PREP BOYS WRESTLING: McLaimtaig gets revenge, repeats as state champion

Extended Recap from Sunday's paper

POCATELLO — Heading into the 144-pound championship match, senior Colm McLaimtaig had won 36 out of his last 37 matches — with his last loss coming to his opponent, Stellar Tew of West Side, at the Kooskia Duals on Jan. 24.

McLaimtaig, who defeated Jerrett Brebner of St. Maries for the fourth time this season by a 1-0 decision in the semifinals, also had a title to defend, having won the 2A (now 3A) 138-pound State Championship last season.

Down 3-2 heading into the third period, McLaimtaig was able to spin into a 2-point reversal and held on for a 4-3 win by decision. Tew, his opponent, held a 50-3 record coming into the match and was on a 24-match winning streak. McLaimtaig ended the season with a 52-5 record, closing with 27 straight wins.

He officially cements himself into history as one of the greatest Priest River High wrestlers of all-time.

Coming off a fifth-place finish at 220 pounds at last year's state championship, senior Caleb Grow (285) capped off his career with an all-time best third-place finish. Grow, who finished with a season record of 31-12, fell in the semifinals, but bounced back with a win by a 16-2 major decision in the consolation semifinals and a win by second-round pin in the third-place match to secure bronze.

Junior Darien Ratzlaff (215) also podiumed for Priest River, wrestling to a hard-fought bronze of his own. Ratzlaff, having never medaled at state before Saturday, finished the season with a 25-16 record after winning three straight matches on day two, all by pin. He impressed the field with a 5-1 tournament record.

The Spartans placed an 11th out of 42 teams with 76.5 points, two spots higher than their mark in 2024.

3A

TEAM SCORES — 1, Malad 211.5. 2, Ririe 194. 3, Kellogg 160.5. 4, Declo 104.5. 5, New Plymouth 99.5. t-6, Firth, Tri-Valley 92. t-8, St. Maries, West Side 91.5. 10, North Fremont 85. 11, Priest River 76.5. 12, Soda Springs 64.5. 13, Clearwater Valley 63.5. 14, Glenns Ferry 59. 15, West Jefferson 56. 16, Challis 51. 17, Nampa Christian 49. 18, Aberdeen 45. 19, Potlatch 31. 20, Grace 29.5. 21, Raft River 28. 22, Marsing 21. 23, Lakeside 20. 24, Valley 18.5. 25, Kendrick 17. 26, Salmon 15.5. 27, Orofino 15. 28, Grangeville 14. 29, Kamiah     10.5. 30, Parma 10. 31, Wendell 7. t-32, Hagerman, Hansen 6. 34, Melba 5.5. t-35, Butte County, Kootenai 4. 37, North Gem 3. 38, Greenleaf 1. No score — Cascade, Garden Valley, Lapwai, Oakley.

CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES

98 — Jake Barzee, West Side, d. Jack Jones, Ririe, 12-6. 106 — Jack Willie, Malad, p. Johnny Stovern, Kellogg, 0:54. 113 — Colton Storey, Kellogg, tf. Peter Fabbi, Clearwater Valley, 18-3. 120 — Henry Thomas, Glenns Ferry, md. Carsun Hinkelmann, Kellogg, 10-2. 126 — Gabe Muilenburg, Glenns Ferry, md. Bryce Jensen, North Fremont, 11-0. 132 — Carter Brittain, Firth, tb. Jack Schwendiman, Ririe, 7-5. 138 — Wallace Durfee, Declo, md. Carson Hill, North Fremont, 8-0. 144 — Colm McLaimtaig, Priest River, d. Stellar Tew, West Side, 4-3. 150 — Drake Morrison, Malad, tf. Brady Vergobbi, Kellogg, 15-0. 157 — James Hansen, Ririe, d. Zach David, St. Maries, 17-14. 165 — Aiden Yearout, St. Maries, d. Mac Hall, West Jefferson, 6-5. 175 — Eli Noah, Tri-Valley, d. Beau Ringel, Firth, 1-0. 190. 190 — Gabriel Cox, New Plymouth, p. Elijah Dilworth, Soda Springs, 0:24. 215 — Cole Garbett, Soda Springs, p. Rigin Dixon, Challis, 1:31. 285 — Orrin Miller, Malad, tf. Marcus Garcia, New Plymouth, 17-0.

THIRD-PLACE MATCHES

98 — Jaxon Hansen, Ririe, d. Taylor Izzard, Marsing, 6-3. 106 — Kevin Watson, Kellogg, d. Camden Worthington, Declo, 3-1. 113 — Teran Tracy, Raft River, md. Ben Reinke, North Fremont, 13-3. 120 — Ches Lee Webb, Ririe, tf. Bill Avery, Tri-Valley, 16-0. 126 — Eian Schwecke, Kendrick, md. Breylon Moon, Ririe, 17-6. 132 — Eston Beck, Aberdeen, p. Kelby Harvey, St. Maries, 1:41. 138 — Gavin Peterson, West Side, md. Parker Wangsgard, West Side, 11-1. 144 — Jack Eddins, Grace, p. Jerrett Brebner, St. Maries, 3:42. 150 — Jacob Fabbi, Clearwater Valley, p. Jace Waggoner, Tri-Valley, 2:33. 157 — Oakley Maddox, Malad, p. Kaiser Henne, Nampa Christian, 0:55. 165 — Jacob Shaw, New Plymouth), d. Treagan Harris, Ririe, 5-0. 175 — Tannon Nelson, Aberdeen, d. Gabe Hooste, Malad, 7-5. 190 — Kenyon Adams, Declo, d. Elias DeVries, Tri-Valley, 3-2. 215 — Darien Ratzlaff, Priest River, p. Layne Morris, Lakeside, 2:22. 285 — Caleb Grow, Priest River, p. Michael Lizarraga, Firth, 2:32.

FIFTH-PLACE MATCHES

98 — Jaxon Mills, Malad, md. Ryker Spencer, Challis, 14-1. 106 — Riggins Peterson, Declo, md. Simon Krupp, Soda Springs, 15-1. 113 — Ayden Potter, Malad, mf. Kevin Munoz, West Jefferson. 120 — Wade Clark, Malad, p. Hector Silvas, Firth, 2:12. 126 — Tayven Kunz, Ririe, d. Blake Tracy, Raft River, 13-8. 132 — Wyatt Storey, Kellogg, d. Porter Mills, Malad, 6-2. 138 — Hunter Gamble, Orofino, p. Tanner Labrum, Kamiah, 1:26. 144 — Payton Martindale, North Fremont, p. Malakai Narte, Nampa Christian, 3:43. 150 — Jayce Haynes, Kellogg, p. Roper Higley, Malad, 3:58. 157 — William Yearout, Potlatch, d. Conner Christensen, Clearwater Valley, 11-10. 165 — Ashton Allen, Firth, p. Carson Yearout, Potlatch, 2:47. 175 — Zander Yearsley, Ririe, p. Wyatt Moura, Tri-Valley, 4:13. 190 — Rydon Montgomery, Malad, d. Parker Farmer, Grangeville, 13-6. 215 — Nolan Darrough, New Plymouth, d. Rawley Babcock, West Jefferson, 5-1. 285 — Robert Fuentes, Declo, p. Will Whittier, Challis, 0:32.