5 Handle wrestlers win titles
POCATELLO, Idaho – No North Idaho 5A or 3A teams captured trophies, but five individuals won state championships Saturday in the 50th high school wrestling tournament at Idaho State University’s Holt Arena.
In 5A, junior Jeremy Zabel of Coeur d’Alene repeated, winning at 160 pounds; sophomore Tracey Huffman of Lewiston won at 112; and senior Duane Carr of Post Falls was victorious at 189.
In 3A, senior David Hayes of Timberlake had his arm raised at 140 and Bonners Ferry senior Jared Stone captured a title at heavyweight.
Zabel didn’t have any difficulty, shutting out Grayson Stone of Twin Falls with a 9-0 major decision.
“I just wish I could have wrestled Spence Patrick (Mountain View),” Zabel said “He deserved to be in the finals more than (Stone). He got lucky and caught him in the semis. It would have been a helluva battle with Patrick. I knew after he got caught that I had won state pretty much already.”
CdA coach Jeff Moffat was impressed with Zabel.
“Jeremy wrestled a smart, classy match,” Moffat said. “He’s hard to rattle. He was in control the whole match.”
Carr, a transfer from Lakeside of Nine Mile, Wash., was cool as a cucumber well before his final. In fact, he yawned as he walked to the center of the mat.
“He’s one of the lowest-key kids I’ve ever seen,” Post Falls coach Dennis Amende said.
With the match tied 1-1, Carr got a takedown with just under 10 seconds remaining.
Huffman held off Dillon Gentry of Meridian 6-5.
Perhaps the upset of the tourney came at heavyweight where previously undefeated Mark Skogrand of Lewiston lost a major decision, 13-4, to Brad Curtis of Skyline. Skogrand finished as a three-time state runner-up.
Another CdA junior, Jesse Nielson, took second at 152, losing a 5-4 heartbreaker to Tyeson Mitton of Highland.
“Jesse wrestled his rear end off,” Moffat said. “He did everything he could to win that match. I feel sick because he put in so much time.”
Centennial captured the state title with 226 points, topping defending state champ Idaho Falls (214.5). CdA finished sixth with 124.5, two spots ahead of Lewiston (106). Lewiston qualified 23 to state, 10 more than CdA. Post Falls was 10th (74.5).
In 3A, Hayes got an escape with 45 seconds left to edge Jaksen Cotterell of Shelley 4-3.
Two other Timberlake finalists were Patrick Neal (125) and Scott Holbrook (189). Paden Johnson of American Falls tripped Neal 6-5, while Jacob Scharbrough of Weiser repeated as a state champ, pinning Holbrook in 2 minutes, 27 seconds.
Stone wasted no time, pinning Cody Bloom of AF in 1:22. Stone was a runner-up last year.
BF coach Conrad Garner said Stone had to overcome a slow start this year.
“He surprised me all year,” Garner said. “At the start he was behind where he let off last year. It was karma. He started the year with bad karma. We told him just to listen to us and let us coach.”
BF senior Kenny Swift finished second for a second straight year at 152. Murdoch Miller of AF pinned Swift in 3:46.
At 160, Priest River senior Ray Hinshaw was pinned by Brad Darrington of Shelley in 3:32.
Shelley ran away with the 3A title, posting a tourney record 270.5 points. Defending champ AF was second (187.5). BF finished sixth (107) and Timberlake was seventh (79.5).