Sandpoint reclaims 'B' Cup
SANDPOINT — The “B” Cup returned to Sandpoint High School Wednesday Dec. 8 after the Badgers won six matches over Sandpoint's four, but had to forfeited six matches, final score 54-36.
SHS has taken the “B” Cup six of the last eight years. The Badgers took away the trophy last year by the narrowest of margins and the Bulldogs were determined to reclaim county supremacy.
"It feels really good to get it back at our school," SHS’s head coach Jake Stark said. "I'm just proud of the guys. It wasn't our best match, but we got it done."
The battle between Bonner and Boundary County foes is usually tightly-contested, but with the Badgers unable to fill six weight classes the odds were stacked in Bulldogs favor, but the Badgers gave them a fight.
“They won the cup, but we won the war on the mat,” said head coach Kevin Campbell. “Before the match even started we were down 30-0 due to forfeits.”
None of the matches went the distance, they were all decided by pin or forfeit.
In the heavyweight clash Donald Reiss fell to Greg Belgarde from Sandpoint. Belgarde took control early and pinned Riess in 1:23.
It was the first match of the dual and Belgarde wasn't shy about showing his emotion after the victory. His intensity really set the tone for the Bulldogs, Stark said.
Brandon Williams, for the Badgers, earned a pin at 98 pounds to even the score a 6-6. But then the Bulldogs won the next four matches by forfeit to take a commanding 30-6 lead. The 106, 113, 120 and 126 classes for Bonners Ferry all forfeited due to not having the wrestlers to fill the weight class.
At 132 pounds, Porter Blackmore fell to Forrest Ambridge in 24 seconds with a pin, adding to Sandpoint's advantage.
With the score at 36-6, the Bulldogs were in control and had no plans on letting go, but Bonners Ferry didn't let up.
The Badgers claimed victories by pin at 138 pounds with Tully Reinhardt, 152 pounds with Dakota Heller, 160 pounds with Marcus Regehr, 182 pounds with Eli Richards and 220 pounds with Jackson Rickter.
Richards pinned his opponent in 46 seconds. Campbell said that the kids that showed up wrestled hard and that he was proud of the effort they gave and the way they wrestled.
Sandpoint’s Shane Sherrill accepted a win by forfeit for the Bulldogs at 145 pounds and Cleo Henslee was pinned by his appointed Kai McKinnonat 170 pounds, just over a minute into the second round.
Sandpoint’s Blake Sherrill secured the last victory of the night for Sandpoint at 195 pounds. He made quick work of Teigan Banning from Bonners Ferry, pinning him in 37 seconds.
Overall, the Badgers secured six victories by pin, while Sandpoint grabbed four.
Campbell said the kid’s wrestled well, but it is hard to win a dual when a team forfeits six out of 15 weight classes because they don’t have the kids to fill them.
Results (Bonners Ferry athletes in bold)
Sandpoint 54, Bonners Ferry 36.
98 — Brandon Williams p. Andrew Duke, 3:35. 106 — Aiden Rork accepted forfeit. 113 — Emma Garman accepted forfeit. 120 — Ashlei Hawkins accepted forfeit. 126 — Parker Warren accepted forfeit. 132 — Forrest Ambridge p. Porter Blackmore, 0:24. 138 — Tully Reinhardt p. Wyatt Marker, 1:15. 145 — Shane Sherrill accepted forfeit. 152 — Dakoda Heller p. Adam Belgarde, 2:00. 160 — Marcus Regehr p. Jordan Tyler, 1:08. 170 — Kai McKinnon p. Cleo Henslee, 3:15. 182 — Eli Richards p. Calvin Hinds, 0:46. 195 — Blake Sherrill p. Teigan Banning, 0:37. 220 — Jackson Richter p. Austin Smith, 1:48. HWT — Greg Belgarde p. Donald Riess, 1:23.
