Wrestlers battle back; earn wins in consolation

“It was just one heart-breaker, then another one, and it kept going, just back to back to back,” Coach Dennis Humphrey said. “So many of those consolation matches could have fallen in either direction, and we were on the losing end of most of them.”

St. Maries’ group of 11 wrestlers, seven of which had not competed at a state wrestling event, was done after the second day of action.

Four Lumberjacks came to within one match of Saturday’s medal round, including Landon Warren (285), Scott Sotin (220), Trey Gibson (170) and Maddie Johnson (G165).

“I don’t think you can put a value on the experience we gained,” Coach Humphrey said. “This is just a great group of kids, and I’m really excited for what we’re going to have next year. They work hard, support each other, and it’s going to be a lot of fun when they come back.”

Trey met eventual state runner-up Antwan Mosqueda in his quarterfinal match, where he was bumped to the consolation bracket. Trey opened the second day with a one-minute, 15-second pin before going 6:30 in his final match before getting pinned.

Scott Sotin overcame an opening-round loss to win his next two, and in his final match where the winner would advance to the medal round he went to double overtime before falling 2-3.

“That second day was full of stuff like that,” Coach Humphrey said. “Our kids battled so hard, and things didn’t come up the way we wanted, but man they fought hard.”

Landon won his first and third matches, each by pin, and finished his tournament 2-2.

“We’ll miss Landon,” Coach Humphrey said. “You can’t replace a kid like that, he’s been such a leader and has had a great career here.”

Maddie Johnson also finished 2-2, dispatching her second consolation opponent in 0:43 before falling in 1:51 in her final match.

She faced the eventual state runner up in her quarterfinal match, falling in 0:58 and jumping to the consolation bracket.

State 2A Wrestling Championships

Feb. 23-25, Ford Idaho Center, Nampa

98: Peyton Lingo – 1-2, Pinned 0:59/Win by Fall 2:02/Pinned 2:12; 126: Zach David – 1-2, Pinned 3:11/Win 9-5/Loss 5-12; 138: Jerrett Brebner – 1-2, Loss 2-4 SV/Win 10-6/Loss 4-7; 145: Kody Tefft – 0-2, Loss 0-12/Loss 1-10; 160: Aiden Yearout – 1-2, Pinned 2:38/Win by Fall 4:15/Pinned 4:20; 170: Trey Gibson – 2-2, Win by Fall 2:39/Pinned 1:40/Win by Fall 1:15/Pinned 6:30; 182: Rustle Brusseau – 0-2, Pinned 4:35/Loss 0-9; 220: Scott Sotin – 2-2, Pinned 3:47/Win 11-0/Win 4-3/Loss 3-2 UTB; 285: Jackson Nantell – 1-2, Pinned 3:17/Win by Fall 1:36/Pinned 1:49; 285: Landon Warren – 2-2, Win by Fall 3:35/Loss 1-3/Win by Fall 1:49/Pinned 1:28; G165: Maddie Johnson – 2-2, Win by Fall 1:43/Pinned 0:58/Win by fall 0:43/Pinned 1:51