5A, 4A, 3A WRESTLING: Timberlake, Post Falls, Lakeland nab titles in state-qualifying tourneys

RATHDRUM — Timberlake reclaimed the 3A District 1 title and Post Falls and Lakeland continued to reign supreme in their respective Region 1 classifications Saturday night in state-qualifying tournaments at Lakeland High.

The Hawks picked up their 12th straight 4A Region 1 title by claiming 13 of the 15 individual titles. The Trojans continued their dominance over the 5A schools in North Idaho by securing their sixth consecutive regional crown. The two-time defending state champions earned eight individual titles.

Timberlake shook off last year’s runner-up finish to Bonners Ferry by edging out Kellogg 299-256 to take their second title in three years. The Tigers also took home six individual titles.

For the second straight year in 4A, the champions of each weight class at districts were the only ones to lock up guaranteed state berths. This is the result of a state qualification process established last year that cut the North’s 4A bids to state in half. This led to Lakeland having two of its wrestlers face off with each other in nine title matches, with the winner earning a bid to state and the other unsure if they will receive an at-large bid.

The top three finishers in each weight class in 5A and 3A earn automatic bids to state.

Coaches from the 4A and 5A schools will head to Boise this morning to vouch for their wrestlers and find out who on their teams will receive at-large bids to state. That means a number of local athletes won’t know their fate until today.

Regardless, the 3A, 4A and 5A schools in North Idaho will be well represented at the state championships this Friday and Saturday at the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa.

5A

It’s not hard to see why Post Falls is the reigning state champion. The Trojans’ depth is undeniable and the only thing potentially stopping them from a state three-peat is the at-large bids they may or may not receive.

Post Falls coach Pete Reardon likes his team’s chances of pulling it off with 14 wrestlers heading to state prior to at-large bids being announced.

“I think we have a good shot,” he said, “and I think there are a few teams that have a shot, so that’s all you can hope for going into it.”

Roddy Romero (106), Braxton Mason (120), Lane Reardon (126), Isaac Jessen (132), A.J. De La Rosa (145), Ethan Miller (152), Isaiah Laguna (195) and Tyler Cook (220) all grabbed titles for the Trojans.

“It’s just another milestone,” Reardon said about the regional title streak. “I think it’s an indicator of the hard work that these guys have been putting in.”

Coeur d’Alene finished 68 points behind the Trojans to claim second.

Christian Paniagua (98), Drew Roberts (138), Gunner Giulio (160) and Jackson Kohal (285) notched titles for the Vikings.

Coeur d’Alene coach Jeff Moffat said he expects his team to be in the hunt for a state trophy again after taking second last year.

Lake City took home third as a team at districts and had three wrestlers earn titles.

“We had a good day today,” said Lake City coach Corey Owen, whose team finished fourth at state last year. “If the kids can wrestle like they did this weekend I think we can absolutely bring home a trophy and contend for a title.”

Coeur d’Alene will send 13 to state, Lake City will bring 11 and Lewiston will bring 7.

4A

At this point, the regional trophy might as well be handed to Lakeland prior to the start of the season because the Hawks are showing no signs of slowing down their dominance over Moscow and Sandpoint.

Moscow only won two individual titles and Sandpoint came up empty-handed which means the Bulldogs will be sending no one to state as of right now.

The list of 13 automatic qualifiers for Lakeland is too long to list but it could’ve been even larger if the Hawks didn’t have to battle each other for state bids in a handful of first-place matches on Saturday.

Lakeland coach Rob Edelblute said the current qualification system is frustrating for him and the athletes.

“It’s pretty nerve-racking,” Edelblute said, “and we tell the kids one little slip-up here and your season can be over so that’s the bad part of it. But we’re pretty happy.”

Keeping the regional title streak alive is something the Hawks shoot for every season, but they aren’t satisfied with just earning a regional crown.

“It’s a pretty big accomplishment but we’re not finished yet,” Edelblute said. “It would be great for the kids to bring home a trophy.”

Lakeland finished sixth at state last year.

3A

After tasting defeat in last year’s district championship when Bonners Ferry won, Timberlake was driven by revenge all season and got it Saturday.

“That was on our wall,” Timberlake coach Jason Jerome said. “One of our first goals is to win districts and then bring home something at state so the kids love it. This group of seniors that we have, that’s what they wanted.”

The Tigers, with 6 district champs, will send 14 to state, Kellogg will take 13, Bonners Ferry will bring 12 and five from Priest River will go.

5A

TEAM SCORES — 1, Post Falls 427. 2, Coeur d’Alene 359. 3, Lake City 294. 4, Lewiston 154.5.

