SMS wrestling makes history with first-ever all-girls dual

Full caption: The Sandpoint Middle School Lady Bullpup wrestling program recently kicked off their season at Moscow High's Bear Den. The match made history as the first-ever girls-only official middle school wrestling dual in the Inland Northwest. Pictured are both teams, Moscow in back and Sandpoint in front, before the dual kicked off. Between the two teams there were 61 participants — 33 sixth-through-eighth graders for the Lady Bears, which are coached by Matt Haley and Skyla Zimmerman, and 28 seventh-through-eighth graders for the Lady Bullpups, which are coached by Valerie and Andre Johansen. The energy in the gym was described as electric, with a large crowd supporting the fast-growing programs. Ultimately, the dual was scored by matches won, and Sandpoint earned 44 victories compared to Moscow's 27. "The real winner tonight was girls wrestling," SMS head coach Valerie Johansen said. "What we’re seeing isn’t just competition, it’s culture. North Idaho isn’t playing catch-up anymore; we’ve built belonging, belief, and a standard that’s here to stay.” It's safe to say both Sandpoint and Moscow are officially leading the charge in the rise of girls wrestling in the Inland Northwest.