LEWISTON — The Sandpoint wrestling team wrapped up competition at the Clearwater Classic this Saturday at Lewiston High.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament was changed from an individual competition to a dual format. The Bulldogs finished fourth in pod A at the tournament and went 2-4 in duals.

Despite the different format, head coach Jake Stark felt his squad took a step forward this weekend and he was proud of their effort.

"I feel like we made some huge gains," he said.

After dropping duals to Lewiston and St. Maries on Friday, the Bulldogs came out the next morning on a mission and took care of Clearwater Valley 43-36 in their first of four duals on Saturday.

In that match, SHS earned pins from Raphael Eldridge, Austin Smith, Matt Thurlow and Carson Laybourne. Trevan Adam picked up a win by majority decision at 152 pounds and Jacob Crum was victorious at 160 pounds 8-3.

To cap off duals in pod A, Sandpoint faced off with Kellogg for the third time this season. The teams split the previous two meetings, but the Wildcats won the rubber match Saturday 53-27.

Kellogg won six matches by pin and two by decision and forfeit. Darrian Resso, Trevan Adam and Thurlow earned victories by pin and Jordan Birkhimer grinded out a 3-1 win at 138 pounds.

After that, the Bulldogs drew rival Moscow and dominated the Bears 58-21.

Stark said his team definitely set the tone for when the two teams meet again on Thursday, Feb. 11 at Les Rogers Court for Senior Night.

"That turned out really good," he said. "We took it to those guys."

Tanner Dickson, Eldridge, Resso and Laybourne earned wins by pin, Forrest Ambridge won by majority decision at 113 pounds and Smith secured a 8-1 decision at 195 pounds.

The Bulldogs concluded the tourney with a dual against Potlatch, who they met two weeks earlier at a mixer in St. Maries.

The Loggers got their revenge and edged out Sandpoint 43-42.

Christian Troumbley-Karkoski and Crum earned pins and the Bulldogs won five matches by forfeit.

At 145 pounds, Resso went to battle with Potlatch's Gabe Prather and fell by majority decision 14-4. These two faced each other at the St. Maries mixer as well, and Stark said that match was a "drag-out bloodfest."

On Saturday, Resso was hampered by his knee injury, but went the distance and nearly pinned Prather in the third period.

"Darrian's knee is still bugging him a little bit, but he's been toughing it out," Stark said. "He came back in the very last part of the match, took him down and had the kid on his back, and then the match ended, so he ended on a good note even though he lost."

Resso, a sophomore, finished the weekend with a 5-1 record and three pins.

Stark was really impressed with the performance of his middleweights at the Clearwater Classic, particularly Crum.

Crum typically wrestles at 152 pounds, but with a couple guys out of the lineup the senior moved up to 160 and is leaving his mark. He went 6-0 this weekend with three wins by forfeit.

"He's been doing an outstanding job and wrestling really good for his senior year," Stark said. "He's got a good chance to get on the podium at state if he can keep this up."

Stark was also encouraged by what he saw from Laybourne and Smith.

"Austin Smith had a great weekend," Stark said. "He lost a couple matches, but he grew so much. His takedowns are looking really sharp and he just seems focused. I'm excited to see what he can do later in the season."

Next up for the Bulldogs is the North Idaho Rumble this Friday and Saturday at Coeur d'Alene.

This will be Sandpoint's first individual tournament of the season. Stark said the event will be a great measuring stick to see where his wrestlers are at.

Stark said he expects to get Jacob Albany back at 106 pounds, but he doesn't think Tag Benefield and Blake and Shane Sherrill will return to competition this week.

Results

Match No. 3 pod A

Sandpoint 43. Clearwater Valley 36.

