Lily Cunningham, Denni Bippes set tone early as University girls wrestling tops Mead to remain unbeaten
Midway through the first season of girls wrestling duals in the Greater Spokane League, no other team has been as dominant as University.
On Wednesday evening at Mead High School, the Titans proved why they are not only a force to be reckoned with in the district, but also come next month’s postseason.
University (4-0) handled Mead 51-18, paced by four pins and a pair of technical falls to remain unbeaten on the year.
“When someone’s feeling down, we bring them up,” University sophomore Lily Cunningham said after the dual. “If one of us needs work on something, we get on top of it, and we help them work through it. Just make each other feel good about themselves and get to the next match.”
Cunningham set the tone in front of a crowded Panther gym with a speedy 15-0 technical fall in the 100-pound match. Freshman standout Denni Bippes then added a first-period pin at 105 pounds for the Titans to jump out to an 11-0 lead.
First-year girls coach Bryce Tellinghusen said having that duo start matches for the Titans puts his team at a quick advantage and sends a wave of energy down the bench.
“They’re leaders on this team and both really wrestling at such an impressive level,” Tellinghusen said. “They’re having a lot of success on the mat, and that just sets the tone for both the team we are wrestling and our girls.”
Bippes also adds versatility for the University boys team, as she wrestled in the 106-pound spot in the boys dual later in the evening.
“She’s always willing to fight and to send a message,” Cunningham said of Bippes. “When we can start off the match 1-2, it tells the other team that we want a challenge.”
Mead, which was wrestling in its first GSL girls dual of the season, got on the board behind a quick pin from freshman phenom Briella Portrey – who was fifth at preseason nationals and has an accomplished junior background.
The Titans though would respond with a pin from Maci Hoadley and 15-0 technical fall from Korie Daines to extend the lead to 22-6.
Tellinghusen said the early-season team success for University should benefit the Titans in next month’s postseason and Mat Classic 37 in Tacoma, where a high placing in the 3A team standings is more of a possibility than in years past.
“The girls are learning how to fight tooth and nail in every match, because the team points are so important,” Tellinghusen said. “It means fighting that extra 30 seconds for your teammate, because the difference between one or two points, between a decision and a major decision could mean a trophy.”
Mead (0-1) brought the deficit down to 10 points after pins from Kendall Smith and Lyndon Kueck, but University claimed the final two victories and added a pair of forfeit victories to seal the win.
Cunningham said she and her teammates enjoy fighting for each other, but are also thriving under the spotlight and in front of the crowd.
“It feels like varsity now,” Cunningham said. “In the past it would feel kind of like JV at times, but now we get to have the same attention the boys have and we are having fun.”
Mead boys remain perfect, top University: In a battle of GSL unbeatens, Mead once again showed its depth that has led to three state titles in the past four years, topping University 57-9.
Breydon Nguyen (113 pounds), Billy Weisgerber (132), Duane Leslie (175), Ethan Harvey (190), Caden Brooks (215) and Caius Kimpel (285) had pins for the Panthers (3-0), while brothers Kaysic Lundquist and Trandyn Lundquist earned technical falls back-to-back at 138 and 144 pounds, respectively.
“We’re all saying that this is the hardest working group we have been around,” Harvey said. “Every single day, every single guy is drenched in sweat. We’re going the whole practice. We’re making sure that even if we lose to somebody on the mat, we are the person with the bigger gas tank, we’re the person pushing until the end.”
University (2-1) had wins from Josh Sherwin, Paxon Cunanan and Isaiah Ramirez, all coming via decision.