Loaded with wrestling talent

In any other year, the Post Falls wrestling team could win the Inland Empire League and Region I championships.

The Trojans find themselves in arguably the toughest 5A region in the state this year. They will be chasing favored Lewiston and Coeur d’Alene.

With four state berths available at each weight, though, the Trojans will produce their fair share of state qualifiers.

Post Falls returns seven state qualifiers. They are junior Derrick Booth (119 pounds), junior Tyson Durbin (145), senior Kenny Batholemew (160), senior Casey Osborne (189), senior Cole Amende (215), senior Austin Tate (heavyweight) and senior Joe Lenon (hwt).

Amende is the top-returning placer. He took third last year and finished with a 40-5 record. Booth was the No. 1 seed at 119, but he suffered a rib injury and had to default out.

Other top returners are junior Chad Booth (103), sophomore John Erickson (112), sophomore Colton Peugh (130) and junior Josh Erickson (152).

Five promising freshmen will fill spots in the lineup. They are James Ost (112), Chadd Webster (112), Tyler Booth (125), Nathan McLeod (135) and Cole Jesienouski (140).

The brother/cousin family tree of Booths/Osts continues, too.

Amende came into the season fourth all-time in career victories (108). He will have a shot at claiming first, a spot secured last year by Danny Booth (141).

More than anything, though, Amende wants a state championship. In fact, coach Dennis Amende, Cole’s father, believes most of his starters are capable of capturing state medals.

Cole Amende, Derrick Booth and James Ost will challenge for state titles.

“I’ve got a pretty good bunch of kids,” Amende said. “The sky’s the limit.”

The Trojans will have some tug of wars with Lewiston and Coeur d’Alene wrestlers.

“I believe the IEL was the best league in the state last year and it is definitely the best this year,” Amende said. “We left some state placers home last year (as a league) because we only got three per weight.”

CdA coach Jeff Moffat says his team, Post Falls and Lewiston will be among the top four in the state. The top four teams earn trophies at state.

“If my kids perform to their capabilities we’ll be fine,” Amende said. “There have been a lot of variables that have jumped up and got us each year – things that have been our kryptonite.”

Lakeland: The Hawks could challenge for a trophy at the 4A state tournament. They will certainly have big-point scorers.

The problem for schools like Lakeland and Sandpoint is they can’t qualify the numbers to state that some southern Idaho teams qualify. Just the top two at each weight in Region I earn state berths.

Lakeland returns eight state qualifiers. They are junior Nate Wright (103), senior Kyle McCrite (125), senior Tristan Storrs (135), junior Brandon Richardson (140), junior Ken Winn (145), senior Brian Ramus (215), junior Jeff Plummer (hwt) and junior Tyler Miller (215/hwt).

McCrite captured state and Tri-State championships last year. Richardson was a state champ as a freshman, but succumbed to injuries and a lack of confidence last year. Storrs took third.

Lakeland hopes to have another state-title level athlete in its lineup with the return of senior Seth Wright. He took third as a sophomore, but transferred to Post Falls last year because of some personal issues. He took second at 119 in the 5A state tourney. He has returned to Lakeland, but coach Rob Edelblute said a hardship eligibility waiver was still pending this week. If he is granted eligibility, he’ll be a favorite to win a state title in 4A.

Others who Edelblute believes will contribute this season are seniors Chris Mahana (171) and Curtis Bennion (hwt).

McCrite is seeking a state repeat.

“He’s looking great,” Edelblute said. “He won at (the Inland Empire Classic at Central Valley) last weekend and beat Ben Jorgensen of Hermiston, a Tri-State champ, 4-3 in the final. Kyle was named outstanding wrestler.”

Edelblute expects Richardson to bounce back this season.

“He’s mentally and physically ready,” Edelblute said. “He went back to Iowa this fall and won a pre-high school national tournament.”

Perhaps the wrestler most eager to break through for a state title is Storrs.

“He’s probably one of the hungriest kids on the team,” Edelblute said.

Timberlake: The Tigers return a handful of state qualifiers and welcome a new coach, Ryan Montang.

Montang is a University High School graduate and comes from a quality program.

Five state qualifiers return. They are junior Ryan Hill (119), junior Kyle Anderson (145/152), senior Hunter Corn (152/160), senior Lonnie Roberts (hwt) and junior Dylan White (hwt).

Hill placed sixth last year at 103.

Two others who Montang expects to compete for 3A state berths are sophomore Trevor Roth (140) and junior John Morris (152).