Graham wins Tri-State
Flathead has four wrestlers place, team sixth in tourney
The Daily Inter Lake
COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho - Libby's Jake Graham is a Tri-State Tournament wrestling champion.
Graham caught his 215-pound championship match opponent - Garrett Later of Hermiston, Ore. - and pinned him in 26 seconds Saturday night.
The Flathead Braves scored 97.5 points to place sixth as a team. They had four wrestlers among the top eight of their weight classes.
Ricky Janes was fourth at 125 pounds, Shawn Lau was fifth at 103, Tyler Wells was sixth at 152 and Austin Zapata was seventh at 130.
Other area wrestlers who placed at the tournament were Polson's Ted Morigeau, fourth at 160, and Logan Torgison, fifth at 130.
"We came to this tournament to get some of the toughest competition in the Northwest - and that's what we got," said Flathead head coach Jeff Thompson.
"It's a big difference from a small invitational tournament in Montana.
"We had 11 out of 14 wrestlers win three or more matches. So, we're happy with where we're at," Thompson said.
But at the same time, the Braves found some things they need to work on.
"Monday at practice, we'll go back to the drawing board and focus on those things," Thompson said.
The story of the tournament for Flathead was Shawn Lau.
Although he wrestles regularly at 98 pounds, Lau moved up to 103 for the tournament. He lost his first match, then won six matches to place fifth.
"Not an easy task," Thompson said.
The coach was also proud of 125-pounder Ricky Janes.
"He's a grubber," Thompson marveled. "He just pulls out the 'W'. He just goes and goes and goes. He beat some very tough wrestlers … every match was a dogfight for him."
The Braves come home this week for three home duals - they play host Thursday to Missoula Hellgate and Big Sky, then play host Missoula Sentinel at 1 p.m. Friday before heading to Whitefish for a 6:30 p.m. dual.
Saturday's final Results
John Turpin Outstanding wrestler - Erich Schmidtke, Aberdeen, Wash.
Top 10 team scores - 1, Sedro Wooley, Wash., 158. 2, Hermiston, Ore., 149.5. 3, Lake Stevens, Wash., 134. 4, Sandpoint, 112.5. 5, Auburn, Wash., 102. 6, Flathead (Kalispell), 97.5. 7, University (Spokane) 93. 8, Lakeland, 89. 9, Coeur d'Alene 84. 10, Kelso, Wash., 81.5. Lewiston, 81.5
Championship
103 - Braden Mowry, Cd?A, p. Timmy Pepperdine, Spt., 3:44
112 - Derek Crouter, SWLY. d, Jake Love, Sent., 2-0
119 - Brian Owen, U-Hi. d. Spence Baugh, Riverside, 5-3.
125 - Joey Fio, Spt., d Trevor Powell, L-C, 10-5.
130 - Kelly Kubec, LS, md. Sam Lane, DP, 13-0.
135 - Michael Mangrum, Riverside, t.f., Josh Monson, LS. 20-5.
140 - Brent Parks, Herm. d. Eric Jones, Riverside, 7-0
145 - Zach Horsley, LL, t.f. Taylor Meeks, Ortig, 14-0.
152 - Andrew Johnson, Tahoma, d. Eric Starks, BG, 5-0.
160 - Ryan Desroches, Riverside, d. Michael Lomsdalen, SeWol, 3-0.
171 - Shane Onufer, Auburn, d. Andrew Buck, Kelso, 12-6.
189 - Erich Schmidke, Aberdeen. d, Clayton Foster, Kam. 2-1.
215 - Jake Graham, Libby, p. Garrett Later, Herm., :26.
Hwt - Mark Skogrand, Lew., p. Tyler Woolridge, Evergreen, Wash.. 2:44.
Third-Fourth Place
103 - Zach Zweifel, LS, d. Dylan McCallum, LaG, 9-0. 112 - Tracey Hufffman, Lew, d. Tyler Vella, ML, 15-0. 119 - Anthony Rivera, U-Hi, d. Philip Smith, Mead, d. 4-3 125 - Derek Garica, SeWol, d Ricky Janes, Flat, 4-1. 130 - Kevin O'Neal, SeWol, d. Jeff Fetter, Orting, 3-0. 135 - Jack Prince, Orting, d. Isaak Lawlor, Cd'A, 6-4. 140 - Mitch Tipton, LS, d. Elliott May, U-Hi, 1-0. 145 - Anthony Varnell, L-C, d Jon Healy, Gon., 3-2. 152 - Jake Swartz, Aub, d Ryan Barton, Herm, 1-0. 160 - Trevor Hall, BG, p. Ted Morigeau, Pol, 1:14. 171 - Jerod Morris, Spt. d. Reid Chivers, LC, 4-2. 189 - Troy Kessell, Herm., d. Garrett Rutledge, Aub, 8-4. 215 - Kyle Witty, LaG, d. Jimmy Martin, EV, 12-1. Hwt. - Brad Thew, New, won injury default, Trandon Bensen, RC.
Fifth-Sixth Places
103 - Shawn Lau, Flat, d. Blake Adams, DP, 9-1. 112 - Levi Zadorozny, DP, d. Tanner Teeples, CV, 4-2 OT. 119 - Shane Hunt, SeWol, d. Gabe Guzman, ML, 24-8 125 - Arturo Barajas, RC, d. Josh Lasick, AR, 4-2. 130 - Logan Torison, Pol, d. Kevin Healy, Gonz, 6-5. 135 - Kenny Melton, Pend, d Tim Klippert, LL, 2-1. 140 - Randal Nersten, SeWol, d. Gabriel Ahl, Gon, 7-4. 145 - David Hayes, TL, d. Angel Ledezma, RC, , 3-1. 152 - Noah Hatton, MtSpo, d. Tyler Wells, Flat, 7-0. 160 - Randy Larson, Hem. d. Mac Watson, Elma, 9-1. 171 - Clete Hanson, EV, d. Scott Underdahl, LL, 3-1. 189 - Taylor Morris, Spt., d Matt Parsons, Kelso, 4-2 215 - Jordan Frisbee, SWLY, p. Kyle Hoppe, Kelson, :37. Hwt. - Blake Austin, LS, d. Josh Barraza, Herm., 4-2
Seventh-Eighth Places
103 - Rodil Rodriguez, KL, d. Ryn Rollins, Rep, 10-4. 112 - Alec Ward, Spt, d Seth Wright, LL, 4-0. 119 - Kyle Richie, Sent, d. D.J. Skelton, Lew., 6-4 OT. 125 - Tyler Gateman, VI, p. Dusty Funderburg, Kam, 1:41. 130 - Austin Zapata, Flat, d. Eric Moody, New., 13-3 135 - Alex Steamboat, VI, d Blaine Shippy, SP, 8-6. 140 - John Thompson, Orting, d. Jacob Murray, Mon., 2-0. 145 - Marty Britt, Herm., p. Cody Miller, DP, 1:50 152 - Kyle Meschko, Spt, d. D.J. May, LaG, 15-4. 160 - Aarron Snyder, KL, d. T.J. Lochmann, Mon, 7-4. 171 - Russell, Luellen, Elma, won by injury default. 189 - Cory Dodge, Ever., d. Scott Holbrooke, TL, 6-3. 215 - Josh Townsend, Kelso, d. Tyler Cochran, CV, 3-2. Hwt. - Nic Weyrauch, EV, p. Joe Lindsey, Mt. Spo., 1:20.