Crazy, but fans up North knew it all along
If you thought a wrestling tournament like the Tri-State Invitational was chaos, with mats on all open parts of the gymnasium floor on the first day, then imagine a state wrestling tournament.
Especially the one that Post Falls High ran through in record fashion.
MAYBE THE peak of the insanity for Post Falls happened during Saturday’s semifinal round in the 5A classification.
On Friday, Post Falls qualified 15 of 18 wrestlers for the semis, with some wrestling at the same time on different mats at Holt Arena in Pocatello. Post Falls sent 10 to the finals, seven claimed titles and the team broke a scoring record for team points in a tournament by 18.5 points.
“We had 10 guys in the finals, which was crazy,” said Post Falls coach Pete Reardon, who has coached the Trojans to three of the last four state 5A titles. “We just kept winning more matches. In the semifinals, you really don’t have time to breathe either. We were bouncing from mat to mat and when we finally had a break in between, you just stopped and took a breath, and thought, ‘Holy cow, we’ve got 10 in the finals.’”
Post Falls scored 338.5 points, breaking the record of 320 set by Centennial of Boise in 2014. Post Falls was second that year with 194.5.
In the state finals, Post Falls was guaranteed a winner at 98 and 152 pounds as two Trojan wrestlers advanced to the finals.
“We knew we had some tough matches in the semifinals,” Reardon said. “I thought if we could win half of them, that would be great.”
Reardon said his previous high for wrestlers in the semifinals was 12, with seven placers. Post Falls had 15 placers last weekend.
“I was really thankful that the kids went out and performed like they did,” Reardon said. “Honestly, they’re really great kids with great parents. They’re not just talented kids, but a great group of kids to be around.”
Six of the seven champions won for the first time at state.
“I was just happy to go and spend time with my teammates,” said freshman Isaac Jessen, who won the 113-pound title. “I knew that if I truly wanted it, I could get the championship. I just went out and did my best.”
THE BOYS at Lakeland nearly captured the 4A title, but came up short to Minico of Rupert by 29.5 points after finishing the first day tied for the team lead.
“I was definitely pretty nervous after Friday,” Lakeland senior William Edelblute said. “Not for me, but for my teammates. It really made me think we were in this thing. Early on Friday, we were down by 30 points and I didn’t think we’d be able to get a lead. We came down, wrestled tough, but the second day, it just kind of got away from us.”
Edelblute won by pin in his final match for the program, winning his second straight individual title.
“After the match, I came to the realization that I’d wrestled my final match,” Edelblute said. “I just thought, ‘wow, I’m done.’ I’ll definitely going to be back supporting my brothers and the team in the future.”
PERHAPS THE craziest thing is two of the top teams in the state are separated by just a few miles.
In the last seven years, Post Falls has finished second, second, third, first, first, second and first at state.
In the last four years, Lakeland has finished fourth, second, third and second at state.
Of course, fans in North Idaho have known just how talented the kids are here since December.
Crazy it took so long for others around the state to figure it out as well.
Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d’Alene Press. He can be reached by telephone at (208) 664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via email at jelliott@cdapress.com. Follow him on Twitter @JECdAPress.