Larry Johnson of Lakeland repeats at 126 in 4A

POCATELLO – Larry Johnson made a name for himself at last year’s state championship.

On Saturday, the Lakeland sophomore took another step in every wrestler’s dream.

Johnson outpointed Pocatello’s Kade Smith 6-3 to win his second state wrestling title in as many seasons, taking home the 4A 126-pound championship. Johnson’s efforts were part of a five-strong finalist contingent for Lakeland, which had two champions and took home second place in the 4A team standings.

“The first one was definitely more emotional. … This one I felt more prepared,” Johnson said. “The kids were just as tough this year, maybe tougher. There were a lot more seniors, a lot more solidly built guys and I really had to up my game.”

Johnson also got revenge on Smith, who beat him earlier in the season.

“I got caught, and he beat me,” said Johnson. “I worked my butt off because I knew he was 4A and I wanted to prove myself.”

Johnson, who said he’d allow himself a couple of weeks before starting to think about gunning for a third state title next season, was joined atop the championship podium by teammate Jared Walker, who was in control of his match throughout and won the 170-pound title match.

The junior proved his mettle as the bracket’s top seed, holding off Blackfoot’s Jared Sargent for a 5-2 win. At the final whistle he sprinted to his corner in jubilation, hugging his coaches.

“It’s my first one,” Walker said. “I got a shot on him early, and I knew I had to go back to that later in the match. It was tough, but I felt like I was in control the whole time. You just have to focus on what you have to do and not get overconfident.”

The Edelblutes, brothers Sam and William and cousin Brian, all got to their respective finals but came up short in their title bouts. The Hawks placed seven wrestlers in total.

Lakeland’s district rival, Sandpoint, finished just off the team trophy stand but picked up two champions of its own.

Casey Randles repeated as a state champion, putting the finishing touches on a 36-0 season by pinning Jerome’s Zach Borrayo to win the title at 182 pounds.

He changed tactics in the middle of the match, initially wrestling cagey before opting for a rapid-fire, catch-and-release method of taking Borrayo down, releasing him, and doing it all again. Randles attributed the adjustment to coming to grips with his nerves, something he said hasn’t really been a problem this season.

“I came in really hyped up and I exhausted myself in the first 30 seconds,” he said. “Fortunately, we got stopped for blood time so I could gather my thoughts, and get things going the way I wanted to. I always believed I could do it; I just had to keep it together.”

Tyler Presser picked up Sandpoint’s other individual title, edging Caldwell’s Irving Capuchino by a 4-3 decision at 160 pounds. Those two led seven Sandpoint wrestlers in the top six in their respective brackets.

It was a solid showing for the Bulldogs, who hope they are building toward something special down the road.

“We had six guys come to state, I think, my freshman year, and we brought 16 this year,” said Randles, a junior. “This shows a lot of progress for our team.”

Moscow placed two wrestlers in the top six of their respective brackets.

In the 3A ranks, two locals made the finals, both settling for second: Greg Fitzmorris of Priest River (182) and Bonners Ferry’s Caleb Gering (195).