POCATELLO — Snake River went into Saturday’s final round on Sugar-Salem’s heels.

The Panthers were 9.5 points behind the first-place Diggers in the 3A team standings at the state championships, with eyes on taking the title.

Snake River battled Saturday at Holt Arena, but came up short. The second-place Panthers tallied 191 points, 13.5 points behind first-place Sugar-Salem. Snake River has brought home a state trophy every season since 2011.

“They came in and did probably better than I expected to do,” Snake River coach Jeff Gardner said. “We had a lot of rookie kids that have never placed before getting in the finals and placing in the top four. So man, they wrestled hard. I’m proud of them. They did a good job.”

The Panthers were led by first-place finishers Destin Summers and Sway Cook. Summers won the 126-pound crown, while Cook claimed the 138-pound championship.

Summers capped his career with three state titles after beating Timberlake’s Isaiah Evans with a 12-3 major decision. Cook eked out a 7-6 victory by decision over Gooding’s Tayten Gillette.

Three Panthers earned runner-up finishes: Gus Carter (106 pounds), Kyle Richardson (132) and Rogelio Caldera (152). Carter and Richardson lost matches to wrestlers from first-place Sugar-Salem.

Snake River’s Ty Belnap (285), Marcus Mortensen (170), Emilio Caldera (120), Tate Benson (145) and Brayden Anderson (113) finished third, fourth, fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively.

“We came up a little bit short, but that’s the way it goes,” Gardner said. “Sugar’s got a good team, and we lost some key matches that were head to head with them. We had a chance. We had a shot to win the whole thing. Came up a little short, but these kids wrestled great.”

Blackfoot scored 153 points Saturday, securing a fourth-place finish in the 4A team standings. Kuna won the blue trophy with 239 points. It is the Broncos’ first state wrestling trophy since a second-place finish in 2011.

The Broncos did not have a state champion, but had eight top-six finishers.

“The kids get all the credit,” Blackfoot coach Thain Cashmore said. “They did it. We teach, guide. Every one of our kids was the best that they could.”

Landon Abercrombie and Esai Castaneda finished second for the Broncos. Abercrombie lost to Shelley’s Kolton Stacey in the 106-pound title match, while Abercrombie was upended by Lakeland’s Sam Edelbute in the 126-pound division.

“Landon knew it was going to be a tough match,” Cashmore said. “He left it all on the table.”

“Esai knew he had to go after the guy,” Cashmore added. “He did an awesome job.”

Tommy Gallamore (132) and Nick Chappell (170) each finished third for the Broncos. Teammates Luke Moore (98), Landon Evans (132) and Austin Despain (138) notched fifth-place marks, while Daniel Andrade (138) finished sixth.

HIGHLAND

Highland finished fifth at Saturday’s 5A state championships at Holt Arena with 139.5 points. Post Falls won its third consecutive title with 297.5 points.

The Rams had eight top-six finishers, led by Kael Anderson’s second-place mark at 152 pounds. Anderson lost to Coeur d’Alene’s Gunner Giulio in a 3-2 decision.

The Rams’ Davis Dobson rebounded from a loss Friday to finish third at 160 pounds. Dobson lost to Lake City’s Seth Nutting on day 1 before reeling off three consecutive wins, including two on Saturday. Dobson topped Nutting to finish third.

Kellan Sagendorf (113 pounds), Emilio Velasquez (126), Kael Cordingley (132) and Logan George (220) each placed fifth. Bristin Corrigan (160) and Jonas Anderson (182) were sixth-place finishers.

Highland coach Colby Cordingley also took home the 5A Dick Fleischmann Coach of the Year honor.

4A

Century pulled away from the other southeast Idaho teams and finished seventh at Saturday’s 4A state championships at Holt Arena. The Diamondbacks tallied 110 points thanks to six top-six placers.

Canyon Mansfield was the runner-up at 113 pounds after falling to Kuna’s Michael Mitchell by fall at 3:18. Mansfield concluded the season 46-2, with both losses coming to Mitchell. Mansfield is also Century’s fourth second-place finisher since the school opened in 1999.

Kuna’s Michael Mitchell wins the 113-pound 4A title over Century’s Canyon Mansfield. #idpreps pic.twitter.com/6PUA4U2J6O

— Michael Guise (@Michael_Guise) February 23, 2019

Easton Millward (160 pounds), Anthony Land (220) and Mauricio Gonzalez (285) each earned fifth-place finishes for the D-backs. Michael Sudweeks (126) and Alex Apel (220) secured sixth-place finishes.

Pocatello and Shelley placed 13th and 14th, respectively. The Indians’ Brian Jackson finished second at 220 pounds, losing to Jerome’s Fernando Luna in a 3-2 decision. Jackson went 32-3 this season, with all three losses coming to Luna.

The Indians’ Jorsh Ronquillo finished third at 98 pounds, one year after winning the 98-pound title. Ronquillo beat Nampa’s Peyton Munson for third in a 6-2 decision, while Poky’s Derrek Lindstrom placed sixth at 132 pounds.

Shelley’s Kolton Stacey won the 106-pound title. Teammate Taylor Balmforth placed fourth at 152 pounds. Josh Seamons finished fourth for Preston, which finished 22nd with 21 points.

3A

Marsh Valley and American Falls placed sixth and eighth, respectively, Saturday at the 3A state championships at Holt Arena. The Eagles tallied 125 points, 19 more than the eighth-place Beavers.

Marsh Valley’s highest finisher was Brady Dahlke, who lost to American Falls’ Cooper Evans in the 98-pound title match in a 10-0 major decision. Carson Hemsley (113 pounds), Brock Young (120), Dillon Peterson (152) and Tanner Branson each finished third for Marsh. Brian Gines (160) placed fifth.

American Falls’ Wyatt Kearn (220) also won a state championship. Kearn brought home the title with a technical fall over Priest River’s Aaron Reyes. American Falls’ Jose Cervantes finished fourth at 160 pounds, while Ryker Permann placed fifth in the 126-pound class.

2A

Malad finished 40 points away from earning a 2A state tournament trophy Saturday at Holt Arena. The Dragons scored 115 points to finish fifth at the 2A state championships behind five top-six finishers, led by Ben Wray’s second-place mark at 106 pounds. Teammate Tayson Davis placed fourth at 98 pounds.

Bear Lake finished eighth with 104 points. Traeden McPherson (120 pounds) and Hayden Hunt (160) each placed second.

North Gem finished 10th with 73 points. James Rindlisbaker finished first at 126 pounds, while Michael Barfuss was the 132-pound runner-up.

Aberdeen, Grace and West Side placed 16th, 17th, and 18th, respectively. Soda Springs placed 25th. The Pirates’ Enoch Ward won the 160-pound title, while the Tigers’ Spencer Watson and Grace’s Clayton Lunt were third at 285 and 120 pounds, respectively. Ririe finished first in 2A.