PREP WRESTLING: Trojans take lesson, third at River City Duals

By JASON ELLIOTT

Sports writer

POST FALLS — Thursday’s loss to defending state 5A champion Meridian didn’t sit well with Post Falls wrestling coach Pete Reardon.

Neither did Saturday’s semifinal loss to Nampa in the annual River City Duals tournament.

“We were frustrated with the loss the other night,” Reardon said. “Not that we wrestled badly, but in those close matches, we got beat. You lose three or four of the close matches, and we lost all the swing matches. Same thing with Nampa. There were a few positions that we got beat out of that we didn’t have to. We could have wrestled a little harder, so we had a discussion and said that we couldn’t get beat out of those positions.”

Two days later, Post Falls beat Meridian 45-24 to finish third at the River City Duals.

“Our guys believed that we could win that dual, and they did it,” Reardon said. “We turned around each of those swing matches.”

After falling in the semifinals, Connor McCarroll of Post Falls pinned Juan Gonzalez in 2 minutes, 33 seconds, one of four Trojan pins against Meridian, which beat Post Falls 48-21 on Thursday night.

“Connor’s just a passionate kid,” Reardon said. “He wanted to go out and get a win for the team. He was frustrated. He wrestled a really, really tough kid from Nampa, and was taking that really hard. I said, ‘Look buddy, you wrestled hard,’ and that gave him some extra motivation in that next match.”

Trevor Miller (195 pounds), Rider Seguine (98), Jose Laguna (170) and Gentry Smith (182) went unbeaten on the weekend for Post Falls.

It was the first time since 2011 that Post Falls failed to appear in the championship match of the River City Duals. In the past 10 years, the Trojans have won seven titles and been runner-up three times.

“It could be a turning point for us,” Reardon said. “That showed what we’re capable of. It’s not the end of the season, but it gives a little glance that we have to get better by the end of the season.”

Lucas Williams (138) and Devon Howell (220) went unbeaten for Lakeland, which won the Silver Bracket after beating Lewiston 42-36.

Toppenish (Wash.) won its first title at River City, beating Nampa 44-31 in the championship dual.

GOLD BRACKET

Championship

Toppenish 44, Nampa 31

Third-place match

Post Falls 45, Meridian 24

160 — Caden Frix, Meri, p. Sheldon Pine, 1:11. 170 — Jose Laguna, PF, d. Isaiah Twait, 8-5. 182 — Gentry Smith, PF, d. Jay Sallee, 9-2. 195 — Trevor Miller, PF, p. Carson Gooley, 3:15. 220 — Luke Martin, PF, p. Alexander Smith, 1:58. 285 — Austin Portner, PF, p. Bridjer Bivens, 2:34. 98 — Rider Seguine, PF, p. Gabriel Arnold, 3:38. 106 — Jeremiah Gonzalez, Meri, p. Ethan Wilson, 5:34. 113 — Zach Campbell, PF, d. Teigan Dickerson, 6-2. 120 — Tyson Barnhart, PF, d. Kellen Kolka, 8-2. 126 — Trey Smith, PF, d. Zac Kimes, 5-0. 132 — Connor McCarroll, PF, p. Juan Gonzalez, 2:33. 138 — Jason Mara, Meri, p. Seth Martin, 3:49. 145 — Cade White, Meri, d. Alex Austin, 5-0. 152 — Brodyn Sunada, Meri, d. John Rudebaugh, 7-1.

Fifth-place match

Lewiston 45, Meridian 2 39

Seventh-place match

Thunder Ridge 45, Bonners Ferry 34

SILVER BRACKET

Championship

Lakeland 42, Lewiston 36

152 — Cole Lockart, Lew, p. Thayer Sabatke, 1:33. 160 — Gunner Meisner, Lew, by forfeit. 170 — Devon Suko, LL, p. Logan Meisner, 1:28. 182 — Hutton Hegbloom, LL, p. Asa McClure, 2:49. 195 — Brenden Thill, Lew, d. Gage Oles, 7-0. 220 — Devon Howell, LL, p. Zak Meyers, 5:00. 285 — Robert Storm, Lew, p. Preston Jeffs, :46. 98 — Jaren Knopp, LL, by forfeit. 106 — double forfeit. 113 — Matthew Williams, LL, by forfeit. 120 — Hoyt Hvass, Lew, p. Duke Williamson, :40. 126 — Kolton Langager, Lew, d. Reilly Saxe, 7-0. 132 — Tristan Bremer, Lew, p. John Meredith, :26. 138 — Lucas Williams, LL, p. Gabriel Ruth, 1:02. 145 — Payden Wysong, LL, p. Wyatt Cook, 1:43.

Third-place match

Rocky Mountain 51, Priest River 36

Fifth-place match

West Valley 51, Pasco 29

Seventh-place match

Eureka 36, Kellogg 30

BRONZE BRACKET

Championship

Post Falls 2 56, Shadle Park 21

Kelly, Rogers win for Cd'A at Missoula tourney

MISSOULA, Mont. — Christian Kelly (103) and Rylan Rogers (205) won titles for Coeur d’Alene, which finished third at the Jug Beck Rocky Mountain Classic at Sentinel High.

“Christian Kelly wrestled a great tournament all weekend,” Coeur d’Alene coach Jeff Moffat said. “He wrestled solid, didn’t make any mistakes. He just wrestles hard all the time.”

Kelly normally wrestles at 98 pounds, but was at 103 because that’s Montana’s lowest weight.

Ditto Rogers, usually a 195-pounder, whom Moffat said was battling a sinus infection. In Montana, the next weight class after 182 is 205.

“Rylan is Rylan; he just takes care of business,” Moffat said.

Demarco Piazza (152) and Jaxson Washington (285) each finished second for Coeur d’Alene. Porter Craig (145) was fourth, Dax Larson (132), Mason Keough (138) and Carsen Speelman (160) each were fifth, Will Rossi (120) was seventh, Alyssa Randles (126) eighth.

The Vikings, who were missing Gunner Giulio (illness) took 11 wrestlers, and 10 placed in the 13 weights.

Flathead of Kalispell, Mont., won it with 314.5 points. University of Spokane was second with 221, and Coeur d’Alene had 217.

Lake City finished 11th out of 27 teams.

The Timberwolves had three placers — Blaine Leonard was third at 126, Zach Macdonald fifth at 113 and Xavier Johnson sixth at 285.

“Blaine looked probably the best he’s looked all year,” Lake City coach Corey Owen said. “He had a tough match in the semis. Sometimes it’s tough to bounce back from a semifinal loss, but he did with two pins and really looked good.

“Xavier is a senior who hasn’t wrestled since middle school, but he’s getting better every week,” Owen said.

Lake City and Coeur d’Alene next collide in the annual TerHark Cup on Thursday at Coeur d’Alene.