Brave Brawlers win Best of West Duals
PASCO, Wash. — The Flathead Brave Brawlers wrestled their way to the Best of the West Duals title Thursday, showing strength and quite a bit of poise.
An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Newberg High in the final match gave Flathead — which rallied to tie the Oregon power, 36-36 — the victory on criteria in the finals.
It capped a 5-0 day that brought the Brawlers’ dual win streak to 65 — and stopped the Newberg Tigers’ at 117, a run that began in 2017.
Flathead beat Southridge (Kennewick, Wash.) 56-18, Hazen (Renton, Wash.) 83-0, Pasco 66-6 and Mt. Spokane 59-18.
That set up a championship that started at 132 pounds and saw the Tigers bolt to a 30-3 lead.
Then the Brawlers won the next six matches, highlighted by pins from Anders Thompson (190)
Sawyer Troupe (285), Kellen Downing (106) and Hunter Arriaga (120).
“Probably the biggest comeback that I have ever been part of as a coach,” Flathead’s Jeff Thompson said. “Never give up on the Brave Brawlers.”
Newberg finished second at the Class 6A Oregon state tournament in February after winning the previous three championships.
Going 5-0 on the day for Flathead were Troupe, Dane Lake, Downing and Thompson. Xander Winter went 3-0 and Logan Stansberry, Brett Chivers and Will Barnes all went 2-0.
Flathead will wrestle the bracketed Best of the West individual tournament Friday.
Best of the West Duals
Thursday in Pasco, Wash.
Championship
Flathead 36, Newberg, Ore. 36
132 — Gaven Rangel, N, p. Aiden Downing 1:42; 138 — Zachary Keinonen, N, p. Daniel Evert, 6:31. 144 — Dane Lake, F, dec. Jacob Smith 9-3. 150 — Dillon Le, N, dec. Lane Chivers 3-1. 157 — Gus Amerson, N, p. Kobin Baldwin, 2:39. 165 — Trae Frederick, N, major dec. Clifford Nance 12-0. 175 — Luke Augustus, N, p. Kohen Riley 1:31. 190 — Anders Thompson, F, p. Donor Wood, 1:05. 215 — Xander Winter, F, dec. Zdek Bowlby, 8-5. 285 — Sawyer Troupe, F, p. Austin Phillips :29. 106 — Kellen Downing, F, p. Kiah Worthington, N, 1;16. 113 — Dayton Naldrett, F, won by forfeit. 120 — Hunter Arriaga, F, p. Sawyer Keinonen, 1:53. 126 — Isaac Hampton, N, p. Diesel Thompson, 5:30.