Big Bend Wrestlers Make Their Mark at Spokane Open

This past weekend, the Big Bend Community College Vikings wrestling team traveled to Spokane to compete in the Spokane Open, hosted by North Idaho College. The tournament, renowned as one of the largest and most competitive in the Pacific Northwest, brought together top-tier talent from across the region. Big Bend seized the opportunity to bring its entire squad, including backups and redshirts, to gain valuable experience against high-caliber opponents.

By the end of the tournament, four Vikings earned top-six finishes, with several others advancing deep into their brackets and coming within a match or two of placing. Drake Wood (184 lbs) started strong, securing two falls and a decision to reach the semifinals before narrowly losing to the eventual champion in overtime. Wood bounced back on the consolation side, finishing in sixth place in a stacked bracket. Simon Cervantes (133 lbs) showcased his skill with a major decision and a fall before falling to the bracket's top wrestler. He stormed through the consolation rounds with three consecutive pins against opponents from four-year schools, securing third place. Jaden Lopez (165 lbs) opened with two first-period pins and advanced to the semifinals, where he lost a tight three-point match. He rebounded with another first-round pin and a No-Contest to claim third place. Hunter Tibodeau (285 lbs) dominated his way to the finals with two falls and a technical fall. Facing a three-time NAIA All-American in the championship match, Tibodeau impressed by holding his own against elite competition but ultimately fell in an 11-4 decision to take second place.

Several other Vikings made notable contributions: freshmen Nate Tovar, Isaac Padilla, and Isaac Lopez each posted 2-2 records, while Jackson Forsyth (174 lbs) was forced to injury default after going 3-1.

Head Coach Daviaire Dickerson expressed optimism about the team's performance:

"We are getting really close to breaking through and putting multiple guys in the finals. We have proven our ability to dominate in the first few rounds of a tournament, but as we get into the quarters and semifinals, the margins of victory become smaller, and those are the matches that we are losing. It's mostly easy fixes, and I am confident that we can make those adjustments and start winning those matches over the course of the rest of the season."

The Vikings will take a brief break during Thanksgiving week before heading to Pullman for a dual against Washington State University on December 6th. As always, keep up with the Vikings on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, as well as through the NWACSports Network's livestream video platform, where available.