Post Falls repeats as Tri-State wrestling tournament champion

Post Falls wrestling coach Pete Reardon remembered waking up Sunday morning following the Tri-State tournament and reading that his team won.

It took him a night’s rest to believe the Trojans had won their first championship at the prestigious tournament.

The Trojans pulled off a repeat Saturday, finishing with 212.5 points – 10.5 more than a year ago.

“It’s surreal, to be honest with you,” Reardon said. “I remember getting up last year thinking, ‘Wow, we actually won that thing yesterday.’ I’ve been coming to this for years and years and years. There’s just so much tradition. It’s such an honor to coach a team that’s won it. So to do it again it feels just as good. I guess it feels like it validates. It’s almost like it didn’t happen last year. So it’s really cool to do it again.”

Post Falls pushed four into the finals and had two champions – freshman Ridge Lovett at 106 pounds and senior Alius De La Rosa (145), who captured his second Tri-State title after winning as a freshman.

De La Rosa held off Trysten Perales of Lake Stevens, Washington, 5-2 after beating him 13-5 at Sydney, Montana, two weeks ago.

“I had some tough brackets as a sophomore and junior,” De La Rosa said. “I bookmarked it for this year.”

De La Rosa was especially pleased to win considering he didn’t think he wrestled well.

“I could have wrestled better,” said De La Rosa, now 19-1. “I had an OK tournament. I’m a little upset with my wrestling. On some of my shots I could have finished. I’m a lot better wrestler than that.”

One thing De La Rosa isn’t disappointed with is his team.

“I’m just happy to be part of the Post Falls family,” he said. “A lot of people think that we lost some of our big wigs, our Division I kids. But we picked up just as many good kids. We’re just as good now if not better than last year.”

Lovett, who improved to 17-0, blanked William Edelblute of Lakeland 7-0.

Jordan Grimm (106) and TJ Wolf (138) finished second for Post Falls.

Bryson Beard of Central Valley won by injury default over Clai Quintanilla of North Central at 126.

The match ended 1-1 after three periods, and it was scoreless after the 1-minute overtime. With 8 seconds to go in the first 30-second period, Beard scored a reversal.

In the second 30-second session, Quintanilla’s knee appeared to lock up with 19 seconds left. He couldn’t finish in the match.

“I saw his leg and reached back and got it and ran it down. I had to use all my energy to do it,” Beard (15-0) said of the reversal.

Dalton Young of Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls), a junior, moved within four wins of 100 victories against no losses as he pulled off a Tri-State repeat, topping Cooper McCullough of Moses Lake 3-0 at 130.

“I just managed the match well,” Young said. “I didn’t get on a lot of offense at the end but held on. I wanted to get my feet moving but it didn’t happen.”

Trey Meyer of East Valley was named the outstanding wrestler. He held off Michael Soler of Lake Stevens 3-1 in overtime at 170.

It was a technically sound final with neither wrestler giving an inch. Meyer (16-0), who has signed with Iowa State, got a takedown 18 seconds into overtime.

“To repeat makes me feel dominant,” Meyer said. “I’m making the progress that I need. The key was staying in it and not losing my head.”

Casey Randles of Sandpoint, a junior, scored an 10-2 major decision over Levi Meinzinger of University at 182. He used five takedowns to control Meinzinger.

“I came out and didn’t worry about winning or losing. I just tried to have fun,” Randles said. “Sometimes I get caught up with winning and losing and I start shutting down out there. So I just tried to put some points on the board and have fun with the process.”

Sam Colbray of Hermiston, Oregon, and Trevor Eicher of Deer Park met last week in a dual that saw Eicher upset Colbray 6-2 in overtime.

Colbray, who is headed to Iowa State, got a measure of revenge, holding off Eicher 3-2 at 220. Colbray became the second four-time champ at Tri-State.

In other finals, Alex Cruz of Orting, Washington, defended a title, stopping Derek Freitag of Kentridge, Washington, 6-4 at 113; Nick Hara of Moses Lake handled TJ Baun of Colville 13-8 at 120; Dante Springsteen of Bethel, Washington, topped Parker Filius of Havre, Montana, 3-2 at 152; Mason McDaniel of Edmonds-Woodway, Washington, defeated Malachi Lawrence of Lake Stevens 4-2 at 160; Levi Perry of Kuna, Idaho, handled Sebastian Hyta of Freeman 13-4 at 195; and Hunter Mullins of Orting, Washington, pinned Nick Workman of Richland at heavyweight.