Two-headed Badger wins at 152

POCATELLO, Idaho – Wrestling your teammate for the state championship might sound like a good deal.

For Bonners Ferry’s Adam Hall, the moment was bittersweet.

Hall prevailed in his 152-pound title match Saturday to secure his third consecutive state title, but he had to knock off Badgers teammate Ken Swift to do it.

“It was tough, because I wanted Kenny to win it as much as I wanted to win it,” Hall said. “That’s the hard thing about wrestling a teammate in the final.”

Swift, a junior, will have another chance to win it next year. While Hall was his usual dominating self, Swift was able to score some rare points on his comrade, and was pleased with his performance in the title match.

“I was just looking to score some points on him, and that’s what I did,” Swift said. “If I have to lose to anybody, I want it to be Adam Hall.”

Swift’s reversal during the match was a rare instance of Hall allowing points.

“I didn’t give him those points,” Hall said. “He earned them. Kenny’s going to be tough next year.”

In addition to Hall, BF 140-pounder David Hayes brought home an individual title. Swift, Jozef Musial (171) and Jared Stone (275) finished as state runners-up, and 189-pound Don Dinning brought home a third-place medal for the Badgers, who finished third overall in the 3A competition.

“I thought it was an outstanding effort,” Badgers coach Conrad Garner said. “I felt like we wrestled really well this weekend. Weiser and American Falls brought more kids than us this year, but we still hung in there. I’m proud of the way we wrestled.”

In all, six of the Badgers’ 10 state wrestlers came away with medals.

Bonners Ferry had a combined team score of 157.5. American Falls took first place with 203.5, and Weiser was second with 162.5.

In addition to the six medals and team trophy, Garner was honored as the 3A coach of the year, as voted on by his fellow coaches. It is the second time Garner has won the award in his tenure at Bonners Ferry.

“It’s a great honor because it’s voted on by your peers,” Garner said. “I feel like it’s a great accomplishment, and I am thankful that my peers think highly of our program.”

With four medalists coming back next year, the Badgers should once again be among the best teams in the state. But one grappler who won’t be coming back is Hall, a senior who has signed on to wrestle at Boise State University.

“Adam is an outstanding kid and an outstanding wrestler, period,” Garner said. “It has been a pleasure to coach him.”

Hall ends his career as the only three-time champion in Bonners Ferry history, having won the last 121 matches of his career.

In other 3A action, Kellogg’s Michael Ryan gave Homedale’s Jeremy Ensley a run for his money, but was pinned late in the third round. Ryan finished as runner-up at 119 as Ensley won his fourth consecutive state championship.

Heavyweight Steven Frank also medaled for Kellogg with a sixth-place finish.

St. Maries had three medalists, including Logan Sheldon at 160, Kyle Joiner at 171 and Caleb Cox at 189.

Priest River had two wrestlers make it to the final day. Kelly Miller was a runner-up at 145, and Richie Morales finished fifth at 140.

Timberlake had a pair in final-day action. Patrick Neal placed at 125, and Matt Anderson brought home a medal at 135.