ST. MARIES — Badger wrestling fought at the Chad. E. Ross tournament on Dec. 30, with four Badgers taking first in their weight class.

Bonners Ferry champions at the tournament included Brandon Williams (117), Porter Blackmore (145), Marcus Regrehr (160) and Savannah Rickter (165 G).

Head coach Kevin Campbell said Williams, Regehr and Rickter were seeded first for the tournament.

Blackmore entered the tournament unseeded and pinned his way through the tournament.

“Porter doesn’t sit and worry about his opponent, he goes out and wrestles,” he said. “It was a tough bracket, but he handled them well.”

Campbell said Blackmore has improved and is very strong for a second-year wrestler.

“They came and did what they were expected to do — win,” he said.

Also placing for the Badgers was Gena Kelsey (138G) and Neveah Therrien (107-114G) in second.

Campbell said the girls 107 and 114 weight classes were combined for the tournament. Therrien typically wrestles at 107, but had to wrestle heavy girls. She first lost to an All American from Grangeville at 114, Therrien is still undefeated at the 107 weight class.

Kelsey lost to the number one girl in the area from Potlatch, Campbell said.

Saber Blackmore (106) and Israel Johnson (138B) took third.

In fourth was Donny Riess (285) , Aubrey Wells (138G) andLindsey Onstott (145-152G).

The Badger boys placed fourth out of 18 teams. Girls wrestling team scores were not tracked at the tournament.

Campbell said the girls wrestling team is looking at other girls only tournaments in Washington to compete at. There are opportunities to wrestle in Othello, Wash., at an all-girl tournament touting a 32-woman bracket. North Idaho Rumble will also have girls wrestling. The biggest issue is fighting the weather and getting transportation to the tournament due some being over 200 miles away, Campbell said.

On the girls front, the team is improving and has wrestled with most of the girls in the area, Campbell said.

“We know what they have and what we need to improve,” he said. “We need to have some of our other wrestlers win matches, score points and we could be top 10 in state. We are trying to gain experience, have good personal records and go off to state.”

For the boys, the team is still young and is making progress, Campbell said.

Tully Reinhart, senior, has suffered from an injury and could be out for the rest of the season.

“Tully is a leader on the team and a point scorer this year,” Campbell. “This will change our strategy for upcoming duals. A JV wrestler has been going through a trial by fire in order to fill the weight class.”

BOY TEAM SCORES: 1, Lakeland 188; 2, Kellogg 176; 3, Clearwater Valley 169; 4. Bonners Ferry 145; 5, St. Maries 123; 6, Priest River, 122; 7, Coeur d’Alene 109; 8, Grangeville 103.9; 9, Moscow 84; 10, Potlatch 41; 11, Orofino 40; 12, Enterprise, OR, 38; 12, Rogers (Spokane, WA) 39; 14, Lewiston 25; 15, Northwest Christian (Colbert, WA) 15; 16, Kootenai 23; 16, Lapwai 53.