Three grapplers advance to regional rounds

One wrestler each from Colfax, Garfield/Palouse and St. John/Endicott qualified last Saturday for the B division’s state regional round Friday and Saturday at Reardan High. They finished among the top six in the sub-regional hosted by Almira-Coulee-Hartline at Coulee City.

This weekend’s regional will feature qualifiers in B division for all schools east of the Cascades. Top five finishers in each weight class at the Reardan regional will get a ticket to the state Mat Classic next week at the Tacoma Dome.

Kevin Knauff of Garfield/Palouse topped the local entrants at Coulee with a fourth-place finish in the 152 class. The Viking freshman advanced the three-fourth match and was pinned by Reardan’s Wyatt Anderson.

Colfax senior Kevin Nellis, who was pinned by Knauff in the third round of their consolation match, will wrestle Friday for the fifth or sixth slot at regionals. Nellis hit the WIAA five-match daily limit last week and will compete in a fifth-six qualifier before he gets assigned a slot in the first round at Reardan Friday.

The battle of the Kevins, Nellis for Colfax and Knauff for GP, had a dramatic finish. Nellis had Knauff on his back in the third after throwing a lateral drop, but Knauff bridged and turned Nellis for a pin to get into the three-four final match.

SJE sophomore Thomas Newton finished fifth in the 115 class at Coulee to top the Eagles’ entry. Newton will also be in action in the Friday pairings at Reardan.

Jordan Morris, one of two eighth graders on the SJE team, finished as an alternate and will be ready to go Friday if the opportunity presents itself, Coach Gary Newton said.

Colfax freshman Evan Lord finished 1-2 at Coulee City to wrap up his season. Lord, who actually wrestled at about 200, came from behind to get his pin.

Justin King of Colfax forfeited out at Coulee to finish his season.

Cody Evans, Colfax senior who was knocked out of the state run with an injury, showed up at Coulee with his parents to support the Bulldog duo.

Garfield/Palouse results:

152-Kevin Knauff over John Hylden-TCP, 15-0: to Charles Eldred. Reardan, 0-16; pinned Nellis, third; pinned by Wyatt Anderson-Reardan, second, for fourth place.

Colfax Results:

152-Kevin Nellis over Trevor Curry-Liberty, 11-1; pinned Zach Hill of WCK, second; pinned Nick Anderson-WCK, third; pinned by Kevin Knauff, third; pinned by Wyatt Anderson-Reardan, first.

215-Evan Lord pinned Zach Ekstedt-Reardan; pinned by Gerino Luna-Warden, first; pinned by Rudy Martinez-Warden, second.

St. John/Endicott results:

119-Thomas Newton pinned Tommy Kirk-Tri Cities Prep, first; pinned by J.P. Martinez-Warden, first; to Saul Hinjosa-Warden, 1-10; pinned Kirk in fifth-sixth match.

135-Jordan Morris bye, pinned by Nick Tewalt-Pomeroy, first; pinned Selk-SJE, second; pinned Abel Torres-White Swan, second; for seventh place.

135-Micah Selk pinned by Torres, first; pinned by Morris.

145-Wilson Lundberg over Joseph Martinez-Pomeroy, injury default; to David Ogle-WCK 1-9; pinned Jeff Gallagher-ACH, second; to Ryan Smith -Slaymaker, 3-7.