Pin propels Bulldogs past Post Falls
SANDPOINT — A pin in the final match propelled Sandpoint past Post Falls 35-33 in a tightly contested dual Tuesday night at Sandpoint High School. It was Jake Rosholt Night, as Sandpoint honored the three-time National Champion and one of the best wrestlers ever from the state of Idaho. Rosholt, who is coaching and training for the 2008 Olympics, was unable to attend.
Down 33-29 heading into the final match, Sandpoint's Kyle Meschko, who beat the top-ranked 152-pounder in the Idaho last weekend, pinned Brandon Tower to secure the rather low-scoring dual for the Bulldogs.
It was a clash in techniques as Post Falls relied on a lot of hand fighting, slowing down Sandpoint's aggressive attacks and limiting their points. Bulldogs' coach Mike Randles thought Jesse Peterson's pin of Kyle Smith at 275-pounds was the pivotal match.
"Jesse had two throws tonight," said Randles, noting that's rare for heavyweights. "He took a win away that I think they thought they had in the bank. They're (Post Falls) a good duals team."
Austin Tate (215), Kendall Silvestrini (119), Stephen Alexander (125) and Danny Booth (140) registered pins for the Trojans, who recently lost to Coeur d'Alene, also in the final match.
"We've been snake-bit two weeks in a row," said Post Falls' coach Dennis Amende. " We knew Sandpoint was a great team but our kids came to wrestle. We contested matches where we weren't the favorite."
The highlight of the dual was a move seldom seen in high school wrestling. Sandpoint senior Joey Fio, who's headed to the University of Oklahoma on a wrestling scholarship, leaped in the air and did what amounted to a standing back flip as he took down his opponent. The move elicited a collective gasp from the crowd, many of whom were still trying to figure out what they had just witnessed.
"It's called a high center; you see it more at the collegiate level," explained Randles of move. "He basically did a back flip through his opponents legs from a standing position."
Sandpoint hosts Coeur d'Alene on Thursday night as the Bulldogs celebrate Senior Night.
SANDPOINT 35, POST FALLS 33
160 — Mikel Buffaloe, PF, d. Nick Myers, 7-3. 171 — Jerod Morris, Spt, d. Cole Amende, 6-1. 189 — Taylor Morris, Spt, d. Duane Carr, 5-1. 215 — Austin Tate, PF, p. Austin Posey, 3:30. 275 — Jesse Peterson, Spt, p. Kyle Smith, 4:00. 103 — Timmy Pepperdine, Spt, p. Chad Booth, 1:30. 112 — Alec Ward, Spt, d. Derrick Booth, 8-1. 119 — Kendall Silvestrini, PF, p. Jacob Porter, 3:11. 125 — Stephen Anderson, PF, p. Will Hughes, 2:21. 130 — Joey Fio, Spt, tf. Ryan King, 19-6. 135 — Darren Thompson, Spt, d. Brett Berger, 4-0. 140 — Danny Booth, PF, p. Cliff Csizmar, 3:45. 145 — Ryan Booth, PF, by forfeit. 152 — Kyle Meschko, Spt, p. Brandon Tower, 1:55.
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