Bulldogs Pack Podium with Strong Showing at Medical Lake Scramble

“We had five kids place this weekend,” Kettle Falls Head Coach AJ Howard said. “I learned that this weekend showed us that our team is growing in all the right ways. Our wrestlers came in with strong game plans, showed toughness in tough positions, and won matches late with grit and conditioning. Most importantly, they stayed composed, supported each other, and proved they’re ready to compete with anyone.”

The Bulldogs were led by a pair of runners-up, including Michael Winn at 120 pounds. Winn picked up two pins and a decision victory on his way to the finals before finishing 3-1 on the day. Ezekiel Evans, 150 pounds, also battled his way to the championship round with three pins and a technical fall. Evans finished 4-1 overall and scored 25.5 team points to help pace the Bulldogs.

Kincaid Freer turned in one of Kettle Falls’ most impressive comeback performances. After reaching the semifinal round, Freer dropped into the consolation bracket – then responded with two straight pins to lock up third place at 165 pounds. He finished 5-1 and contributed 23.5 points.

At the lightweights, Josh Bair showcased grit throughout the day, rallying after an early loss and ripping off three consecutive consolation-round pins. Bair secured third place at 113 pounds and finished 4-1.

“Our guys for the most part are young and eager to learn and compete,” Howard said. “We’re starting to see our system take hold – the focus, the urgency, the accountability, and the team-first culture we’ve been building. Our kids are buying in, wrestling with purpose, and showing that Kettle Falls Wrestling is moving in the right direction.”

Kettle Falls showed depth in the middle weights as well. Baylor Rosen advanced to the third-place match at 150 pounds after five straight victories in the consolation bracket, including four pins and a tech fall, finishing 5-1 overall. Joseph Young added three wins, including a pin in a late consolation matchup.

For a 2B school like Kettle Falls, it's important to see tournament results with a solid number of placers. It also shows the depth of the Bulldogs' roster, which has seen its little guy wrestling program expand to 90+ wrestlers last season and the high school team grow to the mid-20s in terms of turnout.

“We have all the weights filled with extras at multiple weights,” Howard said. “This weekend, we were still missing parts of our team due to sickness, and we started the season a little late. Next weekend, we plan to have our full team on the mats.”

Howard continued, “There were schools from all classifications, 1B/2B, 1A, 2A, 3A, and 4A. Our kids looked great and wrestled hard, no matter their opponents. From the start of the season, we wanted to compete with all schools and the best wrestlers to get our guys the best competition and to see kids from all over the state to test and sharpen their skills.”