The Raider Wrestlers started their post season off on a roll by hosting team districts and earning wins over Belding (57-21) and Lakewood (47-28) to become Team District Champions! 

Wednesday night the Raiders wrestled Belding first starting at the 130-pound weight class. Drew Miller started with a technical fall (winning by 15 or more points) where Isaiah Pelc followed with a pin. The matches that preceded went back and forth, with your Raiders earning 7 more pins throughout the dual and only giving up 3 establishing a double-digit lead and eventually the victory.

The Raiders then advanced to the District Finals against Lakewood. This was a rematch from last year’s District Final where the Lakewood Vikings edged the Portland Raiders by 1 team point. This season’s dual proved to be different. Drew Miller, once again started off the dual in powerful fashion with a pin where Isaiah Pelc followed with a major decision (winning by 8-14 points). Lakewood earned pins at 145, 171, 189, and 103 pound matches keeping the score close but not good enough to slow Portland’s momentum. 

Congratulations Raiders Wrestlers! Be sure to watch the Raider Wrestlers on Facebook Live as they have individual districts Saturday and Team Regionals on Wednesday. 

March 20 - Ind Districts at Don Johnson Fieldhouse - 9:30a

Fourteen Raider Wrestlers entered individual districts: Jake Olson (103#), Connor Gleason (112#), Ethan Webert (119#), Carter Johnson (125#), Caiden Pelc (130#), Drew Miller (130#), Isaiah Pelc (135#), Trent Trierweiler (140#), John Dodson (145#), Chandler Murton (171#), Branson Goodman (215#), Jackson Weygandt (215#) and Reis PHillips (285#). “This district has some tough weight classes that will be sending quality wrestlers home who otherwise would have made it to regionals in other areas”, stated Coach Pulling as he went on, “What’s going to get guys through is how they physically and mentally approach each match”. 

In what would be a dramatic day, intertwining celebrations with season ending losses, the Raider Wrestlers celebrated a milestone and advanced 7 wrestlers to individual regionals, both very respectable feats. The milestone celebration for the Raider Wrestlers came when the tournament stopped to celebrate Caiden Pelc returning from an injury this season to earn his 100th Career Win. Congratulations Caiden!! This is no easy task and he did it as a junior in a reduced schedule! As the day progressed, the Raiders continued to celebrate as 7 wrestlers advanced to regionals: District Champion Trent Trierweiler (140#) who majored the number one see in finals, District Runners-up Isaiah Pelc (135#) and Chandler Murton (171#), placing 3rd was Ethan Webert (119#) and Connor Gleason (112#) and taking 4th were Drew Miller (130#) and Branson Goodman (215#). Regionals will also be at the Don Johnson Fieldhouse and will take place on Saturday, March 27th. Tune into the NFHS network to live stream the event!

Good Luck Raider Wrestlers!