennially a top-five state finisher with two titles over the past three years, Lakeside’s wrestlers have tradition to uphold.

And Kris Matthews is on a personal mission as well.

“Obviously his goal is to get a third state title,” said Jones.

If he does, he will be ranked first all-time among Lakeside’s top-10 wrestlers based upon career accomplishments. And that’s an illustrious list.

Matthews is one of five returning state veterans. The others are fourth-placer Austin Laughery, Jason Nees, who was sixth, Justin Belyea and Josh Austin.

The team also has nine other wrestlers who competed at regional last year.

“We have a pretty good nucleus coming back,” said Jones. “The way I rank a state tournament on returning points, statistically I have us either second or third.”

Which could bode well in Lakeside’s quest for its fifth straight league title and seventh in the last eight years.

Rams continue to make strides

Riverside’s wrestling program is in its second incarnation under Randy Miller, who returned from Royal City last year.

He calls the team, which was 5-1 in the GNL last year, “Red Storm Rising.” The Rams bring back 16 wrestlers with district tournament experience.

“I took most of the team back to Alabama last summer,” said Miller. “They really got a lot more focused than usual wrestling those national kids. It helped out a lot.”

Riverside has back five state veterans, including fourth-place finisher Spencer Murphy and seventh-placer Mike Norton.

Also back are James Nuesse at 275, Dustin Busse at 215 and Adam Morris, now at 160.

Miller also pointed toward the improvement of Kevin Bradford-Parish as an indicator of what to expect from the Rams.

“We have quite a few seniors who want to go to in style,” he said. “The practices have been more intense this year. Things are more serious.”

Deer Park a veteran lot

Although Deer Park may not be a title contender, the Stags are a veteran group.

Ten district tournament veterans are back, including top-four finishers Kash Kinder, Tye Taylor and Orin Davis.

“We’ve basically got everybody back except our heavyweight,” said coach Steve Meuer. “I think we can rattle a few cages this year.”

Deer Park will field freshmen in the lowest two weights and newcomers in the upper two, but the Stags are two-deep with district veterans in several weights from 125 pounds through 171.