White finishes second at regionals, Will Winona takes third

SPANGLE–The 2021 Wrestling Season was short and intense, with the four Pirate wrestlers competing in the regional match here Friday, June 18, going for broke and a medal.

Braedyn White, in the 182-lb. classification, and Will Winona, in the 195-lb. division, finished with medals following the approximately four-week season consisting of six meets, which culminated with regionals at Liberty High School.

"It was a short and different season but the guys wrestled tough and kept good attitudes," commented Assistant Coach Mat Slaybaugh. "We look forward to growing on his effort in the fall when wrestling starts back up."

White finished second with a winning pin of Davenport's S. Henry in the first round and a loss in the second to C. Noha of Colfax.

White "felt good" going into the first match against Henry of Davenport. "I've wrestled the kid before," White said. "He's a good wrestler. It was a good match."

After defeating Henry by fall in the first match, White was against C. Noha of Colfax in the championship round.

"I've wrestled him three times this season, and lost all three times," White said. "I had a plan. It didn't work so well. He caught me and pinned me in the first round."

White said he felt good about the match. "I was happy going in, and happy going out," he said of the second-place finish.

Will Winona powered through a first-round loss to K. Kraus of Chewelah, pinning C. Durbin of Reardan for a third-place showing and a moment on the podium.

"Walker Flynn and Curtis Winona wrestled tough but weren't able to make the podium," Coach Slaybaugh said.

Curtis Winona and Will Winona were unavailable for comment.

Flynn (160) took to the mat with a first-round win over C. Holling of Liberty, a match which was then deemed inappropriately scheduled. He then grappled with H. Gilroy of Chewelah, who pinned him, and he finished the third match by losing to M. Lincioni of Liberty.

"I wrestled and won," Flynn told the East Washingtonian, "but then was told it was the wrong opponent.

"I guess I didn't come to the tournament with all my strength," the Pirate freshman said.

Against Gilroy of Chewelah, Flynn acknowledged that his opponent had an advantage in strength and also "came out ready to wrestle."

Curtis Winona, in the 170-lb. class, was pinned by R. Rainer of Chewelah in the first round and then defeated L. Paul of Liberty in the second match. His third match was a decision against D. Medeiros of Kettle Falls with Winona coming up short.