PREP WRESTLING: Randles, Brown hammer down titles at Rollie Lane Invitational
NAMPA — Alyssa Randles (126 pounds) and Cara Brown (145) claimed individual titles for Coeur d’Alene in the girls tournament of the Rollie Lane Invitational on Saturday at the Ford Idaho Center.
Randles, who won four of her five matches by pin, pinned Eagle’s Liv Weber in 2:23 in the championship match. Brown won all four of her matches by pin, beating Riley Allison of La Pine (Ore.) in 41 seconds in the championship bout.
“They just dominated everyone that they wrestled,” Coeur d’Alene coach Jeff Moffat said. “They were aggressive all weekend and just hammered everyone they faced.”
Christian Kelly (98 pounds) and Gunner Giulio (170) finished runner-up for Coeur d’Alene, which finished third. Other Coeur d’Alene placers were: Porter Craig (third at 138), Demarco Piazza (sixth at 152) and Jaxson Washington (fifth at 285). Coeur d’Alene was third with 152 points.
It was Giulio's first tournament of the season after recovering from an ankle injury suffered during football season.
“Christian wrestled a great tournament, but just couldn’t get away and put points on the board in the finals,” Moffat said. “He wrestled solid all weekend and didn’t make a lot of mistakes. Gunner, his gas tank kind of showed a little bit toward the finals. The guy he faced in the finals (Flathead’s Noah Poe-Hatten, who won at Tri-State on Dec. 18 at North Idaho College) had a bigger frame than him. Gunner took some shots, but it was a good start to the season for him. He’s disappointed to be a four-time runner up here, but he’s just going to get better and better as the season goes on.”
Tyson Barnhart was runner-up at 120 for Post Falls, which finished fifth with 129 points.
“Tyson had a tough Tri-State Tournament and lost a couple of really tough, close matches,” Post Falls coach Pete Reardon said. “He really went back to work and did a good job of training over the Christmas break and put together some great matches to make the finals.”
Other Trojan placers were: Rider Seguine (third at 98) and Jose Laguna (fifth at 170). Megan Webster (third at 285) and Abigale Piper (fifth at 138) placed in the girls tournament for Post Falls.
“It’s a really tough field and tough tournament,” Reardon said. “We set a goal of finishing in the top five at each tournament we compete in. To be fifth here, it’s a great accomplishment for our kids. I’m really proud of how we competed as a team. It was a great weekend for us.”
James Billingsley was third at 195 for Timberlake. Billingsley won six consolation matches after losing in the third round on Friday.
Flathead of Kalispell, Mont., won the team title with 231 points, followed by Meridian with 206.
“This is the toughest I’ve seen this tournament in 23 years,” Moffat said. “With all the talent and depth, it was really tough with a lot of good wrestling teams. Both Flathead and Crook County (Ore.), they’re really tough.”
Sandpoint takes fourth
at Pacific Northwest Classic
SPOKANE VALLEY — Andrew Duke (106 pounds and Greg Belgarde (285) finished runner-up to help the Bulldogs finish fourth in the Pacific Northwest Classic at University High.
Duke lost by a major decision to Mt. Spokane’s Tanner Crosby in the championship match. Belgarde lost by pin to Prosser’s Carson De Wolfe.
Other Sandpoint placers were: Shane Sherill (third at 138), Darrian Resso (third at 152), Calvin Hinds (third at 170), Ashlei Hawkins (fifth at 120) and Austin Smith (fifth at 220).
Mead won the team title with 325.5 points.
Lake City was scheduled to compete, but had to back out of the tournament after canceling school on Friday due to slick road conditions.