Nash, Bunty lead Bulldogs at Pacific Northwest

SPOKANE — With a handful of strong Washington, Montana and Idaho teams among the 17 in attendance, podium spots were hard-earned last weekend as the Bulldog wrestling team competed at the Pacific Northwest Classic at University High School.

Scout Nash (138) and Preston Bunty (152) each finished sixth to lead the Bulldogs, earning the respect of first year head coach Jake Stark.

Bunty’s bracket was particularly tough, as he beat a strong wrestler from Deer Park who had finished third earlier at the Best of the West Tournament in Pasco in the quarter-finals. After that Bunty lost 11-3 to an undefeated wrestler from Shadle Park in the semis, a match where Stark felt Bunty wrestled much stronger than the final scored indicated.

“Preston fought hard and wrestled smart, giving him a run for his money,” described Stark.

Nash was wrestling in top form and was poised for a high place before he hurt his shoulder in the semis, and had to forfeit the final two consolation matches.

“I felt that he could have placed higher because he had beaten the two kids he was going to face next earlier in the week, which was the Coeur d’Alene kid and the Mead kid he beat earlier in the tournament,” claimed Stark.

Casey Oleson (106), who has quietly built one of the best records on the Bulldogs this year at 14-5, notched a pin over North Central before falling in a tough 9-7 decision to Ferris to end his tournament.

The Bulldogs will travel to face 5A power Post Falls, the reigning two-time state champs and arguably one of the best teams in the northwest, on Thursday, before taking part in the River City Duals on Friday and Saturday.

106 — Casey Olesen, Spt, p. Steven Truong, NC, 2:57; Hunter Rush (Flathead), p. Olesen, 4:45; Sipriano Barrera (Ferris), d. Olesen, 9-7.

106 — Cam Domke (University), p. Tyson Bushell, Spt, :59; Sipriano Barrera (Ferris), p. Bushell, 1:52.

113 — Andrew Fritz (Wenatchee), tf. Parker Coon, Spt, 16-0; Jaxon Rocha (Othello), md. Coon, 12-1.

113 — Hunter Murphey (Hanford), md. Mason Bangeman, Spt, 11-3; Bangeman, p. Devin Sorrelle (Lake City), 4:11; Bangeman, d. Andrew Fritz (Wenatchee), 3-0; Bryce Shaffer (Flathead), p Bangeman, 1:25.

120 — Jeremy Mendez (Othello), md. Malachi Fleck, Spt, 17-6; Sam Negrete (Wenatchee), d. Fleck, 7-5.

132 — Mitchell Moffat (Coeur d`Alene), p. Tucker Hall, Spt, 3:30; Hall, p. Levi Garza (Othello), 2:15; Sean Agar (Ferris), d. Hall, 4-3.

138 — Scout Nash, Spt, md. Owen Robinson (University), 9-1; Nash, p. Craig Hill (Mead), :42; Gavin Geis (North Central), d. Nash, 6-3; Payton Keough (Coeur d`Alene), by forfeit over Nash; 5th Place Match - Zachary Bowsky (East Valley), by forfeit over Nash.

152 — Preston Bunty, Spt, p. Riley Flack (Freeman), 1:16; Bunty, d. Dean Lockwood (Deer Park), 2-1; Andrew Rogers (Shadle Park), md. Bunty, 11-3; Payton Hume (Flathead), p. Bunty, :49; 5th Place Match - Dean Lockwood (Deer Park), d. Bunty, 7-2.

160 — Bryan Wais (North Central), p. Isiah Fleck, Spt, 1:57; Fleck, Spt, d. Michael Rhea (Pigdogs), 7-5; Bernie Garza Jr. (Othello), p. Fleck, 3:53.

170 — Andrew Webster, Spt, d. Isaiah Skinner (Coeur d`Alene), 6-4; Grayson Bowles (Mt. Spokane), md. Webster, 15-4; Caden Boswell (Deer Park), p. Webster, 2:55.

182 — Ronin Haynes (Wenatchee), p Hans Liband, Spt, 1:56; Zach Strauss (Ferris), p. Hans Liband, 3:26.

195 — Calum Wilcox, Spt, p Hans Wichman (Coeur d`Alene), 4:20; TJ Martinez (Othello), p. Calum Wilcox, 5:56; DJ Guzman (Othello), p. Calum Wilcox, 3:17.

220 — Garrett Trevino (Freeman), d. Zack Alamillo, Spt, 3-2; Alamillo, p. Isaiah Perez (Othello), 2:34; Manny Homen (Ferris), p. Alamillo, 4:17.