Idaho state wrestling: Four-time winners, Meridian’s repeat title and a one-eyed champ
The Idaho high school wrestling record books will need a rewrite after the 2022 state tournament.
Here are the highlights from a wild weekend at Pocatello’s Holt Arena.
BISHOP KELLY’S MARTINO WINS FOURTH TITLE
Dating back to its founding in 1964, Bishop Kelly never was a wrestling school.
Christopher Martino sought to change that. And he forever changed the school’s perception Saturday, rolling to his fourth consecutive state title with a 17-6 major decision over Nampa’s Nikko Gonzalez in the 4A 132-pound finals.
The Knights never had a two-time state champ before Martino set foot in its halls. So his legacy as the school’s best wrestler was already cemented. Saturday’s championship ensured him a spot in Idaho history as just the sixth four-time state champ at the 4A level.
“I just want to be (remembered as) someone who just really brought some life into the program and really tried to elevate it while I was there,” Martino said.
The Princeton commit finished his high school career 156-7 and went 42-3 this season, with his only three losses at a prestigious Ohio tournament. He also scored his 100th career pin in the semifinals, which Bishop Kelly coach Manny Ybarra described as “insane” multiple times.
“The fourth is always the toughest to get because there’s more pressure, right?” Ybarra said. “But Christopher is such a stud that pressure doesn’t faze him.”
Saturday also saw Martino share the podium with his younger brother, Matthew Martino (37-3). The freshman won the 4A 113-pound state championship with an 8-4 decision over Nampa’s Simon Luna, a defending state champ.
NEW PLYMOUTH’S RICE A FOUR-TIME CHAMP
Kyle Rice (44-3) joined Martino in the record books Saturday, pinning his way to the 2A 138-pound championship for his fourth straight state title. Only one match made it to the second round.
“I was really nervous going into the match,” Rice said. “But when the time came, I knew I just had to stick to my stuff, let the nerves kick out and wrestle smart. I knew I would catch him on his back. And when I did, I can’t let him up.”
Rice finished his career 166-7, with 109 pins and as the second member of his family to join the four-timer club. His older brother, Joe Rice, won four in a row from 2015-18. New Plymouth’s Raymond Evans also won four in a row from 2009-12, making Kyle Rice the third four-timer in program history.
“I just want to be remembered as one of the best for my school,” Kyle Rice said. “It’s a great program. We’ve got a lot of great kids.”
The Pilgrims nearly had a second four-time state champ Saturday, a feat never accomplished in Idaho history. But Joel Campbell (58-4) fell 2-1 in overtime of the 152-pound finals when referees ruled that he illegally locked his hand, awarding the deciding point to Malad’s Austin Nalder (47-2).
MORE FOUR-TIME STATE CHAMPS
Coeur d’Alene’s Gunner Giulio (22-1) and Declo’s Derek Matthews (44-1) also won their fourth consecutive state titles Saturday. Giulio finished first in the 5A 170-pound bracket, and Matthews scored a technical fall in every match at 2A 182.
That gave Idaho four separate four-time state champs Saturday, a record. It never had more than three crowned in a single year.
MERIDIAN REPEATS AS 5A CHAMPS
The Warriors won their first team state championship in 34 years last season. And they proved that was no fluke Saturday.
Meridian brought home its second straight 5A state championship banner, riding two individual champs, four second-place finishers and eight more placers to 290.5 points. Coeur d’Alene finished second at 281 points, followed by Post Falls (248) and Kuna (159).
“Not winning it for 34 years, it just shows how far this program has come,” Meridian sophomore Jason Mara said. “For us to win it back-to-back is just crazy.”
Mara (45-2) led the way with a 138-pound title for his second straight state championship. And senior Brodyn Sunada (43-6) also defended his top seed at 152.
Four Warriors fell in the finals, including Oregon State commit and two-time state champ Cade White. But Meridian overcame those losses with their superior depth.
