Wrestling: Freeman rolls past Colville for 17th straight dual win

By the time returning Colville state placer T.J. Baun staunched the bleeding with his pin at 113 pounds midway through the showdown wrestling match between the state’s top-two ranked 1A teams, the damage had been done.

Just two matches into the showdown between the Indians and host Freeman, Colville was ahead 4-3. Two minutes later, if you count the seconds it took to raise the hands of two Scotties who were awarded forfeit victories, Freeman led 33-4.

The lead would continue to balloon, ultimately ending in a 48-21 blowout and running the Scotties’ consecutive Northeast A League dual match win streak to 17.

Freeman’s streak began when Preston Hoppman, listed at 170 pounds, took just 43 seconds to subdue Noah Bagley at 182 pounds.

Hoppman’s wrestled in that class much of the year even though he weighs less than 170.

“I was working on what he was giving me and he came at me full on,” Hoppman said. “It just happened. I don’t know. It was crazy.”

Following a forfeit, Sebastian Hyta did Hoppman one better, ending the 220 match in 36 seconds. Teigan Glidewell won the competition. His match at 285 took just 22 seconds. Another forfeit followed.

“I knew we had chances in those weights,” Freeman coach Chad Ripke said. “I didn’t know they would come out like that.”

Freshman Hunter Nees, the Scotties’ 106-pounder, bumped up to 120 and won 10-3.

“I’m proud of our little guys,” Ripke said. “Hunter was huge tonight.”

Colville coach Randy Cloke said he held out several wrestlers because of injury, hence the forfeits. Among the injured was 160-pound state placer Ryley Smith.