A lot to like about north showing

Give a hand to the wrestlers from the northern part of the state.

They were all part of something pretty special last weekend in Pocatello.

WHEN IT came to the 5A tournament, Post Falls ran away with the state team championship, the program’s fourth in five years.

Simply amazing.

Coeur d’Alene finished second and Lake City was one point from third, instead finishing fourth for the program’s first team trophy at state.

Awesome job kids and coaches.

As if the trophies weren’t big enough, imagine being a senior like Coeur d’Alene High’s Payton Keough, who won his first title at 132 pounds.

“It was pretty amazing,” Keough said. “My coach (Jeff Moffat) came up to me and told me I’d secured second for the team, which was an awesome feeling. To be able to seal the deal, it felt really good to be part of one of the best teams we’ve had in the last nine years.”

Coeur d’Alene also won 5A titles in 2010 and 2011.

In his first year, Gunner Giulio claimed the 152-pound title for Coeur d’Alene last weekend. His father, Jim Giulio, coached American Falls to five 3A titles during a 23-year tenure with the program.

“We moved up to Coeur d’Alene to be closer to family,” Gunner Giulio said. “I really like having the feeling of being in a bigger school and bigger opportunities.”

As for that finish from the northern schools?

“It was a really good weekend for the north,” Moffat said. “A great weekend of wrestling for the north. We knew the battle was going to be for second, but knew what it takes to get a trophy.”

Lake City had one champion, Caden Hess at 106 pounds, and a runner-up Owen Hughes at 285 pounds.

Even better, both Hess and Hughes are underclassmen, and will be back to either defend or finish what they started in 2020.

POST FALLS led by 24.5 points after the first day of wrestling last Friday.

“The kids responded in the semifinals,” Post Falls coach Pete Reardon said. “The kids really put it all together. They got a good night sleep, had a great dinner and came into a new day feeling good. And they wrestled their butts off. It was great to be a part of.”

From the 5A to the 2A ranks, there were a few locals that advanced to their respective championship matches.

Some won, some lost.

In most cases, those that came up a little short will get another chance next year to finish with a championship.

Sure, winning is important and bringing home a title was the reason everyone braved the slick roads and snow to get to Pocatello last weekend.

One thing is for certain, the north was well represented all weekend.

Something all of us can be very proud of.

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 [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @JECdAPress.