Five Raiders place at state wrestling tournament

Raider wrestlers competed at the Mat Classic XXXII 1B/2B state tournament on Feb. 21-22 at the Tacoma Dome, where they placed fifth as a team with several medalists.

Out of eight LR participants at the tournament, five placed, including Colton Jackson, who took second place in the 106-pound weight class; Julian Lopez, fifth at 113; Sergio Galacia, sixth at 182; Myka Boyd, fifth at 195; and Trevon Johnson fifth at 220.

LR placed fifth as a team out of 40 with 77 team points. Tonasket won with 294.5 points.

"Overall, I feel it was a successful state tournament," Raider Head Coach Billy Monroe said. "Some of the losses still sting because we were so close in quite a few matches. ... I am really proud of all of the wrestlers this season. We are young with only one senior (Johnson) on the team, so our future looks bright. At the beginning of the season, if someone told me I would get five state placers and be a top-10 team in state, I would have been very happy with that outcome."

"Losses are never easy, especially in wrestling as an individual sport," Monroe continued. "Wins and losses have no teammates to blame, and they can be heartbreaking. Our kids showed great class throughout the season."

"I am proud to be Raider and am very glad that my wife (Amber) was and still is (thankfully) willing to support me with my dream of coaching high school wrestling,"said Monroe, in his first season coaching at LR. "I had a great assistant coach in Justus Caudell, and he made a lot of kids better this season and was a very positive person and a good role model for our wrestlers.

"As happy as we are with a successful season," Monroe continued, "we still want to be better, the kids are still hungry for a state title, so we will keep working hard. Freestyle and Greco tournaments start in two weeks, so we are going to get back to work and prepare for next season."

Mat Classic XXXII Results

for Lake Roosevelt

106: Colton Jackson (4-1) placed 2nd and scored 22.0 team points; Jackson (LR) p. Ducey (Rain), 0:44; Jackson (LR) p. Phillips (ReCu), 1:27; Soria (Ton) def. Jackson (LR), 10-8; 113:Julien Lopez (6-3) placed 5th and scored 12.0 team points; Lopez (LR) p. Routh (Rear), 6:40; Lopez (LR) def. Rauscher (Kala), MD 15-6; Ryan (Lind) def. Lopez (LR), 4-2; Jones (Kit) def. Lopez (LR), 7-0; Lopez (LR) def. Taylor (Ilwa), 12-9; 120: Teyten Flores (4-3) DNP and scored 4.0 team points; Flores (LR) p. DeBiaso (NoBe), 3:36; Prince (Lib) p. Flores (LR) 1:04; Ramsey (Lind) def. Flores (LR), 9-7; 160: Soto (Tol) p.