Bulldogs finish 9th at River City Duals
POST FALLS — Sandpoint went 4-1, including an undefeated day on Saturday, to win the Silver bracket and finish tied for 9th at the River City Duals in Post Falls last weekend, capping a busy week.
Tanner McNelly (113 pounds) went a perfect 8-0 in matches last week to lead the Bulldogs, who wrestled in eight duals over a five-day span, making huge strides in the process.
“It was one of the busiest weeks I have been a part of since coaching,” said longtime head coach Mike Randles. “The kids wrestled as well as we could have expected them to.”
After losing to Capital and beating Kamiakin on Friday, the Bulldogs were placed in the Silver bracket. On Saturday they beat Connell and Shadle Park to advance to the championship, where they were slated to face 4A rival Lakeland. Instead, each team opted to face another opponent, and Sandpoint beat Bishop Kelly 56-36 in the last dual.
Showing improved depth, the Bulldogs held their own despite wrestling without normal varsity starters Jon McCormick, Colton Redding and Adam Weindl, a testament to the improving youth in the program.
“Through this point in the season, six freshmen and sophomores have earned their varsity letters, which comes by way of team points actually earned, not playing time or forfeits,” said Randles of the youth movement.
Lewis Dunton was also a perfect 5-0 in Post Falls, while Mahonri Hunsaker, Josh Travers and Chris Bunty each went a respectable 4-1.
Junior Talon Egbers, competing in his first year of high school wrestling, has been a pleasant surprise, showing his athleticism while wrestling between 220 pounds and heavyweight. Another pleasant surprise has been freshman Kristian Felten. Even for 98 pounds, he is exceptionally small but goes out and battles in a weight were size rules. This will pay big dividends in the future for him.
“The bottom line, though, is that we have a long ways to go to be a concern for the rest of the state,” admitted Randles. “Still we seem to be headed in the right direction.”
Sandpoint will compete at the Clearwater Classic in Lewiston on Friday and Saturday.
SANDPOINT 56, BISHOP KELLY 36
126 — Brent Buchmiller, Spt, by forfeit. 132 — Lewis Dunton, Spt, by forfeit. 138 — Mahonri Hunsaker, Spt, p. Rick LeFord, 1:12. 145 — Nick Hell, BK, p. Tyler Presser, :57. 152 — Mark Green, BK, p. Brandon Carlin, 3:12. 160 — Chris Bunty, Spt, p. Nate Johnson, 1:13. 170 — Josh Poole, BK, p. Tyler Brown, :58. 182 — Michael Stormo, Spt, p. Patrick Oster, :19. 192 — Josh Travers, Spt, p. J.J. Knife, 1:15. 220 — Michael Finn, BK, p. Talon Egbers, 4:35. 285 — BK, by forfeit. 98 — Marco Cervantes, BK, p. Kristain Felten, 1:15. 106 — BK, by forfeit. 113 — Tanner McNelly, Spt, tf. Nathan Hall, 15-0. 120 — Double forfeit.