“We had a lot more adversity this year,” Meridian coach Brad Muri said. “And even this tournament, just with injuries and just some weird stuff happening. But these kids, it was a complete team effort. These kids battled all weekend like they have all season.”
ONE-EYED STATE CHAMP
Caldwell senior Aidan Go (47-6) lost all vision in his left eye after a BB gun accident in the seventh grade. But he’s never used it as an excuse. And after spending years working on how to compete without depth perception, he rallied to win the 4A 126-pound state title.
“Ninety percent of life is how you react to things,” Go said after climbing down from the championship podium. “Don’t let obstacles slow you down. Just keep going.”
Go trailed Columbia’s Simon Graeber (38-7) 6-5 in the final minute of their championship match. But he turned an escape with 48 seconds left into a takedown with 40 seconds left to rally for one of the day’s most dramatic victories.
A friend shot Go in the left eye five years ago, leading to the total loss of vision in that eye, which remains in the socket but Go described as “dead.” Go said he initially feared the limited vision would end his wrestling career.
“I was pretty scared for my depth perception, because that obviously is gone now,” Go said. “But you learn to work with it. I developed a style that fit having one eye and just did what worked for me, and just kept winning.”
Caldwell coach Jeff Kloetzer beamed after Go’s late rally and credited his dedication.
“Most kids would just give up,” Kloetzer said. “He works really hard. You just don’t find a lot of kids that work that hard. He’s super focused.”
NAMPA, NEW PLYMOUTH TAKE SECOND
Nampa will have to continue waiting for its first state title in any sport since 1993.
The Bulldogs finished second to Minico in the 4A team race with 220.5 points, 39.5 behind the Spartans.
Nampa sophomore Carson Exferd (28-1) scored back-to-back individual medals with the 4A 120 title. Junior Payton Gunter (42-3) also finished first at 220, while teammates Alijah Macias (98), Dedrick Navarro (106), Simon Luna (113) and Nikko Gonzalez (132) all took second.
New Plymouth saw its shot at a repeat 2A state title fall in the final match of the tournament, when Ririe heavyweight Gavin Harris (57-4) rallied for an individual title that lifted the Bulldogs to a 198-197 advantage over New Plymouth.
Ririe had won seven state titles in a row until New Plymouth broke that streak last year.
Including Rice’s fourth state title, New Plymouth saw four individuals finish first. They include Trent Myers (160, 45-3), Skyler Rodriguez (132, 46-8) and Mossy Waite (126, 22-4).
It was the third straight state title for Myers, a senior.
MORE TREASURE VALLEY STATE CHAMPS
Nine more Treasure Valley wrestlers brought home state titles from Pocatello, including:
Eagle junior Tanner Frothinger (46-5) scored his third consecutive title with an 8-1 decision over Kuna’s Zanlen White at 5A 126. He’s the Mustangs’ first three-time state champ since 2008.
Columbia senior Nico Rodriguez (41-2) also won his third straight state title. After a pair of 220 titles, he’s now the 4A heavyweight champ after pinning Century’s Jackson Geslin in 3:36.
Kuna senior Cael Palmer (28-2) defended his 5A 160-pound title with a 13-9 decision over Centennial’s Logan Taylor.
Caldwell junior Hunter Bidelman (26-1) returned to the finals for the third straight year and won his second title with a pin in the 4A 138 finals in 3:41.
Kuna senior Carter Torres (37-11) won the 5A 182 crown with an 8-4 decision.
Borah junior heavyweight Aden Attao (27-1) pinned his way to the 5A heavyweight finals before a 4-0 decision.
Columbia senior Andrew Choate (29-12) made one of the week’s biggest underdog runs, winning the 4A 145-pound title as its No. 7 seed.
Columbia junior Nakoa Fouret (32-7) eked out a 1-0 decision for the 4A 160 title.
Weiser senior Rylee Willet (35-5) was the only one from the 3A SRV to bring home a first-place medal with a 6-0 decision in the 220 finals.
This story was originally published February 27, 2022 at 1:20 AM.
