Wrestlers host dual meet, place at Apple Pie event

Raider wrestlers faced off against Okanogan Bulldogs in a duel last week before going to Tonasket for the Tigers' Apple Pie Tournament.  

In Coulee Dam on Jan. 12, LR hosted Okanogan in a dual meet, with the event ending in a 30-30 tie, but Okanogan technically winning because LR had more forfeits from not having wrestlers in certain weight classes.

"I am super thankful we were able to have this match, especially for our senior wrestlers," Head Coach Billy Monroe said. "It ended up being an exciting match."

"In duals, team score is decided by how the wrestler wins the match," Monroe explained. "For example, a pin or forfeit is worth six points, a technical fall (win by 15 pts) is five team points, win by major decision (more than 8pts) is four team points and a win by decision is three team points."

"Dual format is becoming less and less used in our league just due to the fact teams don't have enough kids to fill weight classes," he continued. "In larger classifications they decided the league champion with duals. I really enjoy the duals because it adds the team aspect to a sport that most think is individual."

The Raiders traveled to Tonasket for their Apple Pie Tournament Jan. 15. LR placed fourth with 100.5 points and Tonasket won with 229.

Raider Roger Cate, wrestling at 106, placed first by pinning Reardan's Preston Neufeld 58 seconds into the match; Colton Jackson placed second at 126, losing the first-place match 7-2 against Tonasket's Aaron Polito; Landon Krohn took third at 170, pinning Warden's Nathan Mendez 56 seconds into the second round; and Sergio Galicia placed second at 182 after losing the first-place match when Hayden Queen from Forks pinned him a minute and three seconds into the second round.

"It was a well-run tournament with good competition," Monroe said.  

Next on the schedule, the Quincy Mat Animal Boys Wrestling Tournament is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 22, at 10 a.m., but no spectators are allowed at that event. 

Then another dual event is scheduled with Okanogan on Jan. 25, this time in Okanogan, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

"We are excited for postseason," Monroe said, "and still waiting to hear from the [Washington Interscholastic Activities Association] on what districts, regionals, and state are going to look like at this point. Our biggest competition right now appears to be Covid, in all honesty. Wrestlers last week tested five times, Monday through Friday. We are doing our best to stay healthy and are sanitizing the mats and making sure the coaches and athletes are following all the protocols to keep us rolling into postseason. I really believe we have a chance to be a top-five school at state this year."

Duel with Okanogan results

Exhibition: Rock Harris win by pin; Ty Rimpler loss by pin; Arianna Waters win by pin; Kaylee Landerous loss by pin 

Duel: 132 Julien Lopez L to Chad Bushing, 3-1; 138 Francis Louie W by pin over Evan Roxy; 145 Teyten Flores W over Detro, 6-0; 152 Christian Carson W by pin over Julian Fonseca; 160 Kaiden Palmer W over Tyler Olsen, 6-2; 182 Landon Krohn L by pin with Johnny Swatzel; 195 Sergio Galicia W by pin over Casey Arroyo; 220 John Desautel L by pin against Charlie Payne; 285 Joey Tynan L against James Smith, 4-1; 106 Double forfeit; 113 Rodger Cate L by pin against Tanner Grooms; 120 Colton Jackson W by pin over War Camel.