Broncos finish regular season at Mix and Match, South League match

The Lind-Ritzville/Sprague Broncos wrestling team finished their regular season with the Mix and Match event at Gilson Gym on Jan. 23 and the final South League match on Jan. 27 in Reardan.

Six Bronco wrestlers competed in the Mix and Match contest.

Jesse Ryan, wrestling at 132 pounds, went 1-1 for the day. In his first match, Ryan came back from a 5-4 deficit to pin Royal’s Miguel Acasta in the first period. He lost his second match to Royal’s Christian Calderon, who pinned him in the second period.

Doug Morris was 1-1 at 182 pounds. In his first match, Morris was down 5-2 in the second period before he pinned Colfax’s Leonard Huels. Morris lost his second match to Colfax’s Mason Miller, who pinned him in the second period.

Aarron Phelps was 1-1 at 220 pounds. He defeated Colfax’s Chayne Aeschlman after pinning him in the first period. Phelps lost his second match to Colfax’s Augie Allenbach after he was pinned in the first period.

Thomas Rosen was 1-1 at 285 pounds. In his first match, Rosen was pinned by Royal’s Jackson Bateman in the second period. Rosen rebounded from the loss to pin Royal’s Freddy Gaxiola in the second round of their contest.

Samuel Michels, competing at 126 pounds, lost both of his matches. He lost his first match to Almira-Coulee/Hartline’s Koby Hibbs, who pinned him in the second period.

Michels lost his second bout to Colfax’s Kolby Slate in the first period via pin.

Hailey Roderick was 0-2 in the girls’ 135-pound division. She lost her first match to ACH’s Ruth Bress, who pinned her in the second period. In her second match, Roderick lost to Northwest Christian’s Caleste Waterbly, who pinned her in the first period.

Head Coach Jason Hilzer said he only had five athletes compete at the South League match.

Phelps went 1-1 at 220 pounds. After a Liberty wrestler pinned him in the first period of their match, Phelps pinned a Colfax wrestler in his second match.

Hilzer said Ryan only wrestled one match during the day. He lost a close bout to a Pomeroy athlete, 16-15.

Michels went 0-2 at 126 pounds. He lost his first match to a Davenport athlete, who pinned him in the second period. He lost his next match to a Davenport wrestler via pin in the first period.

Morris was 0-2 at 182 pounds. He lost his first match to a St. John-Endicott wrestler, who pinned him in the second period of their match. In his next match, Morris lost to a Liberty athlete, who pinned him in the first period.

Rosen was also 0-2 at 285 pounds. He lost his first match to a Liberty wrestler via pin in the first period. In his second match, Rosen was pinned by a Reardan wrestler in the first period.

The Broncos will begin their journey to the Mat Classic XXX at the NE 1B/2B South Sub-Regional Tournament on Feb. 3 at the Gilson Gym.

Hilzer said athletes who place in the top four of their weight bracket will qualify for the Regional Tournament in Reardan on Feb. 10.

He believes the wrestlers competing in the Sub-Regional Tournament are in good shape to perform well at the event. He sees potentially 6-7 LRS athletes advancing to Regionals, with possibly 2-3 moving on to the state championship.