SHS wrestling topples pair of 5As, goes 3-0 on final day of River City Duals

POST FALLS — Bulldog wrestling capped off another stellar weekend on the mat with a 3-0 record on the final day of the River City Duals on Saturday.

Sandpoint opened the tourney Friday with a devastating 85-0 loss to host Post Falls, who finished third overall. But the Bulldogs didn't let that defeat get them down. They bounced back just hours later by crushing Shadle Park, and head coach Jake Stark said the team carried the momentum from that victory with them in all three of their duals Saturday.

"We showed a lot of grit and a lot of toughness," he said. "When it just got down to it, that's what won those close matches. Our guys just persevered through the tough matches and came out on top. We didn't win every single match, but we won the ones that mattered."

In the quarterfinals of the silver bracket, Sandpoint beat down Pasco 54-33. The Bulldogs lost the first three bouts, but pins from Kaiden Rose (113), Darrian Resso (152), Jorden Tyler (160), Calvin Hinds (170), Owen Wimmer (182) and Greg Belgarde (285) allowed them to sail to the semifinals.

Next up for the Bulldogs was a battle with Rocky Mountain, who finished seventh at the 2021 5A state tournament.

Once again, SHS lost the three matches, but a 10-7 victory by freshman Ashlei Hawkins at 120 pounds helped spark the Bulldogs. They won three matches by pin, three by forfeit and two by decision.

That win should have booked Sandpoint a ticket to the silver bracket championship against rival Lakeland, but Stark said the Hawks opted out of wrestling the Bulldogs with the Battle for the Paddle on the horizon.

"I think if we would have wrestled Lakeland, we would have had them," he said.

So instead, Sandpoint faced off against 5A Thunder Ridge, currently ranked fifth in the state, to wrap up the dual tourney.

Trailing 41-39 entering the final match, Belgarde pinned his opponent to send SHS to a 45-41 victory.

"The more we wrestled, the stronger we got," Stark said.

Sandpoint is now 9-6 in duals this season.

A handful of Bulldogs had standout performances. Resso amassed a 4-1 record across the tourney with two pins and one forfeit. Blake Sherrill and Belgarde also went 4-1. Each grabbed two wins by pin and by forfeit.

Forest Ambridge, Wimmer and Hinds all went 3-2.

The Bulldogs head to Lakeland at 6 p.m. Friday for the Battle for the Paddle dual. Stark believes the Bulldogs put the Hawks on notice with their performance at the River City Duals.

"As a whole, I think we sent Lakeland a message," he said.

Results (Sandpoint athletes in bold)

Sandpoint 54, Pasco 33.

132 — Victor Godinez d. Wyatt Marker, 7-0. 138 — Jesus Manzo p. Shane Sherrill, 5:02. 145 — Eduardo Zaragoza p. Adam Belgarde, 0:41. 152 — Darrian Resso p. Joshua Hernandez, 2:00. 160 — Jorden Tyler p. Dominic Torres, 0:46. 170 — Calvin Hinds p. Victor Cuellar, 0:48. 182 — Owen Wimmer p. Parker Cazier, 0:19. 195 — Blake Sherrill accepted forfeit. 220 — Eduardo B. Aguilar p. Austin Smith, 5:01. 285 — Greg Belgarde p. Alan Leanos, 1:25. 98 — Andrew Duke accepted forfeit. 106 — Aiden Rork accepted forfeit. 113 — Kaiden Rose p. Tonkra Phomtanaphun, 2:26. 120 — Andre Rodriguez p. Ashlei Hawkins, 2:39. 126 — Adan Martinez p. Forest Ambridge, 1:08.

Sandpoint 42, Rocky Mountain 35.

98 — Chase Jensen d. Andrew Duke, SV-1 12-10. 106 — Isidro Cortez d. Aiden Rork, 8-2. 113 — Cael Bullock p. Kaiden Rose, 0:36. 120 — Ashlei Hawkins d. Nate Galloway, 10-7. 126 — Forest Ambridge p. Carter Prisbrey, 5:27. 132 — Titus Nichols d. Wyatt Marker, TF 19-4. 138 — Luke Jensen accepted forfeit. 145 — Brady Abbott p. Adam Belgarde, 1:21. 152 — Darrian Resso d. Calvin Fillmore, 8-2. 160 — Zac Henderson p. Jorden Tyler, 3:50. 170 — Calvin Hinds p. Tyler Wells, 1:02. 182 — Owen Wimmer p. Jaiden Snyder, 1:28. 195 — Blake Sherrill accepted forfeit. 220 — Austin Smith accepted forfeit. 285 — Greg Belgarde accepted forfeit.

Sandpoint 45, Thunder Ridge 41.

98 — Ashton Fullmer p. Aiden Rork, 0:56. 106 — Isaac Scott accepted forfeit. 113 — Kaiden Rose accepted forfeit. 120 — Parker Reeves p. Ashlei Hawkins, 1:01. 126 — Forest Ambridge d. Preston Hanson, 6-3. 132 — Wyatt Marker p. Miklo Silvas, 5:37. 138 — Shane Sherrill accepted forfeit. 145 — Gabe Terrill p. Adam Belgarde, 0:49. 152 — Darrian Resso p. Joshua Denkers, 5:12. 160 — Jorden Tyler p. Marcello Armitage, 4:32. 170 — Gabe Reeves d. Calvin Hinds, TF 16-0. 182 — Max Leavitt p. Owen Wimmer, 3:10. 195 — Blake Sherrill p. Anson Ferguson, 2:39. 220 — Garrett Roedel p. Austin Smith, 1:17. 285 — Greg Belgarde p. Sark Thornhill, 1:04.