Dennis places second at 2A/1A meet

Pine-Eagle’s Kyle Dennis, shown earlier in the season, placed second at the Class 2A/1A state tournament Saturday. (Baker City Herald/Kathy Orr)

Dennis took second at 171 pounds when he lost 5-4 to three-time defending champion Caleb Cardwell of Lowell in the title match.

“It was quite a championship match,” said Pine-Eagle coach Blake Dennis.

Pine-Eagle sophomore Kyle Dennis placed second in his weight class at the Class 2A/1A state wrestling tournament Saturday at Memorial Coliseum.

Dennis took second at 171 pounds when he lost 5-4 to three-time defending champion Caleb Cardwell of Lowell in the title match.

“It was quite a championship match,” said Pine-Eagle coach Blake Dennis.

“Cardwell got frustrated when he couldn’t do anything with Kyle. Kyle reversed Cardwell near the end but couldn’t get any closer.

“Kyle was pretty happy after the match. It was quite a way to end his season,” Dennis said.

“He said that was the most intense situation he had been in, sitting and waiting two hours for the match, then going out and wrestling in that big venue.”

Dennis, who was seeded second to Cardwell, won his other two matches by technical fall. He defeated Colby Jeppsen in the second round of his first match, then stopped Irrigon’s Giles Ellett in the third round of his second match.

Devon Thorn, Pine-Eagle’s 112-pounder, placed fourth.

Thorn, who also placed fourth two years ago, lost by second-round pin to Culver’s Jesus Rotano in the third-place match.

Thorn won his opening match by second-round pin against Steven Bednar of Glendale. Thorn was then pinned in the third round by second-seed Colby Byers of Wallowa before coming back to defeat Josh Barnes of Knappa 8-2.

“Devon wrestled pretty well up until the match for third and fourth,” Dennis said.

“He wrestled Byers real close. He needs to be proud of what he did.”

Pine-Eagle’s other two wrestlers, Cody Powell and Richie Gonzalez, each lost their first two matches.

Powell (140) lost by pin to Patrick Foster of Culver and to Keith Gunn of Riddle.

“Cody partially separated his shoulder in the first match and probably shouldn’t have wrestled again,” Dennis said.

“You could tell he was intense pain in the second match.”

Gonzalez (189) lost 17-5 to third-seed Justin Guest of Scio and by pin to Austin Snelling of Glendale.

“That 189 class had a bunch of tough wrestlers,” Dennis said.

“That Scio kid was a beast. And Richie kind of got a bad draw in the second match. Maybe the third time could be the charm for him next year.”

Pine-Eagle tied Crane for 12th in the team standings.