County wrestlers compete in takedown tournament

REARDAN – Eight Whitman County wrestlers opened their seasons at the Reardan Takedown Tournament on Dec. 3.

In the tournament, grapplers had one 3-minute round, with the winner getting the best of five possible takedowns. Takedowns are worth 2 points.

If time ran out without a wrestler getting three takedowns, the competitor with the most won. And in the case of a tie, wrestlers went to sudden-death overtime, with the next takedown determining the victor.

Tekoa-Rosalia freshman Alexis Taylor led the way for the Timberwolves, going 3-0 in the girls division, which was not broken out by weight due to low turnout. She won her bouts 6-0, 6-4, 4-0.

She's one of the four Timberwolves in the tournament coached by Roger Harnack, publisher of the Whitman County Gazette.

At 138 pounds, senior Jesse Casey went 0-2 against Medical Lake grapplers.

At 145 and 152 pounds, respectively, junior Bryce Casey and freshman Cullen Billings each went 1-1, splitting with Medical Lake and Reardan wrestlers.

Billings won his first match, 6-4, before falling 0-6 in his second. Casey lost his first bout, 0-6, then won his second 6-0.

"The tournament was a great event to kick off the season," Harnack said.

Garfield-Palouse and Colfax each had two wrestlers competing.

Laynie Southern represented the Vikings and Sydney Sisk hit the mat in her yellow Bulldogs singlet in the girls division.

In the boys weight classes, Trentin Ensley was on the mat for Colfax and Walker Montgomery for Garfield-Palouse.

Their individual results were not reported.

The combined Colfax and Garfield-Palouse team is coached by Art Powers.

On Wednesday, a Whitman County "B" contingent – comprising Colfax, Garfield-Palouse and Tekoa-Rosalia – is tentatively scheduled to wrestle as a combined team at Colfax.

The local grapplers will host the Clarkston Bantams in a dual meet at the high school. Matches begin at 7 p.m.

The Gazette went to press prior to the start of the matches.