(Top three individuals, two wild cards to state)

CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES

98 — Christian Paniagua, Coeur d’Alene, d. Zach Macdonald, Lake City, by forfeit. 106 — Roddy Romero, Post Falls, d. Tristan Bremer, Lewiston, 1-0. 113 — Caden Hess, Lake City, md. Ryan Graves, Post Falls, 8-0. 120 — Braxton Mason, Post Falls, d. Dom Jessos, Coeur d’Alene, by forfeit. 126 — Lane Reardon, Post Falls, p. Gage Fiamengo, Lewiston, 1:15. 132 — Isaac Jessen, Post Falls, d. Hunter Schueller, Coeur d’Alene, by forfeit. 138 — Drew Roberts, Coeur d’Alene, p. Mason Keough, Coeur d’Alene, 2:49. 145 — A.J. De La Rosa, Post Falls, tf. Rockwell Jones, Lewiston, 17-0. 152 — Ethan Miller, Post Falls, p. Nolan Randles, Coeur d’Alene, 2:24. 160 — Gunner Giulio, Coeur d’Alene, p. Porter Howard, Lake City, 4:42. 170 — Seth Nutting, Lake City, p. Damon Shaw, Lewiston, 4:26. 182 — Matthew Whitcomb, Lake City, d. Reuben Thill, Lewiston, 13-8. 195 — Isaiah Laguna, Post Falls, p. Mahlon Clark, Lake City, 3:06. 220 — Tyler Cook, Post Falls, d. Connor Dremann, Lake City, 10-9. 285 — Jackson Kohal, Coeur d’Alene, d. Owen Hughes, Lake City, 3-2.

THIRD-FOURTH PLACE MATCHES

98 — Raji Singh, Post Falls, p. Zack Campbell, Post Falls, 4:11. 106 — Blaine Leonard, Lake City, d. Kyle Bridge, Coeur d’Alene, 11-7. 113 — Logan Carrick, Post Falls, md. Koda Cullum, Lake City, 15-7. 120 — Owen Hemphill, Lewiston, d. Alyssa Randles, Coeur d’Alene, 8-2. 126 — Nate Garner, Lake City, d. Nick Lara, Coeur d’Alene, 4-0. 132 — Kyle Lara, Coeur d’Alene, d. Alex Austin, Post Falls, 6-4. 138 — Noah Jones, Lewiston, tf. John Rudebaugh, Post Falls, 17-0. 145 — Maddix Maciosek, Coeur d’Alene, p. Andy Wallace, Post Falls, 1:27. 152 — Jose Laguna, Post Falls, d. Gavin Tuttle, Lake City, 7-0. 160 — Tommy Hauser, Post Falls, md. Soloman Crowley, Lake City, 12-4. 170 — Bear Brunner, Coeur d’Alene, d. Grey Shinkle, Lake City, 10-4. 182 — Keanyn DeGroat, Post Falls, d. Andrew Stockham, Coeur d’Alene, 11-8. 195 — Filip Mjertan, Coeur d’Alene, p. Riley Loughman, Lake City, 2:05. 220 — Jaxson Washington, Coeur d’Alene, p. Dominic Monti, Post Falls, 3:32. 285 — Logan Parson, Lake City, p. Dylan Franks, Coeur d’Alene, 1:40.

4A

TEAM SCORES — 1, Lakeland 488. 2, Sandpoint 290. 3, Moscow 235.5.

(Regional champion, three wild cards to state)

CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES

98 — Skyla Zimmerman, Moscow, p. Forest Ambridge, Sandpoint, 1:28. 106 — Peyton Wysong, Lakeland, p. Kai Reynolds, Moscow, :14. 113 — Tanner Korst, Lakeland, p. Zach Domras, Moscow, :59. 120 — Callum Mickey, Lakeland, d. Jordan Birkhimer, Sandpoint, 6-2. 126 — Alex Edelblute, Lakeland, p. Jack Bales, Moscow, :50. 132 — Lucas Williams, Lakeland, p. Soren Sabatke, Lakeland, 3:36. 138 — Riley Siegford, Lakeland, md. Colton Dow, Lakeland, 13-2. 145 — Carson Heim, Lakeland, d. Brady Nelsen, Sandpoint, 9-7. 152 — Rhonin Edwards, Lakeland, d. Cooper Johnson, Lakeland, 7-3. 160 — Ryan Quimby, Lakeland, md. Blaise Wright, Lakeland, 10-0. 170 — Colton Boettcher, Lakeland, p. Devon Howell, Lakeland, 1:09. 182 — John White, Lakeland, p. Gregory Belgarde, Sandpoint, 1:11. 195 — Hayden Berger, Lakeland, p. Jake Suhr, Sandpoint, 1:40. 220 — Logan Kearney, Moscow, d. Taggert Benefield, Sandpoint, 7-6. 285 — Sam Feusier, Lakeland, p. Johnny Sullivan, Lakeland, 1:20.

