Bronco wrestlers travel to Liberty, Springdale for competitions

The Lind-Ritzville/Sprague Broncos mat squad spent the week on the road traveling to showcase improvement in their overall skill in league matches and the Springdale Tournament.

Dylan Lane, Alex Whitman, Samuele Bortolato and Tucker Guiles traveled to Liberty on Thursday, Jan. 5, to compete in multiple league matches.

Lane wrestled first at 138 against David Just from Waitsburg. Hilzer said Just proved to be more experienced than Lane and quickly pinned him in the first round.

Whitman wrestled next at 145 pounds against Nate Barney from Colfax. With Whitman being an experienced athlete, Hilzer said he took his opponent down easily and won by pin in the first round.

Being one of the strongest athletes on the team, Hilzer said Whitman is constantly showcasing improvement and remains a leader to the squad.

Bortolato then faced Tait Lyle Rea, an athlete from Reardan at 182 pounds. He came out aggressive in the first round, said Hilzer, which allowed him to take down his opponent and gain points on the mat.

In the third round, Bortolato remained in the lead 8-2 but Rea caught him out of position, causing him to lose by pin, Hilzer explained.

He then faced another Reardan athlete, Kevin Date Rea, who has been a tough competitor for the Broncos in previous years, said Hilzer. After three rounds, his opponent claimed the win 0-8.

Bortolato then faced T. Rea for a second match, which he also lost 0-8 by the end of the third round.

Guiles wrestled next at 285 against Dylan Knowles from Waitsburg. Also being a more experienced athlete on the team, Guiles pinned Knowles in the first round, said Hilzer.

For his second match, Guiles faced Tyler Hoffman, a state veteran athlete from Waitsburg. Guiles proved to be evenly matched with Hoffman as he avoided being pinned in the first round. Going into the second round, Guiles trailed behind Hoffman 3-5 but showcased determination to take down his opponent, said Hilzer.

Guiles claimed the win by pinning Hoffman in the second round. Hilzer said he is impressed by the win especially due to the advanced skill level of his opponent.

Hilzer said Guiles continues to show improvement in fighting off the back position and is the reason for the win.

On Saturday, Jan. 7, four members of the Broncos mat squad set off to compete in the Springdale Tournament.

Tristan Regan wrestled first at 106 against Nolan Burrill from Colfax who is currently ranked No. 2 in the state, said Hilzer. Due to Burrill’s skill level being more advanced than his, Regan lost by pin in the second round of the match.

Despite being new to the sport, Hilzer said Regan shows potential to become a strong athlete with additional mat time.

For his second match, Regan wrestled Josh Haas from Liberty. In the second period, Regan found himself down 2-3 before losing by pin.

Due to the fact Regan’s division contained the top five athletes in the state, Hilzer said he is impressed with his improvement and is pleased with the way he competed.

Hilzer said one of Regan’s biggest strengths is take downs as he always seems to take down his opponent first in matches.

Maisa Ferderer competed next against an athlete from East Valley at 135. Hilzer said she needs additional mat time in order to compete with the elite athlete of the division as she lost by pin in the first round.

During her second match against a Wilbur-Creston athlete, Ferderer could not seem to gain the correct positioning on her opponent and lost by pin in the second round.

Lane wrestled at 145 against Bodie Bedow from East Valley. He lost by pin in the second round.

For his second match he faced Almira-Coulee/Hartline athlete Patrick Rueff. After three rounds, the exertion took a physical toll on Lane and he lost by pin in the third round, said Hilzer.

Guiles wrestled next against a Springdale athlete in the 285 heavy weight division. Having a slight weight advantage over his opponent, Guiles managed to take down the Springdale athlete quickly and win by pin in the first round. His win allowed him to advance to the final round.

For his second match, Guiles faced an athlete from Inchelium. At the end of the first round, both athletes proved to contain similar skill and remained tied at 0-0 until his opponent gained a point through an escape.

In the second round, Hilzer said the Inchelium athlete threw Guiles to the ground and pinned him, claiming first place.

Hilzer said the team will continue working on remaining quick on their feet in practice and recognizing opportunities for take downs. They will also focus on working out from the bottom position, said Hilzer.

With the team showing consistent improvement in their overall skill and technique, Hilzer said he is looking forward to how their skills advance before the Crusader Tournament on Jan. 14 at Northwest Christian.