PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles wrestling team is coming off its second third-place finish in a major tournament heading into its own popular seventh annual Olympic Shootout: “The Battle for the Axe” tourney all-day Wednesday.
Action starts at 10 a.m. as defending champion Port Angeles will take on archrival Sequim, Bainbridge, Central Kitsap, Eatonville, Ocosta and River Ridge.
The Roughriders won the 2010 event for only their second win in their own tourney.
They captured the first one in 2004.
“We would like to repeat this year,” Port Angeles coach Erik Gonzalez said.
“We would like to hold on to that thing [Axe trophy], obviously.”
If the Riders repeat in 2011, they will be the first team to repeat as champion in the event history.
“We certainly expect to be a contender,” Gonzalez said.
“We expect a full lineup on Wednesday for the first time this year.”
Team depth
The Riders have shown their team strength and depth by claiming third place at the tough 12-team Graham Morin Tournament at Squalicum High School in Bellingham on Saturday.
The tourney featured a contingency of 4A schools and Northwest League powers but Port Angeles still took third in a major tourney the second week in a row.
Rival Sequim, meanwhile, also had a strong showing at the prestigious 34-team Hammerhead Invitational at the Kitsap Sun Pavilion on Friday and Saturday.
The Riders had one individual champion, one runner-up six third-place finishers and one in fifth place in Bellingham.
The lone champion, freshman Brady Anderson, claimed his second tourney title of the year at 106 pounds.
“Brady looked really good in the tourney,” Gonzalez said.
“He was untouchable in the finals. Brady and Josh Basden, our two smaller guys, are making each other better.”
Although the two are the same weight, Anderson has been competing at 106 while Basden is wrestling up at 113. Basden did not wrestle Saturday.
Anderson has been a competitive wrestler for years.
“Brady is our club kid, and he has paid his dues,” Gonzalez said.
Nick Lasorsa claimed second place at 170 for the Riders while earning third place were Ozzy Swagerty at 120, Kody Steele at 152, Brian Cristion at 182, Zach Grall at 195 and Michael Myers at 285.
Taking fifth place was Corey Roblan at 220.
“Nine of the 12 Riders competing placed in the top five of their divisions, and all competitors won at least one match,” Gonzalez said.
Class 4A plowers Snohomish and Oak Harbor claimed first and second place, respectively, with the scores of 225 and 172.5.
Port Angeles was right behind with 165 team points while Ferndale and Woodinville tied for fourth place at 147 each.
Anderson was named the Roughrider Wrestler of the Week for Dec. 12-17.
“Brady has now claimed a gold medal in two of his three high school tournaments so far by easily winning his final match at the tough Squalicum tournament 6-1 to go along with his to two pins in the earlier rounds,” Gonzalez said.
Anderson also is a straight-A student and is part of the Leadership team at the high school.
Sequim at Kitsap
BREMERTON — Senior Dakota Hinton captured third for the best finish for the Wolves at the 34-team Hammerhead Invitational on Friday and Saturday.
Sequim claimed a total of 43 wins out of 74 matches wrestled.
The boys team finished 19th overall, trailing Olympic League teams Olympic (ninth), Kingston (13th), North Mason (14th) and North Kitsap (18th).
Hinton, a co-captain, improved his season record to 11-3 with five wins.
His only loss was a 7-3 semifinal overtime setback to 3A Eastmont’s Darin Hardgrove, currently ranked No. 8 in the state.
Hinton was the Wolves’ only medal winner.
Finishing just one win shy of the medal round for Sequim were Luke Mooney (at 138 pounds) 4-2, Mustang Riggins (145) 5-2, Austin Leach (182) 3-2 and co-captain Clay Charley (285) 3-2.
Decatur claimed the team trophy with 178 points. Timberline, South Kitsap, Peninsula and North Marion from Salem, Ore. rounded out the top five.
“This was a great tournament and gave our kids a good look at some top state- and regional-caliber wrestlers,” Sequim coach Len Borchers said.
Sequim’s Emily Halverson (118) and Kaylee Ditlefsen (130) both placed fourth in the girls tournament on Saturday.
Halverson went 2-2 while Ditlefsen was 4-2 with three pins. The duo garnered 26 team points for a 10th-place finish among the 16 teams.
It was the first varsity action for both girls.