McLaimtaig wins top spot at Dic Griswold Invite

POTLATCH — The Priest River High varsity wrestling team is off to a good start after clinching top spots at the at Dick Griswold Memorial Invite held last Saturday at Potlatch High School. Spartan senior Colm McLaimtaig won the 144-pound title while freshman Billy Rapier placed second at 126 pounds to lead the Spartans to a fourth-place team finish.

“The work these guys put in is showing and they’ve started us off on the right foot,” Priest River head wrestling coach Quinton Holbrook says.

McLaimtaig won all four of his matches by pin, illustrating an impressive 22-match win streak stretching back to last season. McLaimtaig won the 2A 138-pound title in 2024. In his varsity debut last Saturday, Rapier won two matches by pin and one by a major decision.

“He was short of the finals, but it was not for lack of trying, that’s for sure,” Holbrook says of Rapier, who was pinned in his finals match. “For his first time wrestling varsity, he’s already establishing himself as someone to watch.”

Levi Holbrook (98) was second, Liam Pettit (120) third, and Jack Zalewski (113) and Orion Grimes (132) fourth in their respective weight classes. The Spartans travel this Friday and Saturday to North Idaho College’s Tri-State Tournament (TBA).

“I’m excited to see how they’ll do,” Holbrook says Team scores: 1, Coeur d’Alene 206; 2, St. Maries 162; 3, Clearwater Valley 111; 4, Priest River 103; 5, Potlatch 96.5; 6, Enterprise/ Wallowa 87; 7, Colfax 76; 8, Selkirk 60.5; 9, McCall-Donnelly 58; 10, Orofino 50; 11, Lakeside 44; 12, Northwest Christian 37.5; 13, Lapwai 24; 14, Pomeroy 16.5.