Four wrestlers place at state

Four wrestlers from Sanders County placed at the state meet last weekend in Hamilton as they met a competitive field made up of B-C schools throughout the state.

Despite having only three wrestlers qualify for the tournament, Noxon finished with a county high 37 points, besting Thompson Falls, 36, and Plains-Hot Springs, 20, in the overall standings.

Noxon head coach Kelly Moore was proud of his wrestlers for their performing going 9-5 overall at the tournament. Moore boasted that the unofficial “S Trophy” (Sanders County) would reside in Noxon until next winter.

“It was a good season,” Moore said. “I’d say it’s probably the best we’ve placed at state in quite awhile if not forever.”

Of their three qualifiers, Adam Moore, Cody Martens and Taylor Scott, Moore finished second at 189 pounds and Martens fifth, heavyweight. Moore concluded his career with a 41-5 season, during his fourth trip to state on his way to earning his third state medal.

Martens bested Matt Ortega of Fairfield, who he had not beaten all year in the final match of his career.

Although Scott did not place, the junior showed promise in his first trip to state in his first year of wrestling.

For Plains-Hot Springs, Kenneth Beech placed third at 125 pounds to become the first ever four-time state wrestling placer for Plains. Beech had to regroup after losing his first match to rattle off four straight wins, giving him 133 for his career.

“A lot of kids will lose a pivotal match and they just come apart,” Savage Horsmen head coach Kenny Marjerrison said. “He didn’t do that. He’s got more heart than that. He has had a great career, that’s for sure.”

Plains-Hot Springs’ other qualifiers, Kolby Chisholm and Cole Goodwin, wrestled well, but not well enough to medal. Marjerrison is excited for Chisholm to have the experience of wrestling at state as a sophomore and for Goodwin, a senior, who finished his career with a trip to Hamilton.

“Cole’s an excellent kid. I wish I had a whole team of him,” Margerrison said. “We’re really going to miss him.”

A myriad of young Bluehawks wrestlers were led by freshman Tyler Addy, who placed sixth at 105 pounds. Thompson Falls head coach Colby Cline was optimistic that his youngsters benefited greatly from their experiences as 12 of his 18 athletes were in their first year of high school wrestling.

Three other Bluehawks finished one match away from placing, and all fell to wrestlers who medaled last year at the state tournament, Wade Gason, 98 pounds, John Gunderson, 112, and Shawn Sachi, 160.

Sacchi finished his career with over 100 wins as well.