Top Seeds Advance At State
State wrestling
The top seeds from North Idaho advanced into the quarterfinals in first-round action Thursday at the state high school wrestling tournaments at Idaho State University’s Holt Arena in Pocatello.
In the A-1 tourney, Lewiston and Moscow tied for the most opening-round winners with five.
Sandpoint was next with four.
In the A-2 tourney, Lakeland carried the Intermountain League’s banner by advancing seven into this morning’s quarterfinals. St. Maries and Bonners Ferry each had four winners.
A-1
Top seeds Aristo Arana of Post Falls, Tony Hook and Jake Rosholt of Sandpoint and Todd Drage of Moscow had easy openers.
Arana remained undefeated by pinning Ethan Bailey of Minico in 1:15 at 215 pounds. Arana will meet Greg Strange of Eagle today. Strange needed just 17 seconds to pin Lake City’s Mike Varni.
Rosholt, trying to win back-to-back state titles, pinned Jordan Resnick of Eagle in 1:10. Rosholt will take on Brett Hammond of Nampa who won by forfeit.
Drage also won by pin, stopping James Ward of Highland in 1:49.
Hook, a sophomore, scored a 19-4 technical fall over Brevic Landon of Skyline. Hook will take on Jeremy Poland of Mountain Home. Poland won a 7-5 decision in overtime against Brian Jackson of Caldwell.
Coeur d’Alene senior Carl Thompson, third-seeded at 140, pinned Matt Taylor of Hillcrest with 23 seconds left. Thompson will take on Miller McMillen of Twin Falls. McMillen scored a 4-1 win over C.J. Larson of Mountain Home.
Other local winners were: Zach Thompson of Moscow and Jon Bake of Lewiston at 103; Chad Jennings of Post Falls, Luke Rinebold of Lewiston and second-seed Kevin Spangler of Moscow, all at 112; Jeremy Swam of Lewiston at 119; Ben Laufenberg of Lewiston at 125; B.J. Sorbel of Moscow at 135; Reggie Ross of Sandpoint at 140; freshman Jason Cates of Sandpoint and Seth Merickel of Moscow at 152; Joe Forsman of Lewiston at 171; and Lars Tajada of LC at 215.
One round of consolation matches were held in the evening.
Heavily favored Blackfoot led after the first round with 34.5 points. Skyline was next with 21 and Lewiston and Moscow were tied for third with 16.
A-2
Top seeds Casey Phelps and Sky Pruitt of Lakeland both won by pin.
Phelps, a junior at 189, flattened Dale Purdy of American Falls at 3:41 of the second period. Pruitt, a sophomore heavyweight, stopped Robert Strong of Payette with 7 seconds left in the first period.
Junior James Bush of Kellogg, seeded second at 130, scored a 16-1 technical fall over Luis Delapena of Payette.
Other winners were: Justin Brazill of Lakeland at 103; Brady Spurway of Lakeland at 112; Charlie Skinner of St. Maries, Bryce Olberding of Kellogg and Mike Gross of Bonners Ferry, all at 119; Clint Leonard of Lakeland and Randy Poerier of Priest River at 125; Ted Leonard of Lakeland at 135; Jake Hatfield of Priest River and Jon Madden of Bonners Ferry at 140; Dylan Steigemeier of Lakeland and Kevin Moore of St. Maries at 145; Aaron Corbin of Bonners Ferry at 152; Mica Kunkel of St. Maries at 160; J.B. Plato of Bonners Ferry and Ryland Wood of Priest River at 171; and Mike Boller of St. Maries at 189.