Frontier Trio Tie For Title

Prep wrestling

Cheney found no answer to Colville’s pinners who forced a three-way Frontier League championship tie.

The Indians - by virtue of their stunning 45-24 victory - Cheney and Clarkston finished 2-1 in league.

Clarkston forged its share of the title with a 42-28 victory over winless West Valley in its season finale.

“In a dual meet, you can’t give up six points,” said Cheney coach Aaron Mason.

But the Blackhawks did, six times, including three successive pins from 112 through 125 pounds by Jon Wasson, Chase Gotham and Josh Struck.

They got momentum going,” said Mason. “You’ve got to commend them for that. They were a better team than us tonight.”

Colville was coming off a tough 37-31 loss to Clarkston in a match decided by a pin at 275 pounds.

Coach Mike Jutila, although saying his team matched up better against Cheney, was surprised by the margin of victory.

“I really didn’t thing we could beat them quite like this,” he said.

Pins at 171 and 215, the latter by Pat Flanagan who trailed 7-0 at the time, were icing on the cake.

Two close victories, 3-2 by Tim Slater over Steve Rasmussen at 140 pounds and 15-13 by James Divis over Will Courchaine, hurt the Blackhawks.

“We’ll take a three-way tie,” said Slater.

Clarkston didn’t shake West Valley until the middle weights when the Bantams won six straight for a 43-13 lead.

Eagles Luke Roberts, by decision, and Travis Collins and Adam Aldendorf, by pin, closed the gap.

The stage is set for Thursday’s Great Northern League season-ending showdown when unbeaten Lakeside travels to once-beaten Medical Lake.

The Cardinals match up well against the Eagles and, though they lost to Riverside early in the year, have a chance to force a three-way title tie.

In Tuesday night matches, the Eagles won 13 of 14 matches, 11 by pin or technical fall, to rout Pullman 77-6. Pullman’s points came on a double forfeit.

Medical Lake gave up three pins but little else in a 48-21 win over Newport. Included was Josh Cruger’s major decision in a pivotal 152-pound match and freshman Ryan Fitzpatrick’s pin at 140 while filling in for an injured teammate.

Six forfeits were too many for Chewelah to overcome in its 45-29 loss to Riverside. Among the Rams’ three victories was Casey Bullen’s 9-7 win over Phil Eggleston. Bullen scored four points early and held on.