Pepperdine advances to state finals
NAMPA — Sandpoint senior Timmy Pepperdine took longer to warm up than he did in advancing to the finals of the 4A 112-pound championship Friday night at the Idaho Center in Nampa.
Pepperdine (19-2), took K.C. McReynolds (22-11) from Middleton down with a decisive move early, then rolled him on his back for the pin in 43 seconds. All three of his tournament wins have come in less than a minute, demonstrating the form that makes him one of the top wrestlers in the state.
He'll see Kody Hansen (33-8) from Nampa in today's championship.
"Last year was different because it was coach Randles' last year and we all wanted to win for him," said Pepperdine, who won a title at 103 a year ago. "This year we have a new coach and I'd like to go out a two-time champion.
"I feel great, confident, like I can win every match. But I still need to stay focused."
Paul Marienau (25-6), the other Bulldog wrestler to advance to the semis, lost a hard-fought 9-5 decision to No. 1 seed Ruben Hernandez (35-3) of Blackfoot at 160 pounds, while earning the respect of his coach.
"He wrestled his ass off, left it all on the table, wrestled without any regrets," said Sandpoint coach Kirk Hartzell. "I was very proud of the way he wrestled."
Sid Winter fell in the quarterfinals at 135 pounds, then recorded two pins to remain alive in the consolation bracket today. Winter joins Pepperdine and Marienau, who's in the consolation semis, as the only Bulldogs still alive in the tournament.
Garret Belgarde (103) lost his quarterfinal, then won his first match in consolation before being eliminated. Hartzell said the two opponents he lost to were difficult match-ups style-wise, as both were long and also strong wrestlers.
Terry Taylor (215) lost his quarterfinal, then won one and lost one in the consolation bracket to end a respectable tournament run. In his final match he was tied 2-2 in the third period before getting caught on his back and pinned.
"It was a huge step for him to compete at this level," said Hartzell of Taylor. "It's changed his outlook on wrestling."
Colter Sigman (119), Leonard Fister (145) and Sam Sisson were each eliminated on Friday.
Sandpoint is in seventh place as a team after the first two days, while defending champ Blackfoot remains in first.
4A QUARTERFINALS
103 — Nick Porter, Preston, d. Garret Belgarde, Spt, 16-9. 112 — Timmy Pepperdine, Spt, p. Cameron Johnson, Kuna, :39. 135 — Ty Kleffner, Mt. Home, p. Sid Winter, 4:37. 160 — Paul Marienau, Spt, md. Hohn Merikel, Moscow, 11-2. 215 — Alfonso Hernandez, Blackfoot, p. Terry Taylor, Spt, 1:01.
4A SEMIFINALS
112 — Pepperdine, Spt, p. K.C. McReynolds, Middleton, :43. 160 — Ruben Hernandez, Blackfoot, d. Marienau, Spt, 9-5.
4A CONSOLATION
103 — Belgarde, Spt, p. Cameron Johnson, Kuna, :39; Conner Newman, Kuna, md. Belegarde, 13-5. 119 — Jesse Barone, Nampa, md. Colter Sigman, 12-4. 135 — Winter, Spt, p. Nathan Broadhead, Burley, 3:32; WInter, Spt, p. Wilson Carter, Blackfoot, 1:27. 145 — Ken Winn, Lakeland, p. Leonard Fister, Spt, 1:59. 152 — Andrew Lords, Rigby, p. Sam Sisson, Spt, 3:42. 215 — Taylor, Spt, p. James Woods, Rigby, 1:26; Nathan Barclay, Minico, p. Taylor, Spt, 4:36.
? Lopez and Swisher to meet in 3A championship
Priest River's Justin Lopez and Bonners Ferry's Dayne Swisher each won a tight decision in the semifinals, and will face each other today in the 3A 140 pound championship match. Both IML wrestlers won by pin in their quarterfinal matches.
The Spartan's James Hegge (112) won his quarterfinal match before falling in the semis, dropping him into consolation, where he will wrestle for a state place today. The Badger's Ben Watt (103) won his quarterfinal and lost in the semis, also remaining alive in consolation.