SECOND-PLACE MATCHES

98 — Jacob Albany, Sandpoint, p. Forest Ambridge, Sandpoint, 4:32. 106 — Kai Reynolds, Moscow, d. Kayelin Otterson, Sandpoint, NC. 113 — Zach Domras, Moscow, by forfeit. 120 — Jordan Birkhimer, Sandpoint, d. Heather Wallace, Sandpoint, NC. 126 — Jack Bales, Moscow, md. John Meredith, Lakeland, 10-2. 132 — Andrew Stone, Moscow, p. Soren Sabatke, Lakeland, 2:59. 138 — Colton Dow, Lakeland, d. Trevan Adam, Sandpoint, 7-4. 145 — Brady Nelsen, Sandpoint, d. Blake Sherrill, Sandpoint, NC. 152 — Cooper Johnson, d. Isaiah Caralis, Sandpoint, 6-5. 160 — Blaise Wright, Lakeland, d. Samuel Becker, Sandpoint, NC. 170 — Devon Howell, Lakeland, d. Christian Troumbley, Sandpoint, NC. 182 — Gregory Belgarde, Sandpoint, d. Bradley Grubham, Lakeland, NC. 195 — Jake Suhr, Sandpoint, d. Josh Howell, Lakeland, NC. 220 — Taggert Benefield, Sandpoint, d. Matt Thurlow, Sandpoint, NC. 285 — Johnny Sullivan, Lakeland, d. Bennett Marsh, Moscow, NC.

3A

TEAM SCORES — 1, Timberlake 299. 2, Kellogg 256. 3, Bonners Ferry 232. 4, Priest River 74.

(Top three finishers, two wild cards to state)

CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES

98 — Hayden Sorbel, Priest River, p. Taylor DeFalco, Bonners Ferry, 5:17. 106 — Jake Summerfield, Bonners Ferry, p. Stryker Houston, Timberlake, 5:43. 113 — Dakota Eixenberger, Kellogg, d Wyatt Hei, Kellogg, by forfeit. 120 — Ethan Guy, Kellogg, md. Keith Poirier, Priest River, 10-0. 126 — Evan Barajas, Bonners Ferry, p. Brayden Herbert, Timberlake, 5:36. 132 — Isaiah Evans, Timberlake, p. Spencer Eby, Bonners Ferry, 2:27. 138 — Judson Hall, Kellogg, d. Ethan Jerome, Timberlake, 6-1. 145 — Manuel Naccarato, Bonners Ferry, p. Bryan Durette, Bonners Ferry, 3:50. 152 — Kyle Smith, Bonners Ferry, p. Michael Sentenay, Kellogg, :46. 160 — Caleb Miller, Timberlake, d. Eli Richards, Bonners Ferry, 10-9. 170 — James Bllingsley, Timberlake, p. Austin Stepro, Kellogg, 1:00. 182 — Joey Follini, Timberlake, p. Ryder Paslay, Timberlake, 4:48. 195 — Josh Yanez, Timberlake, p. Andrew Sandelin-Macintosh, Bonners Ferry, 1:15. 220 — Carson Hudson, Kellogg, p. Ray Knerr, Timberlake, 1:10. 285 — Trevor Cady, Timberlake, p. Preston Jeffs, Timberlake, 3:33.

THIRD-PLACE MATCHES

98 — no match. 106 — Raymond Heely, Kellog, p. Kenny Walls, Timberlake, 4:00. 113 — Ty Gallimore, Timberlake, p. Ravi Neumeyer, Bonners Ferry, :24. 120 — Aidan Troumbley, Priest River, p. Carter Stepro, Kellogg, 2:54. 126 — Travis Lohr, Kellogg, d. Marcus Regehr, Bonners Ferry, 11-8. 132 — Cody Sverdsten, Kellogg, d. Devin Nessel, Priest River, 6-3. 138 — Chad Maas, Bonners Ferry, d. Daeton Bauer, Kellogg, 7-1. 145 — Kayden Zimmerman, Kellogg, p. Trey McCorkle, Timberlake, 2:32. 152 — Paul Shaner, Timberlake, p. Jess O’Connor, Timberlake, 2:07. 160 — Bradley Bennett, Priest River, tf. Luke Fortin, Timberlake, 15-0. 170 — Jackson Richter, Bonners Ferry, p. Austin Miller, Kellogg, 1:27. 182 — Brody Hoffman, Kellogg, d. Nathaniel Varelman, Bonners Ferry, 5-3. 195 — Truxton Wilson, Priest River, had a bye. 220 — Isaiah Shottanana, Bonners Ferry, p. Otto Sharp, Kellogg, 2:52. 285 — Robby Bublitz, Kellogg, p. Jack Duffy, Bonners Ferry, :24.