STATE HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING: No numbers game this time as Post Falls seeks sixth state title since 2015

After all these years, Post Falls gets an even playing field.

Especially in recent years, the Trojans have qualified a goodly amount of wrestlers to the state 5A tournament — roughly 20 or so.

Only to see a Boise-area team — like Meridian, in recent years — get nearly 30 to state, mostly because more berths to state are available to District 3 schools, because there are many more teams down there.

Meanwhile, Region 1 is limited to usually three berths to state because there are only four teams in the region — and with Coeur d’Alene, Lewiston and Lake City also strong year in and year out, the teams tend to eat their own, and some good kids get left at home due to a numbers game.

Sometimes, those extra qualifiers can make a difference.

Sometimes, Post Falls has been able to overcome that; sometimes not.

The Trojans have won five state titles (2015, ’16, ’18, ’19 and ’20). They finished second in 2012, ’13 and ’17, and third in 2014, ’21 and ’22.

That’s a top-3 finish every year since 2012.

This year Post Falls qualified 23 to state, which begins today and runs through Saturday at the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa.

Meridian, the two-time defending champion, qualified 24.

Nampa, also expected to contend for the title, qualified 22.

“At least we're starting at the same number,” said Pete Reardon, in his 14th season as Post Falls coach. “We’re excited, man; we’ve got about the same number of qualifiers (as the others), so we’ll see how it goes.”

Sophomore Rider Seguine (106), who won last year at 98, is the lone returning state champion for Post Falls.

But 11 others — Ethan Wilson (120), Zack Campbell (126), Tyson Barnhart (132), Trey Smith (145), Seth Martin (152), John Rudebaugh (160), Jose Laguna (170), Keanyn DeGroat (182), Gentry Smith (195), Trevor Miller (220) and Malcolm Duthie (220) — also placed at state last year for the Trojans. Rudebaugh, Smith and Trevor Miller each placed third.

Post Falls beat Meridian in a dual earlier this season. Meridian beat Post Falls to win the Rollie Lane Invitational, and Meridian beat Nampa at districts.

“It could come down to the wire,” Reardon said.

Coeur d’Alene, which graduated a deep, talented senior class last year when the Vikings finished second, had a terrific regional tournament and qualified 16 to state.

Returning state placers for the Vikings include Will Rossi (126), Dax Larsen (138) and Carsen Speelman (182). Larsen was second at 132 last year.

Another trophy at state this week might be a reach, but Coeur d’Alene coach Jeff Moffat is hoping to “get a few on the podium.”

Lake City qualified three, including senior Zach Macdonald (113), who won a state title last year at 106.

Jerimiah Gonzalez of Meridian, who Macdonald beat in the finals last year, won the District 3 title at 113 last week.

“His weight’s pretty tough this year; I think he’s the favorite, but he’s going to have to have a good weekend,” Lake City coach Corey Owen said of Macdonald.

Garrett Leonard (182) also qualified for state last year.

4A

Lakeland, which claimed a 14th regional title in 15 seasons last Friday in Moscow, qualified 13 under first-year coach Will Edelblute.

Minico, the defending champion, qualified 24.

3A

Timberlake, which claimed its first district title since 2020 last Thursday in Spirit Lake, qualified 13 for coach Jason Jerome.

Timberlake senior Stryker Hutson was runner-up at 120 pounds in 2021.

South Fremont, which qualified 24, won last year's tournament.

2A

St. Maries qualified 10 to state for coach Dennis Humphrey.

Ririe, which qualified 14, won last year's team title by one point over New Plymouth 198-197.

GIRLS

Coeur d'Alene senior Alyssa Randles (126 pounds) seeks a fourth-straight title, while Abigale Piper of Post Falls (second at 138 in 2021) aims for her first title in the second year of a sactioned girls-only tournament.

Coeur d'Alene, which only has three wrestlers in its program, qualified all three to state. Lake City qualified both sophomore Alexxis Johnson (120) and junior Madi Cook (132) and Lakeland freshman Alyssa Foreman (126).