Two opponents stand between EV and title
East Valley took another step toward a Greater Spokane League high school wrestling championship Thursday night. The Knights have two rungs left to climb.
Three pins and a technical fall in four of the final matches lifted EV past Mead, 40-28, its second win over a title challenger. The Knights (5-0) had already beaten Central Valley (6-1) in a key early season contest. Next week they face Ferris (5-2) and the week thereafter, host University (4-1), the final obstacles to the league title.
“I’m really happy with the guys,” said coach Craig Hanson after EV rallied from a 26-17 deficit for the win. “It seemed like we kind of came out flat when we were doing our warmups and I was really concerned. But it seemed like momentum picked up when Matt Mehlbrech got that win.”
Mehlbrech, wrestling in the second match of the night, rolled to a 20-5 technical fall victory that offset Mead’s opening pin in a match between league unbeatens.
“Believe it or not he’s sick right now,” said Hanson. “He missed school a day ago and is hurting, but ends up putting a tech on him, so I’m real happy.”
Hanson rolled the dice and moved Sean Biltoft up a weight to 130 pounds where he won 3-0. The reason was that Biltoft had beaten Mead’s
Jake Anderson
last year.
“Sean and Gabe Rodriguez (EV’s normal 130-pounder) are close, but we went with what we knew. That was really the big reason for the move,” said Hanson.
In another pivotal match, Nic Price fell behind 6-0 and again 10-5 against league unbeaten Nick Bond, but rallied for a second-round pin to remain GSL perfect at 145 pounds.
“I was trying to hit something and was off-balance,” said Price of his early scare. “It was a poor decision on my part, but I worked through it.”
The Knights also had a scare at 171 where Dakota Lawson was almost taken to his back, but wound up with a pin victory 13 seconds into the second round. EV won the next two contests for a 34-26 lead.
And in a match that figured to be close, Keith Babington won by pin at 103 to cap the triumph.
CV wrestled at full strength for the first time, and three lineup additions, including state placers Tyler Cochran (285) and Tanner Teeples (119), all won to rally the Bears from a 25-6 deficit to 38-25 win over Ferris.
U-Hi held out three of its best wrestlers, Brian Owen, Anthony Rivera and Danny Jordan, but still won 40-28 over North Central.
•In its Great Northern League opener, West Valley led Clarkston 24-16 but lost the final seven matches in a 58-24 defeat. Nikko Guzman at 285, Kevin Udell at 125 and Justin Fiman at 130 all won by pin.
PNW finals today: University’s Pacific Northwest Classic Tournament concludes today with first matches at 9 a.m. and finals at 4 p.m. Adult tickets are $10 and students are $6.
Wrestlers in exhibition: Five Valley wrestlers will compete against a touring national Japanese high school all-star team Monday, 7 p.m. at Mead. Teeples (110 pounds), Cochran (264), Rivera (121), Owen (132) and EV’s Clete Hanson (185) will be among the dozen matches contested.
Stinky Sneaker looms
Valley basketball teams returned to action Friday and, following a brief holiday respite, will be busy for the next month. Not the least of the upcoming action is the annual Stinky Sneaker Spirit game between Central Valley and University on Thursday, 5:30 p.m., at the Spokane Arena.
CV’s boys (5-4) beat the Titans (3-5) Dec. 28, 71-70 on a free throw with 4.4 seconds remaining. U-Hi forced the action, but haste-caused turnovers and ill-timed shots enabled the Bears to rally after being outscored 23-8 in the third quarter.
Four CV players finished in double figures. Luke Clift had a clutch basket among his 17 points to tie the game 70-70. Streak-shooting William Davis scored 11 of his 17 late in the second quarter for CV’s 8-point halftime lead.
U-Hi also had four double figures performers, including Mason Johnson and Andrew Pirttima with 18 each.
U-Hi’s girls (6-3), with Riki Schiermeister (23) and Zoe Scott combining for 40 points, won with surprisingly ease, 61-44.
Central Valley’s boys and girls (7-2), fourth and third respectively in the Greater Spokane League with 11 games remaining are at Mead next Tuesday, whose 7-1 girls rank second. The following Saturday the Bears host East Valley and the Titans host Shadle Park, second among boys (7-1) and fourth among girls (6-2) in the GSL.
East Valley (0-8 boys, 1-7 girls) are at Mt. Spokane, Mead and CV next week.
Let games begin
West Valley boys (5-2) and girls (6-1) attack the Great Northern League in earnest this weekend with home games against Cheney (last night) and Clarkston today.
The boys’ most recent win 65-52 over Lakeside completed nonleague play prior to Christmas. The girls finished second in a tournament in Priest River, losing 49-41 to the hosts for their only loss.
•Freeman boys (5-4) and girls (10-0) were champions of their annual Christmas tournament, beating Liberty and Bonner’s Ferry as Jake Heinen totaled 37 points and Marc Soelberg had 28.
The Scotties girls topped Liberty 59-11 and Tonasket 65-36 to remain perfect. Four different players scored in double figures, led by Morghan Poirier‘s total 25 and Carley Heinen‘s 23. Northeast A League games began Friday. Freeman hosts Kettle Falls tonight.
•Valley Christian School teams continue to struggle, the Panthers a combined 1-21 and both winless in the Bi-County League. They host Wilbur-Creston tonight.
Titans lead early
University’s gymnastics team has the third best overall record, but is 3-0 in GSL counters. The Titans (4-1 overall) won this week’s four-team match with 156.375, freshman Stacie Davis second all-around and second on beam. Central Valley (5-2, 2-1) lost to unbeaten Mead 162.425 to 150.65 in a four-team match. Courtney Sexton won vault and was fourth all-around.