PREP WRESTLING: Sandpoint win Battle for the ‘B’ Cup, Badger girls win dual
Sandpoint senior Matthew Clifton wrestles Kai Aitken of Bonners Ferry during the Battle for the 'B' Cup on Wednesday night.
(Photo By: JASON DUCHOW PHOTOGRAPHY
BOYS
Sandpoint 48, Bonners Ferry 39
SANDPOINT — Gage Johnson (152), Eli Leyden (160), Kai Aitken (170), Taylor Dodd (HWT, 22-8) all picked up wins by pin at Les Rogers Court Wednesday night, but the ‘B’ Cup will remain in Sandpoint.
Neveah Therrien (106, 19-3), Saber Blackmore (120, 22-8) and Brandon Williams (126, 13-4) received forfeits.
The dual came down to the last couple of matches, as the Badger sought to win at the Bulldog’s Senior Night.
“We had an upset win with Kai Aitken,” said Bonners Ferry head coach Travis Stolley. “We were down points and he hung in there through a tough match and came back to win by pin. It was my most exciting match of the night.”
Aitken was down 11-0 in the second period, with Mathew Clifton controlling the match. Then Aikten switched into a reversal and pinned his way to victory.
“Sandpoint as a whole wrestled very well; we were on the attack,” said Sanpdoint’s head coach Josh Ratigan. “We had some forfeits beyond our control, but we managed to finish strong.”
Stolley said since it was Sandpoint’s senior night the environment was charged. The young team had greatly improved throughout the season.
Bonners Ferry will be back in action Friday and Saturday at the North Idaho Rumble hosted by Coeur d’Alene High.
98 — Carter Happell, SPT, by forfeit. 106 — Nevaeh Therrien, BF, by forfeit. 113 — Aidan Rork, SPT, p. Eivind Falck, BF, 1:23. 120 — Saber Blackmore, BF, by forfeit. 126 — Brandon Williams, BF, by forfeit. 132 — Caiden Addington, SPT, p. Stryder Liermann, BF, 1:15. 138 — Shane Sherrill, SPT, p. Hunter Fulton, BF, 0:45.. 145 — Ashlei Hawkins, SPT, p. Israel Johnson, BF, 1:45. 152 — Gage Johnson, BF, p. Jensen Sheetz, SPT, 1:22. 160 — Eli Leyden, BF, p. Charlie Becker, SPT, 1:07. 170 — Kai Aitken, BF, p. Mathew Clifton, SPT, 1:05. 182 — Jackson Holman, SPT, p. Jacob Solt, BF, 1:42. 195 — Jorden Tyler, SPT p. Gage Kunsky, BF, 1:41. 220 — William Bomba, SPT, by forfeit. HWT — Taylor Dodd, BF d. Gavin Walters, SPT, 3-2.
GIRLS
Bonners Ferry 41, Sandpoint 30
SANDPOINT — In the first ever girls dual under the lights at Sandpoint High, Badgers Neveah Therrien (107, 19-3), Aubree Graves (126, 16-8), and Savannah Rickter (165, 16-2) pinned their opponents leading to a Bonners Ferry victory at Les Rogers Court Wednesday night.
Sofia Brown (132, 21-3), Emma Roberts (145, 13-7) and Aubrey Wells (152, 9-4) received forfeits.
“Neveah and Savannah had key pins for us, which always helps earn extra team points,” said Bonners Ferry head coach Travis Stolley. “The dual came down to a numbers game. Sandpoint had some sickness and we had some injuries to work through this season. It was a good match up and we went after it.”
“As a team all the girls wrestled tough. I look forward to competing against Sandpoint over the next few years. Hopefully for a girls B-cup,” he said.
“After having the flu come through the team this week, we were down five wrestlers, including powerhouse Izzy Stark,” said Sandpoint head coach Valerie Johansen. “Our girls fought hard and had some incredible matches tonight against Bonners. What a moment to have the community out to support the first ever girls dual under the lights at Sandpoint High School. May we have many of these nights next year and in seasons to come.”
The Bonners Ferry girls will also compete at the North Idaho Rumble and will face Pocatello, American Falls and other southern Idaho teams they haven’t faced this season.
Stolley is looking forward to seeing the girls face tough competition, since weather conditions prevented many schools to not attended two of the biggest tournaments, Hellgate and Othello. Both had touted 64 man brackets, making them several times larger than the Idaho All Girls State Championship.
“At the Thompson Falls tournament, 20 teams canceled,” he said.
100 — Mackenzee Donenfeld, SPT, by forfeit. 107 — Nevaeh Therrien, BF p. Hunter Edmondson, SPT, 0:33. 114 — Jean Marshall, SPT, by forfeit. 120 — Emma Garman, SPT, p. Ireland Grady, BF, 1:33. 126 — Aubree Graves, BF, p. Alex Anger, SPT, 1:20. 132 — Sofia Brown, BF, by forfeit. 138 — Teagan Newsom, SPT, p. Rylann Lewis, BF, 1:41. 145 — Emma Roberts, BF, by forfeit. 152 — Aubrey Wells, BF, by forfeit. 165 — Savannah Rickter, BF, p. Sylvia Becker, SPT, 0:59. 185 — Eva Willis, BF, by forfeit. HWT — Lilli Marti, SPT, p. Hallie Hartman, BF, 1:49.
Wrestling Districts for Bonners Ferry boys and girls will be held at Timberlake High School in Spirit Lake on Feb. 15.
3A Internmountian League Districts, for Bonners Ferry and Timberlake boys will be held, as well as the Girls District I/II Championship.
Stolley said when coaches were scheduling district competitions, it made sense for the smallest boys district to host two districts, rather than a larger district.
Last year the girls district was in Moscow. The top two girls per weight class across District I/II of Idaho will advance to the Idaho All Girls State Championship. Girl wrestling competes against all girls with no regard to school classification, therefore when Neveah Therrien won the 107 girls state championship in 2023 she was named an All Idaho champion, rather than a 3A state champion.