Badgers wrestling takes 7th at state: Richards back-to-back state champ

POCATELLO — Bonners Ferry boys wrestling took seven in state for the 3A division with 108 points, with 13 Badgers competing, five placing, and Eli Richards taking his second state championship.

The Badgers tied for seventh with Fruitland and Teton in the state tournament. The Badgers had 13 state qualifiers against Fruitland's 21 and the Badgers have not been able to fill the 106 and 120 weights all season. The Badgers were 20 points away from scoring fourth and taking home a team state championship trophy.

Richards (182) took first place, Jackson Rickter (220) took second, Brandon Williams (98) and Marcus Regehr took fifth and Donald Reiss took sixth.

Richards dominated every match up and won by pin, head coach Kevin Campbell said. He only gave up two points in the entire state tournament. He scored the most points possible with 30.

“It was a dominant performance by a focused kid,” Campbell said. “He went to work. He is so mythodical. Everything he does is with purpose. When he hits he hits hard — textbook.”

Jackson Rickter came in as the sixth seed, even though the Bonners Ferry coaches knew he was better than that, Campbell said.

“He was hidden on the bracket. People only follow the No. 1 and 2 seeds. Jackson knocked off the third seed and went off to the finals,” Campbell said.

Rickter lost in the district finals match which made him refocus for state, Campbell said. If it wasn’t for that loss, he may not have performed as he did in state. Rickter went from finishing fifth last year to second.

The program is going to miss its seniors Richards and Rickter. They are leaders on and off the mat and prove that to be one of the elite guys the work has to be put in in the off season, not just the three months of the regular season, Campbell said.

Williams (98) went to state last year playing for Marsh Valley and returned this year as a Badger. Campbell said that the Marsh Valley coaches commented on his improvement. He was ranked as the number fifth seed and knocked out the number fourth seed.

“He has grown a lot and has gotten tougher,” Campbell said.

Regehr (145) also placed in fifth. During the tournament he had the No. 2 seed on his back, but Regehr was rolled over and pinned instead, Campbell said. After losing that match, he wrestled again and fought to get his mind back in the right place, he lost again and then headed back out for a win and finished placing fifth. This was Regehr’s first time placing, he was injured last year.

Donald Reiss (285) had one of the best tournaments, Campbell said. Reiss lost his first match and had to fight his way back to take sixth. The wrestler that beat Reiss did not place.

“Donnie never quits. When he was on his back, he fought and came back from being down and pinned the kid,” Campbell said. “It just showed how much heart he has.”

For first-year wrestlers, Porter Blackmore (132), Dakota Heller (152) and Eli Leyden (160), they were matched up with first and second seed wrestlers. Some of them were nationally ranked wrestlers.

“It was a trial by fire,” Campbell said.

Joshua Pinkerton (195) was also placed against the No. 1 seed and eventually state winner. Once he went into the constipation break, or blood bracket as it called due, he almost placed. Campbell said that the 195 weight was very senior heavy and that he expects Pinkerton to be in the hunt next year.

Logan Thorne (220) went out after two matches. He is a freshman and learned from this experience and can look to the future of trying to get to the podium one day, Campbell said.

Tully Reinhardt (138) had a kid on his back and could make a quick finish, Campbell said. He is super motivated and ready to come back with a vengeance.

Cleo Henslee and Teigan Banning (170) are both first-year wrestlers and scored 16 points combined. Campbell said that he looks forward to them hopefully coming back next year for their senior year.

“Going to state and seeing the success of other kids, shows the younger wrestlers why we wrestle in the office season,” Campbell said.

Bonners Ferry Individual scores: 98— Brandon Williams fifth place, 29-13, 132— Porter Blackmore place unknown 12-17, 138— Tully Reinhardt place unknown 19-13, 145— Marcus Regehr fifth place, 21-4, 152— Dakota Heller place unknown 9-8, 160— Eli Leyden place unknown, 20-16, 170— Cleo Henslee place unknown 10-8, Teigan Banning place unknown 6-16, 182— Eli Richards first place, 38-4, 195— Joshua Pinkerton place unknown, 12-13, 220— Jackson Rickter second place, 27-8, Logan Thorne, place unknown, 12-13, 185— Donald Reiss sixth place, 23-15.

Team Scores: 1, South Fremont 250, 2 Marsh Valley 178.5, 3, Snake river 166.5, 4, Buhl 130.5, 5, American Falls 126.5, 6, Sugar-Salem 121, 7, Bonners Ferry, Fruitland, Teton 108, 10, Kellogg 102.5, 11, Gooding 96, 12, Weizer 94, 13, McCall-Donnelly 82.5, 14 Timberlake 61.5, 15 Priest River 48, 16, Kimberly 41, 17, Homedale 34, 18, Payette 32.5, 19, Filer 31.

Bonners Ferry Wrestling Club Greco and Freestyle practice are Mondays and Wednesdays at the high school in the wrestling room from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Boys and girls of all ages are welcome. BFWC is scheduled to host a tournament March 12. Contact Kevin Campbell for more information at 208-739-0820.