STATE HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING TOURNAMENTS: Coeur d'Alene looks to contend, Trojans out to defend title in 6A

STATE HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING TOURNAMENTS

Friday, Saturday

At Ford Idaho Center, Nampa

Times PST

Friday’s schedule

8 a.m. — All girls, 4A and 3A boys first round; consolation first round; championship second round; consolation second round.

12:30 p.m. — 6A/5A boys championship first round; consolation first round, championship second round; consolation second round.

Saturday’s schedule

8 a.m. — Semifinals, consolation quarterfinals.

10 a.m. — Consolation semifinals; quarterfinals.

Noon — Third/fourth and fifth/sixth place matches.

2:30 p.m. — Parade of athletes.

3 — Championship finals.

By JASON ELLIOTT

Sports writer

6A

The numbers added up for Post Falls High last year, with the Trojans capturing their sixth state wrestling title since 2015, and first since 2020.

Will that same magic work out for the Trojans this year or can Coeur d’Alene — with 19 qualifiers — notch its first title since winning its second straight in 2011?

We’ll find out starting today at the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa.

Sophomore Micah Miller (98 pounds), senior Rocco White (113), senior Justus Peregrina (120) and junior Brock Armstrong (190) won district titles for Coeur d’Alene last week, the Vikings' first district title since 2014.

Sophomore Dylan Coulson (106), sophomore Nash Larsen (120), freshman Cole Armstrong (126), junior Colton Rush (126), senior Tanner George (132), sophomore Trevor Edwards (138), junior Dominic Prangley (144), sophomore Logan Nitti (150), junior Finn Case (157), sophomore Cruz Paulin (165), senior Riley Berger (175), senior Ty Paulin (175), sophomore Drake Speelman (190), senior Rylan Peterson (215) and junior Luis Calderon (285) also qualified to state for the Vikings.

“Guys like Micah, Rocco, Justus and Brock, we know what we’re going to get out of them each and every time they step on the mat,” Coeur d’Alene coach Jeff Moffat said. “Our other guys are wrestling really well right now, but it’s time to put it all together right now.”

Armstrong won state at 165 pounds last year. Nash Larsen was fifth at 106 last year.

“Yeah, I think we have a chance at a top-four finish,” Moffat said.

For Post Falls qualified 18, including sophomore Tristan Mendenhall (106), sophomore Ryker Allen (126), junior Matthew Hamilton (132), sophomore Sawyer Sage (138), freshman Titus Wise (144), sophomore Judah Brazle (150), senior Colton Austin (157), senior Damion Hamilton (165), senior Landon Moore (175) and senior Xander Scholes (285), who won district titles last Friday at Coeur d’Alene High.

Matthew Hamilton won a state title at 113 pounds last year.

“We’ve had some really tough tournaments that have prepared our guys for this weekend throughout the season,” second-year Post Falls coach Jeremy Zender said. “The guys are eager to get out and compete this weekend for sure. We've got the guys to bring one home, but it's going to take some work.”

Freshman Jaxon Brazle (98), freshman Soren Hutchinson (98), senior Gage Loftin (113), freshman Reise Reardon (113), senior Logan Loaiza (120), senior Brandon Felix (132), junior Benjamin Carrasco (190) and senior Zane Smith (215) also qualified for the Trojans.

Mendenhall (fifth at 98), Loftin (fourth at 106), Sage (second at 126), Felix (fourth at 132), Austin (sixth at 157), Damion Hamilton (second at 165), Smith (fifth at 190) and Scholes (third at 285) placed for Post Falls last year.

Lake City, led by district champion James Vincent (215), a senior, qualified six for state. Joining Vincent are senior Connor Johnson (138), sophomore Caden Ramey (144), junior Kellan Walther (150), senior Josh Macdonald (157) and senior Tucker Bridwell.

Meridian, which had won the previous four state team titles (2021-24), qualified 29 for this year’s tournament.

“I think Meridian is head and shoulders above everybody,” Moffat said. “That’s like competing against two full teams.”

5A

Junior Carson Leonard, competing for his third straight state title, was a regional champion for Lakeland, which finished fourth at state last season. Junior Zach Teal (106), also a regional champion, won the state title at 98 pounds.

“We’ve got a lot of returners that are back at state,” said Lakeland coach Will Edelblute, in his fourth year as coach. “They’ve been putting in the work all year and continuing to get better. We’ve got a good group of freshmen going as well, and I think it’s just going to help build on the culture we’ve got going here.”

Other Lakeland qualifiers are freshman Bryan Patrick (98), freshman Cruz Knopp (106), junior Joziah Koonce (113), freshman Colby Adams (113), senior Caleb Adams (120), junior Kade Knopp (132), senior Cole Cooper (144), freshman Porter Clauson (144), freshman John Neff (150), senior Kalab Hammer (157), junior Gage McWatters (175), senior Peyton Sardinha (190) and freshman Emmit Rivadeneira (215).

Caleb Adams (fifth at 106) and Kalab Hammer (fourth at 157) placed last year for Lakeland.

Bishop Kelly won the state team title last year.

4A

Senior Wyatt Carey (113), who has finished runner-up the past two years, is among 15 qualifiers for Timberlake.

Junior Colton D’Avanzo (106), freshman Colter Schoepp (106), freshman Hunter Meyer (113), junior Jacob Rade (120), senior Sawyer Huston (120), junior Gage Haines (132), senior Logan Handlen (138), sophomore Parker Cathey (144), sophomore Niklas Lee (150), junior Chris Schmidt (157), sophomore Joseph Torr (165), senior Carter Loutzenhiser (175), junior Fisher Timmins (215) and junior Archer Higgins (285) also advanced for Timberlake, which finished ninth at state last year.

D'Avanzo (fourth at 98), Schmidt (fifth at 150) and Torr (sixth at 165) also placed last year for Timberlake.

Fruitland won the team title last year.

3A

Junior Kelby Harvey (144), senior Zach David (150), senior Amado Stewart (157), senior Aiden Yearout (165) and senior Zack Sotin (190) won District 1-2 titles for St. Maries last Saturday at St. Maries High.

Yearout, who has signed with North Idaho College, won at 165 last year.

Also qualifying for state for St. Maries are senior Beau Wentzel (132), junior Clintin Hansen (138), sophomore Wyatt Stewart (138), senior Dylan Hansen (150), sophomore Gabe Halloran (157), freshman Parker Thomas (165), junior Kristoffer Brusseau (190), senior Rustle Brusseau (215), sophomore Asher Blankenship (215) and sophomore Michael Enick (285).

David (second at 157) and Harvey (fourth at 132) are returning state placers.

Junior Eli Morris (175), senior Julian Moffitt (190) and junior Elijah Sifford (285) qualified for Lakeside.

Malad was won the past two team titles.

GIRLS

Senior Brooklyn Anderson (190), who finished third at state last year, along with sophomores Murphee Balich (100), Jaiden DeTienne (105) and Avery Whaley (125), qualified for state for Coeur d’Alene.

Sophomore Poppy Schenk (140), senior Aspen Kiser (145) and junior Katie Rippentrop (170) qualified for Lake City. Kiser also qualified last year.

Junior Jasmine Soto-Wilson (110), junior Vada Hutchinson (115), senior Emma Younger (120), sophomore Kahli Brown (135), sophomore Maria Thompson (190) and sophomore Kassie Voss (235) qualified for Post Falls.

Brown was third at 132 last year for the Trojans.

Junior Hunter Edmondson (115) and senior Alexandra Schroeder (125) qualified for Lakeland.

Senior Shelby Garten (130), state runner-up at 126 last year, is the lone qualifier for Timberlake.