Six wrestlers headed to Tacoma Dome

Three Raider wrestlers and their alternates will compete at the state tournament later this week after having earned their seeds to the big competition in the regional tournaments.

They competed at the regionals in Tonasket and Wahluke, as Lake Roosevelt placed third out of 10 teams in Tonasket on Saturday with 60 team points. They were behind Kittitas who had 146 and Tonasket who had 278.5 points.

Raider Tony Nichols was the champion of the 138-pound bracket after he defeated Austin Rimestad from Tonasket 3-1.

“That was a close, tough match,” Head Coach Steve Hood said. Tied 1-1 from escapes from both wrestlers, Nichols got a takedown in overtime to win the match. Nichols then defeated Vance Frazier of Tonasket 10-2 to secure the first-place spot.

In the 113 division, Kaleb Horn pinned Jedidiah McMillan of Liberty Bell, but lost 9-2 to Dawson Bretz of Tonasket, who took first in the weight class. Horn took second.

At 120, Jon Shelley faced teammate Taylor Circle twice before they’d take third and fourth.

Shelley pinned teammate Circle in the first round before losing 17-1 to Devin Walton from Tonasket. Walton went on to win the division. In the second round, Circle defeated Rielan Bretz from Tonasket 4-2 with a takedown in overtime, and Shelley pinned Mike Lewis from Oroville. Facing off for the second time that day, Shelley pinned Circle for the third-place spot, and Circle took fourth.

At 195, Steven Flowers lost 8-6 to Jerome Lael of Kittitas, then defeated Daniel Ramirez of Mabton 5-1. Flowers was pinned by Brandon Baugher of Tonasket in the third round. Flowers took fourth in the division.

At the girls’ regionals tournament in Wahluke, Raider Ida Sue defeated Natalia Negrete from Hanford, then lost to Jessi Betts of Clarkston. Sue then lost to Mariah Deleon of Othello, but defeated Sarah Hamilton of Kamiakin for the fifth-place spot in the 145 division.

“She worked hard and improved tremendously,” Head Coach Steve Hood said. She had a great season, and this is the highest we’ve had any freshman girl.”

Nichols, Horn, and Shelley are on the brackets to compete at state, and Circle, Flowers, and Sue are all going as alternates. The 2017 Mat Classic XXIX, starts in Tacoma Friday, Feb. 17.