98 — Andrew Duke, SHS, by forfeit. 106 — Double forfeit. 113 — Keyan Boller, CV, p. Forrest Ambridge, 1:45. 120 — Landon Olsen, CV, p. Tanner Dickson, 4:15. 126 — Anthony Fabbi, CV, by forfeit. 132 — Raphael Eldridge, SHS., p. Payton Wilson, 5:25. 138 — Daring Cross, CV, p. Jordan Birkhimer, 1:10. 145 — Darrian Resso, SHS, by forfeit. 152 — Trevan Adam, SHS, md. Tristin Dominguez, 14-6. 160 — Jacob Crum, SHS, d. Anthony Carter, 8-3. 170 — Connor Weddle, CV, p. Christian Troumbley-Karkoski, 4:40. 182 — Bass Myers, CV, p. Owen Wimmer, 1:36. 195 — Austin Smith, SHS, p. Porter Whipple, 2:50. 220 — Matt Thurlow, SHS, p. Isaac Goodwin, 0:42. 285 — Carson Laybourne, SHS, p. Rudy Hernandez, 1:52. Girls — Double forfeit.

Match No. 4 pod A

Kellogg 53. Sandpoint 27.

98 — Chase Morden, K, p. Duke. 106 — Kolter Wood, K, by forfeit. 113 — Dakota Eixenberger, K, p. Ambridge, 0:50. 120 — Wyatt Hei, K, p. Dickson, 3:20. 126 — Jaeger Hall, K, by forfeit. 132 — Jayce Garcia, K, p. Eldridge, 2:22. 138 — Birkhimer, SHS, d. Carter Stepro, 3-1. 145 — Resso, SHS, p. Ramsey Rainio, 1:14. 152 — Adam, SHS, p. Austin Thivierge, 4:00. 160 — Crum, SHS, by forfeit. 170 — Austin Miller, K, d. Troumbley-Karkoski, 7-6. 182 — Blaine Goodner, K, p. Wimmer, 1:53. 195 — Brodie Hoffman, K, d. Smith, 5-4. 220 — Thurlow, SHS, p. Carson Hudson, 1:32. 285 — Robbie Bublitz, K, p. Laybourne, 3:50. Girls — Double forfeit.

Classic Duals Purple Match No. 1

Sandpoint 58. Moscow 21.

98 — Duke, SHS, by forfeit. 106 — Xzavier Brown, M, by forfeit. 113 — Ambridge, SHS, md. Jason Swam, 13-2. 120 — Dickson, SHS, p. Sam Young, 0:50. 126 — Double forfeit. 132 — Eldridge, SHS, p. Trevor Griswold, 0:52. 138 — Andrew Bollinger, M, p. Birkhimer, 2:38. 145 — Resso, SHS, p. Emmett Lilly, 1:53. 152 — Adam, SHS, d. Brady Rains, by injury. 160 — Crum, SHS, by forfeit. 170 — Micah Harder, M, d. Troumbley-Karkoski, 11-9. 182 — Wimmer, SHS, by forfeit. 195 — Smith, SHS, d. Dillon Houser, 8-1. 220 — Logan Kearney, M, p. Thurlow, 1:31. 285 — Laybourne, SHS, p. Oscar Kearney, 0:30. Girls — Double forfeit.

Classic Duals Gray Match No. 1

Potlatch 43. Sandpoint 42.

98 — Duke, SHS, by forfeit. 106 — Double forfeit. 113 — Ambridge, SHS, by forfeit. 120 — Raymond Heely, PL, p. Dickson, 5:30. 126 — Joshua McPherson, PL, by forfeit. 132 — Avery Palmer, PL, d. Eldridge, 12-7. 138 — Birkhimer, SHS, by forfeit. 145 — Gabe Prather, PL, md. Resso, 14-4. 152 — Eli Prather, PL, p. Adam, 1:03. 160 — Crum, SHS, p. Tyson Tucker, 5:59. 170 — Troumbley-Karkoski, SHS, p. Giovanni Aquaro 1:31. 182 — Izack McNeal, PL, p. Wimmer, 0:38. 195 — Smith, SHS, by forfeit. 220 — Landon Warren, PL, p. Thurlow, 0:39. 285 — Laybourne, SHS, by forfeit. Girls — Taylor McPherson, PL, by forfeit.