Hunsaker, Bulldogs host Badgers tonight for the B-Cup

SPOKANE — Senior Hyrum Hunsaker finished fifth at 170 pounds, the lone Bulldog to nab a podium spot in the big 32 wrestler brackets at the season-opening Inland Empire Classic last weekend at Central Valley High School.

Sandpoint finished 17th among the 20 teams in attendance, including some strong Greater Spokane League and Tri-Cities schools, which made for some tough sledding right off the bat.

Like most of the Bulldogs, there were some first match jitters, but Hunsaker settled in to go 5-2 over the weekend. He registered third period pins over Kamiakin and Ferris to advance to the quarters of the main draw, before getting pinned at 1:49 by Kennewick. Hunsaker bounced back with major decisions over Kamiakin and Hanford, lost a major decision to Colville, before beating Mead 4-0 in the fifth place match.

“His first match he was a little rusty,” said Bulldog head coach Jake Stark. “But after that he turned it on and wrestled solid all the way through his last match.”

Isaiah Fleck won twice, and Andrew Webster won his first two matches before an injury derailed his tournament for the Bulldogs.

Sandpoint makes its home opener tonight in the annual Battle for the B Cup wrestling dual with Bonners Ferry. The JV matches start at 5 p.m. at SHS, with the varsity set to follow.

2017 Inland Empire Classic Results

113 — Tanner Dickson lost 8-5 to Central Valley, and was pinned by Coeur d’Alene in 1:08.

120 — Casey Olesen lost 5-2 to University and 7-3 to Ferris.

126 — Jake Ryan lost 13-1 to University, and 10-1 to Pullman.

132 — Parker Coon lost 5-0 to Pullman, and a tough 6-5 decision to Lakeland.

132 — Malachi Fleck was pinned by Colville in 5:26, and lost 5-2 to Pullman.

138 — Mason Bangeman lost 4-0 to Pullman, beat Chiawana 7-2, and was pinned in :47 by Medical Lake.

138 — August Johnson was pinned in 1:53 by University, won 12-3 over Kennewick and lost 14-0 to Moses Lake.

145 — Brady Nelson lost 16-0 to Central Valley and 13-3 to Medical Lake.

152 — Malachi Mazzare lost 8-4 to Hanford, then pinned Pasco in :57, before being pinned in 1:10 by Ferris.

160 — Isaiah Fleck pinned Walla Walla in 1:47, then lost a 12-10 decision to Coeur d’Alene, bounced back for a major decision 14-3 win over Mead and a 10-6 win over University, before falling 6-0 to Chiawana.

170 — Jake Suhr was pinned by Pullman in :52, and pinned by Coeur d’Alene in 3:25.

170 — Hyrum Hunsaker pinned Kamiakin and Ferris in the third period, lost to Kenewick 8-1, then scored major decisions over Kamiakin (11-0) and Hanford (14-0) before losing 13-4 to Colville, setting up a 4-0 win over Mead for fifth place.

182 — Andrew Webster scored a 6-2 decision over University and won by pin at 5:29 over Mead, before having to drop out with injury.

285 — Evan Stickelmeyer was pinned in 2:47 by University, before pinning Mead in 4:04 and advancing by DQ over Kennewick, before getting pinned by Moses Lake in 2:45.