Raiders wrestle in Oroville, Cashmere, and Idaho

Raiders grappled with wrestlers from across the Pacific Northwest last week, facing tough competition in Oroville, Cashmere, and at North Idaho College in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

Three Raiders — Kaleb Horn, David Crowe, and Tony Nichols — competed in the invitation-only Tri-State Tournament at North Idaho College Dec. 14-15.

“Tri-State is a huge, prestigious, tough tournament,” said Raider Head Coach Steve Hood. The event hosts wrestlers representing 66 teams from Washington, Idaho, Oregon, and Montana.

The 4A Mead Panthers team won the event with 183 points. The Raiders scored 44 points, placing 32nd as a team at the event.

Nichols placed fifth in the 152-pound class, winning four of his matches and losing two.

Crowe also placed fifth, wrestling at 132, winning five matches and losing two.

Horn won three matches and lost two at 138, but did not place, just one match away from placing.

All three of the Raiders made it to the second day of the tournament. “Just to make it to Saturday is a big deal,” Hood said. “To place is a huge deal; to come from a small school makes it even bigger.”

Hood noted that the Raiders won all four of their overtime matches at the event.

Also on Dec. 15, the remaining eligible Raider wrestlers went to the Cashmere Invite.

While there, Colton Jackson took first at 106; Steven Flowers placed second at 220; Brandon Long was third at 182; Sherwin Vargas and Terrance Saulque had to share third place, having run out of time in the 285 division; and Tony Marchand placed fourth at 145.

“We were looking for good competition and we got it,” Hood said.

Earlier in the week Raiders had made their way to the Oroville mixer competing against wrestlers from Oroville, Tonasket, Okanogan, and LIberty Bell Dec. 12. “It was really good; our guys wrestled well,” Hood said, adding that Raiders wrestled 32 matches at the event.

The Raiders are hosting a dual match with Cascade on Thursday, Dec. 20 at 6 p.m. in Coulee Dam.

Hood clarified that it is a “dual” match not a “duel” match. “There’s always some confusion about that; some people think we’re going to draw down on each other.”

Tri-State Tournament

132: Crowe (LR) p. Ramey (CV), 1:32; Crowe (LR) def. Pierce (DP) 3-1; Latimer (CAM) p. Crowe (LR), 3:26; Crowe (LR) p. Siefford (LKL), 1:40; Crowe (LR) def. Nadeau (FLAT) 6-4; Haney (MTSP) def. Crowe (LR), 2-1; Crowe (LR) def. Behnke (ORT) 4-2 OT; 138: Horn (LR) def Miller (PF), 6-4 OT; Randles (CDA) def. Horn (LR) 10-4; Horn (LR) def. Howerton (MTSP) 12-0; Horn p. Battelo (FLAT), 1:13; Eckley (SENT) p. Horn (LR), 1:10; 152: Nichols (LR) p. Rutschow (VI), :37; Nichols (LR) def. Kayser (CR) 13-0; Nichols (LR) p. Miller (TIMB), 1:44; Cissne (CH) def. Horn (LR), 5-4; Harris (HAVR) def. Nichols (LR), 5-2; Nichols (LR) def. Powers (SENT), 8-3

Cashmere Invite

106: Jackson (LR) def. Ortiz (CONN), 6-0; Jackson (LR) p. Cate (OMAK); Jackson (LR) p. Johnson (MTBK); Jackson (LR) p. Martinez (CCLW); 132: Circle (LR) p. Zamora (CLEL); Sandoval (CCLW) def. Circle (LR) 13-6; Cole (WARD) def. Circle (LR) 12-4; 145: Marchand (LR) p. Mendoza (CONN); Cronk (MTBK) p. Marchand (LR); Marchand (LR) p. Barrigan (CCLW); Marchand (LR) p. Wallace (QUIN); Moen (CLEL) def. Marchand (LR), 5-2; 152: Ramirez (QUIN) p. T. Palmer (LR); T. Palmer (LR) p. Rivera (CBUR); T. Palmer (LR) p. Dieringer (CBUR) Vasquez (CCLW) p. T. Palmer (LR); 170: K. Palmer (LR. p. Hamlin (TONA); Burnell (OROV) p. K. Palmer (LR); Escalante (QUIN) p. K. Palmer (LR); 182: Long (LR) p. Ellis (OKAN); Long (LR) p. Weatherman (CASH); Gordon (CHEL) p. Long (LR); Long (LR) p. Weatherman (CASH); Tuttle (CONN) p. Luevano (LR); Luevano def. Suarez (WARD), 13-2;

Weatherman (CASH) def. Luevano (LR) 4-0; 195: Mendoza (CHEL) p. Boyd (LR); Boyd (LR) p. Atkinson (SULT); Andrade (CONN) p. Boyd (LR); 220: Flowers (LR) p. Smith (OKAN); Flowers (LR) def. Moa (MTBK), 7-1; Vargas (QUIN) def. Flowers (LR), 9-3; Vargas (QUIN) p. Johnson (LR); Deason (SULT) p. Klingenberg (LR); Johnson (LR) p. Klingenberg (LR); Deason (SULT) p. Johnson (LR); 285: Saulque (LR) p. Pruneda (WARD); Saulque (LR) p. Payne (OKAN); Shannon (MTBK) p. Saulque (LR); Saulque (LR) p. Payne (OKAN); Reinhart (CCLW) p. Vargas (LR); Vargas (LR) p. Abarca (CONN)