Spurlock Advances To State Tournament
Author: Eliza McLaughlin - Staff Reporter
Spurlock Advances To State Tournament Eliza McLaughlin - Staff Reporter Bulldog wrestling faced some tough competition during the Southern B/C Divisional Tournament in Pablo last weekend — Feb. 3 and 4.
Senior Walker Spurlock made an impressive run for the Dawgs and was the team’s sole state qualifier.
Spurlock’s divisional run, in the 182 lb. weight class, opened in a match against Big Fork’s Bryson Murphy. He made his intentions for the tournament known early on in the first period with a takedown followed by a pin.
His second-round match — against Kaiden Dolan of Powell County — lasted a bit longer and came down to points earned. Spurlock successfully took down Dolan in the first and second periods. His second-period takedown was followed by a near fall for two points.
Dolan escaped, but was taken down and nearly pinned once again. This gave Spurlock the points advantage he needed going into the third, 8-2.
Dolan outscored Spurlock in the third period, but it wasn’t enough to take the win. Spurlock advanced to the next round by major decision, 11-7.
In a semi-final match, Spurlock made quick work of Florence Carlton’s Dallas Blair with a takedown and pin for the coveted spot in a championship match.
Joining him in the showdown was Jefferson’s Brady Armstrong, who would eventually take the championship title with a pin. But Spurlock still landed on the winner’s podium in second place.
Spurlock will continue his impressive post-season run at the state competition next week — Feb. 9 through Feb. 11 — in Billings.
Fellow senior Terry Zaharko also found some success at the divisional tournament in a first-round match against Coltin Reagan from Darby.
Early in the first period, Reagan took Zaharko down. Zaharko turned the odds to his favor with a reversal and pin, with just 36 seconds left in the period.
Zaharko’s second match against Whitehall’s Cody Fuller didn’t go as planned, and Fuller came out on top, 14-0. Whitehall’s Ivar Radcliffe showed similar results against Zaharko, and put a stop to his senior season 13-0.
Sophomore Eric Humphreys also participated in an eventful match against Brady Schrenk of Plains/Hot Springs in the first round of competition.
Humphreys kicked off the first period by taking down Shrenk, but he escaped. Humphreys earned yet another takedown, followed by a near fall to finish the first period ahead, 7-1.
A penalty point and reversal gave Shrenk some points, but Humphreys maintained the lead, 7-3.
Starting neutral in the third round, Schrenk went to work. He earned a takedown, another penalty point and a final takedown. These moves were enough to put him ahead for the win, 10-7.
Humphreys swapped to the consolation side of the bracket where he faced Jesse Eide of Three Forks.
A last-second takedown in the first period put Eide on the scoreboard, 2-0, but a reversal in the second gave Humphreys some points of his own.
The two entered the third period with Eide still ahead 7-2, and after racking up points, Eide maintained his lead and won by major decision, 12-3.
Senior Cael O’Dell, junior JR Harrell and freshman Parker Hunt also participated at the Southern Class B/C Divisional Tournament.
Harrell earned a takedown in his first match but eventually lost out by fall. Hunt and O’Dell faced similar results.
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PhotoCredit: Eliza McLaughlin - Staff Reporter
Image 1 Caption: Walker Spurlock, second from the left, stands among the podium winners at the Southern Class B/C Divisional Tournament
