By Mike Maltais
The Liberty Bell High School varsity wrestlers hosted Oroville and Pateros last Friday as a warm-up to the league mixer at Oroville on Saturday — where seedings were determined for this weekend’s district tournament at Spokane’s Northwest Christian High School Saturday and Sunday (Feb. 7 – 8).
The Senior Night match at Liberty Bell gave the team, coaches and spectators an opportunity to honor seniors Milo Holston and Jake Pennock participating in their last home match of their high school careers.
The Mountain Lions then traveled to the mixer at Oroville the following morning, where rivals who had yet to face each other this season squared off to see who will face who on the road to the state championships.
Stoney Hulon at 285 pounds and Kaleb Marten wrestling at 132 pounds had a full day with four matches apiece. Marten went two for four and Hulon won one match.
Danny Humiston faced three opponents at 126 pounds. He lost twice to Lake Roosevelt wrestlers and defeated a Selkirk rival.
Pennock and Jacob McMillan had three matches apiece at 145 pounds. McMillan scored a win over Lake Roosevelt and split matches against two Republic opponents.
Pennock ended up with a win against Selkirk and losses to Kittitas and Republic. Danny Rodriguez got through the day with two winning matches at 113 pounds, the first a decision over Republic and the second a pin over Selkirk.
Meritt Fink won both of his 138-pound matches against Republic and Northwest Christian wrestlers. Tyson Coleman lost both of his 170-pound efforts to Mary Walker and Republic. Emmett Fink, 152 pounds, and Holston, 160 pounds, wrestled one match each and came out on top of Northwest Christian opponents.
Regionals will be held at Kittitas on Feb. 14-15, followed by the state championships in Tacoma on Feb. 21-22.
