Belgarde, Csizmar to lead young Bulldog wrestlers

By ERIC PLUMMER

Sports editor

SANDPOINT — For the better part of two decades, Sandpoint boasted one of the top wrestling programs in the state of Idaho. But if you coach long enough you’re bound to have what Bulldogs head coach Mike Randles called “one of those weird years,” as the Bulldogs did last season in a rebuilding season where they were forced to forfeit in several weight classes.

On Wednesday at practice, more than 30 wrestlers circled around the mat for warm ups, almost exclusively made up of underclassmen. Listening to Randles talk about this year’s team, it’s easy to see the program is on an upswing.

“The kids just said the other day ‘our team is huge,’ and I said ‘no, this is normal,’” says Randles of the best turnout in years, saying the entire outlook is different. “The fact that we have more than 30 kids out and only three seniors. For the first time in years, we have some freshman.”

Leading the team this year will be senior Garret Belgarde, who is moving up to 125 pounds and hopes to end his high school career with another state title. He won both the prestigious Tri-State meet and a state title as a 103 pound sophomore, before finishing second at state in 112 pounds last year.

Randles believes Belgarde is one of a host of wrestlers to benefit from Satini Puailoa’s athletic training course at the high school, and depending on how he adjusts to moving up in weight, could be one of the best in state in his class.

“He’s increased his strength and power, which hopefully allows him to adapt to that heavier weight class,” believes Randles, noting it’s a tall order to move up in weight. “If he does, he’ll compete for another state title.”

Senior Kyle Csizmar will also move up a weight class to 140 pounds, and the rangy athlete had an excellent off-season and will be vying extra hard to medal in his final season. Junior Peyton Dillon was one match away from a state medal last season, and Randles believes he has the potential to nab a podium finish at 112 pounds.

After struggling to fill a lineup for duals last season, the Bulldogs have a solid wrestler at every weight except heavy, led by Mike Fowler at 152 pounds, Troy Goodman at 130 pounds and the emerging Justin Pepperdine at 189 pounds. Randles says Pepperdine, a junior, could end up being the king of story he talks about years from now, one of those wrestlers that exceeds all expectation and continues to make strides to get better every day.

Randles spent much of the early practices taking a step back to teach sound fundamentals, making sure a young team absorbs the attacking style that defines Sandpoint wrestling.

“How we attack might be different, because of youth, but it’s all about the attack,” says Randles. “We won’t set the world on fire this year, but we have hard workers and it’s going to be about hard work. I feel like I’m back to where we were, not quite a great team, but a lot of potential.”

Sandpoint opens the season tonight at Timberlake.