By Katie Banning
Conrad Gardner has been a fixture of Bonners Ferry High School wrestling since 1986. In 2019, Conrad “threw in the towel,” so to speak, and retired, but did he really? Conrad hasn’t been able to completely cut the cord and since his retirement and has continued to referee, coach and mentor.
The “New Bonners Ferry High School” was built in 2005, and with it the wrestling room upstairs over the gym. With a new wrestling room, Mr. Garner founded a traditon — two walls dedicated to recognizing Boundary County wrestlers who have succeeded.
The east wall going up to the wrestling room is dedicated to state champions who finished their careers in high school. The west wall is dedicated to state champions and state placers who have taken the next step and gone on to wrestle in college.
This year, 2025, marks the 20-year anniversary of the high school and the wrestling walls.
This is also the year that the first lady Badger was added. Savannah’s name and achievements have been stenciled simpply in black to the west wall amongst her teammates and brother, Jackson Rickter.
Savannah Rickter, BFHS Class of 2024, earned herself a well-deserved spot on the wall, having placed at state three times as a Badger and becoming the first Lady Badger to sign to fight at the collegiate level. She now attends and wrestles for the Blue Hawks at Dickinson State University in North Dakota, where she is making a name for herself and Bonners Ferry.
Savannah and Jackson are currently the only siblings on the wall, but this is sure to set a trend at Bonners Ferry High School.
Savannah’s mom, Kristie Rickter, boasts of her daughter, “Savannah has become the first female wrestler from Bonners Ferry High School to have her name put on the wrestling wall; following in her brother’s footsteps who made the wall in 2022 … you have to be a state champion or placer and/or have to wrestle collegiately.
“The moment Savannah signed with DSU, she achieved those qualification and cemented her name in history for Bonners Ferry High School. Having your name on the wall is a great achievement for a high school student. It is not easy, especially in the sport of wrestling. It represents hard work, motivation and dedication day after day and year after year to make it happen. It doesn’t come without wounds, bruises, broken bones, concussions, disappointments and heartache at times, but to be the first female wrestling athlete to achieve this is a great honor.”
A special thanks to all of Savannah’s coaches including but not limited to: Conrad Garner, Corey Richards, Linda Hall, Kevin Campbell, Fred Bartlett, Val Johansen, KJ Johansen, and Dewey.
Conrad Garner, the coaching staff and wrestlers alike look forward to many more Badgers being awarded this honor. Go Blue Hawks and Go Badgers!