Webster, Sherrill capture titles at Panhandle Championships

SANDPOINT — Top Dog sent 23 wrestlers to the podium at the Panhandle Championships on Saturday at Sandpoint Middle School. With more than 500 wrestlers in the field, Top Dog finished third in the team standings behind Post Falls’ Real Life and Lakeland.

The Dogs advanced six wrestlers to the championship round with Andrew Webster and Shane Sherrill capturing titles. Earning runner up finishes were Ryker Tucker, Tyson Hodges, Shawn Russell and and Tanner Kohal.

It was Sherrill’s second Panhandle title in three years and convincingly so, earning a 24-second pin in the finals.

Relying on an unforgiving cradle, Webster secured a pair of falls on his way to the 147-pound middle school title.

The always aggressive Hodges  relied on a series of double legs to advance to the championship round.

Despite surrendering years of experience, Russell reeled off three consecutive victories before being upended in the championship round.

An eighth grader at SMS, Kohal posted a 6-4 win over the defending state freestyle champion from Post Falls before upending the Washington state runner up 2-0 to advance to the finals.

Finishing third for the Top Dogs were Blake Sherrill, Jorden Tyler, Chris Baker, Wyatt Kayser, Luke Stebbins and Seth Barba. Earning fourth place finishes were Ryken Ames, Dalton Williams, Easton Hoover, Casey Olesen, Louie Macumber, Canyon Nash, Cameron Barrett, Greysen Johnson and Nolan Campbell, while Tucker Hall and Tyssen Case finished sixth.