The Star - News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area

by John R. McNeil II

Raider wrestling took part in two tournaments over the holidays, placing third at home and eighth at Warden.

“We had a great day full of good matches,” Head Coach Steve Hood said of the Raiders’ own Powerhouse Tournament on Dec. 28.

The Raiders finished third overall, with 97.5 team points. Okanogan took the championship.

At 126 pounds, the Raiders had two wrestling — James Monaghan and Zack Erickson. Monaghan won his first match against Riley Prescott of Okanogan, 15-4. In the championship match for 126, Monaghan faced Tony Klepec of Okanogan who had placed eighth last year in the 1A bracket at state. Monaghan fought hard and it was an intense match, but Klepec outscored him for first place, 8-6. Monaghan took second at 126 for the Powerhouse tournament.

Erickson wrestled Hunter Caman of Selkirk and Prescott of Okanogan, going a full three rounds.

“Zack (Erickson) wrestled really tough in matches at the Powerhouse,” Hood said.

At 132, Oscar Pakootas placed second for the Raiders. Pakootas pinned Michael Jackson of Rainier. In the championship match, Pakootas faced Tyler Wentworth of Rainier. Pakootas was ahead for most of the match, but was caught out of position in the third round when Wentworth pinned him.

At 138, Gabe Moses started by pinning Leo Curiel of Oroville, then lost by major decision to Daniel Dunlop of Noxon, Mont. 10-2. Moses rebounded by sticking it to Brayden Lasher of Rainier, 14-5. Moving to the 3rd/4th match, Moses faced Omar Castro of Brewster, who pinned Moses. Moses finished 4th for the day at 138.

In his wrestling debut, Jesse Louie took a championship at 145. Louie defeated Billy Edwards of Selkirk by pin in 57 seconds, before dominating Alex Smith of Newport in the championship with technical fall, 18-2. Louie was the 145-pound champion in the B bracket. There were so many 145s at the tourney they were split into two eight-man brackets.

At 152, Kodie Horn took the championship by winning all matches by pin in the first round. Drew Johnson of Wilbur-Creston/Keller lasted 1 minunte, 46 seconds. Tyler Adams of Noxon lasted 1:17. In the championship match, Horn faced his cousin from Noxon, Luke Crowe. Coaches Hood and Largent wondered if Horn would let up on his relative in the final match. He did not, and with a quick attack pinned Crowe in 37 seconds.

Octavio Alejandre picked up another tourney championship at the Powerhouse. There were only three 285 pounders for the day so Alejandre faced both in a round robin format. In the first match Alejandre defeated Kolton Fanning of Republic, 9-1, then defeated Dreton Acord 7-5. By defeating all comers, Alejandre was the tourney champ.

Alexia Hanway was the girls’ champion for the tourney. Hanway defeated all the girls close to her 112 weight class.

Coach Hood said he was greatful for all the volunteers who helped make the tournament possible, especially Kathy Proctor for being the tournament coordinator and Debbie Accord for setting up and running the bracket-making software.

The Raiders traveled to Warden for the Jeremiah Schmunk Invitational Jan. 4. LR finished eighth with 68 team points. Only six Raiders wrestled in the tournament.

Monaghan finished fifth at 126. Monaghan won three of his four matches, including a rematch by 15 points to take home fifth place.

Pakootas quickly pinned two opponents to make it to the championship match, when he was tripped up by Rodelo of Warden, 12-3 to earn second place at 132.

Horn faced a tough bracket full of state contenders. Horn won his first match in 12 seconds, then lost to Emmett Fink of Liberty Bell, a top wrestler at 152, who won 5-2. Horn bounced back in the next match pinning Caleb Loftus of Tonasket in 55 seconds. Horn forced overtime in the 3rd/4th place match against Nick Forbes of Kittitas, who won, 5-3.

Teddy Sharr had dropped down to 182 for the Powerhouse Tourney and at Warden placed fifth at his new weight class. “We are seeing good stuff from Teddy longer into the matches as the season progresses,” Hood noted.

Octavio Alejandre won all his matches by pins — in 1:10 in his first match. In the championship match Alejandre pinned in the second round Joseph Pruneda of Warden, a state participant last year.

“Octavio wants to learn and tries everything we showed him in practice in his matches,” Hood said.

The Raiders head Friday to the Rainier Tournament to compete with 18 schools in what Hood called the “most competitive tournament of our season thus far.”