WRESTLING: Top-ranked Decatur finishes 10th at massive Tri-State Tournament in Idaho

The top-ranked Decatur Gators continued their impressive early season by finishing 10th at the massive Tri-State Wrestling Tournaent at North Idaho College in Coeur d'Alene Saturday. The tournament featured 64 of the top wrestling teams from Washington, Idaho and Oregon.

By Casey Olson • December 19, 2012 1:22 pm
Decatur senior 195-pounder Rowland Gaydosh (left) finished fourth at the 64-team Tri-State Tournament in Idaho Saturday.
Decatur senior 195-pounder Rowland Gaydosh (left) finished fourth at the 64-team Tri-State Tournament in Idaho Saturday.

The top-ranked Decatur Gators continued their impressive early season by finishing 10th at the massive Tri-State Wrestling Tournaent at North Idaho College in Coeur d’Alene Saturday. The tournament featured 64 of the top wrestling teams from Washington, Idaho and Oregon.

“This is a very touch, high-caliber tournament,” said Decatur head coach Mike Bressler. “Several national champions and place winners, as well as dozens of state champions were wrestling int he tournament.”

Hermiston High School from Oregon won the team title after crowning four individual champions and placing a grand total of nine in the top-eight. The Gators’ highest finisher was senior Nick Karis, who finished up in third place in the extremely competitive 170-pound bracket. Karis, who finished second at 160 pounds at the Class 4A state tournament a season ago, won his first three matches before losing to eventual champion, Chandler Rogers from Mead, in the semifinals. Karis went on to beat Coeur d’Alene’s Hudson Staub in the third/fourth match by forfeit.

Rowland Gaydosh, who finished second at last year’s Mat Classic, also had a strong tournament in Idaho. The 170-pounder ended up in fourth place at the Tri-State.

Gaydosh lost in the semifinals to University’s Tanner Orndorff in heart-breaking fashion, 3-2. Gaydosh was then pinned by Graham-Kapowsin’s Joe Gomez in the third/fourth match.

The other Gator to place in Idaho was heavyweight Kyle Gleed, who finished fifth. Gleed was beaten in the opening round by Coeur d’Alene’s Matt James, forcing him into the loser’s bracket. Gleed won five elimination matches in a row before losing in the consolation semifinals. He then beat Kuna High School’s JC English, 4-2, to earn fifth place.

The Gators were voted the No. 1 team in the state by WashingtonWrestlingReport.net Tuesday. Decatur garnered 133 points, followed by University (131) and Bonney Lake (101). Karis, Gleed and 120-pounder Leviticus Arizpe are all the top-ranked individuals in their weight classes.

Federal Way — Behind six weight-class winners, the Federal Way Eagles captured the team title at Nathan Hale’s Barry Knott Classic Saturday. The Eagles got individual crowns from Alex Davidson (106), Brandon Henderson (113), Daniel Song (120), Andrzej Hughes (195), Koby Craig (220) and Rod Jones (285).

Federal Way finished with 232 points, right in front of Roosevelt’s 140 and third-place Sumner’s 137.