C. Falls grad struggles at NAIA nationals

Hungry Horse News

Former Columbia Falls High School wrestler Keri Stanley lost both his matches at the NAIA National Tournament in Sioux City, Iowa, last weekend.

The Dickinson State senior lost 3-2 against Cumberland's Ernie Spreitzer in his first match at 149 pounds. Then he lost 11-0 against McKendree's Josh Blackburn.

"It wasn't the way he wanted to go out, that's for sure," Dickinson State coach Thadd O'Donnell said.

Stanley wrestled with serious injuries.

He has a fracture in one hand and a broken finger on the other. He broke the finger in practice recently and the other hand during the NAIA North Regional finals, in which he took second.

Stanley wrestled at nationals with a plastic cast on one of his hands and a lot of tape on the other.

O'Donnell said the pain was tough for Stanley.

"I would say he was 60 percent," O'Donnell said.

Stanley was 15-11 this year. He missed about 15 matches earlier this season with a sternum injury.

"Keri had a rough year, but he had a great career," O'Donnell said. "You hate to see him finish this way. He's a great person."

Stanley wrestled for two years at North Idaho and one year at Minnesota.

Stanley was a top wrestler at Columbia Falls. He won state in 1999 and took second three times.