A ton of area wrestlers are heading to the regional championships next weekend after making it through the first big test of the postseason Saturday.
The regionals are the final step to the state tournament.
Wrestlers must finish in the top four at regionals to move on to Mat Classic XXII, set for Feb. 19-20 in the Tacoma Dome.
On Saturday, wrestlers had to finish in the top four or five in subregional competition to qualify for regionals.
Sequim, which hosted its own Class 2A subregional, is sending 12 wrestlers to regionals despite finishing in last place as a team.
Port Angeles is sending 11 to regionals after taking second at subregionals, and youthful Forks is sending seven to regionals after claiming fourth place.
Sequim had no champions and only one wrestler in the finals but loaded up their young wrestlers in fourth or fifth place. The top five earned regional trips.
“This was a good experience for our kids,” Sequim coach Len Borchers said about the subregionals. “We will be fortunate to sneak a couple of kids to state.”
But the experience will be priceless for them, he added.
Following are results of the area schools.
RIDERS SECOND
LACEY — Don’t tell the Port Angeles wrestling team that it is having an off year after last year’s record-breaking performance.
The 2010 Roughriders seem to be keeping pace with the 2009 team after they captured second place out of eight teams at the subregional championships at Timberline High School on Saturday.
Port Angeles tied the school record by capturing second place at subregionals, the same performance of the ’09 team.
And this year’s squad is sending 11 wrestlers to the regionals and a shot at the state berth, the same amount last season’s team. Both are one behind the school record of 12.
State powerhouse Yelm, a state runner-up the past two years and the strong favorite to win Class 3A this season, won the title with 400 points.
Port Angeles beat out Olympic for second, 178.5 to 175.5. The Trojans had edged out the Riders for second at the Olympic League meet last weekend.
Subregional champion Adam Raemer is the reason for the turnaround, Port Angeles coach Erik Gonzalez said.
Raemer upset Brandon Yeik of Olympic, ranked No. 2 in the entire state, for the 145-pound championship.
Yeik is a two-time state finalist, claiming first two years ago and taking second last season to a two-time state champion.
Yeik, who came into subregionals undefeated, had beaten Raemer 3-2 at the league meet. But Raemer turned the tables with a 5-2 victory at subregionals.
The wrestlers, who will meet again at regionals next weekend, tied 0-0 after one period and 1-1 after two.
Raemer took Yeik down and immediately put him on his back for a near fall for a 5-1 lead in the final moments of the third round. Yeik got an escape for the final 5-2 score.
Nathan Cristion also earned a title when he pinned Timberline’s Jonathan Schuster in the third round of the 189-pound championship match.
Other Riders who placed were Montana Collins, third at 152; Brandon Vaught, third at 171; Jacob Dostie, third at 189; Sam Garland, third at 285; Kacee Garner, fourth at 145; Trevor Lee, fourth at 152; Mehdi Ettehadulhagh, fourth at 160; Zach Grall, fourth at 215; and Brian Sullivan, fifth at 140.
Regionals are set for Columbia River High School in Vancouver, Wash., on Saturday starting at 10 a.m.
WOLVES FIFTH
SEQUIM — The youthful Wolves finished fifth out of five teams at subregionals in their own gym Saturday.
But they are sending a whopping 12 wrestlers, most fourth- and fifth-placers.
Competitors had to finish fifth or better for a regional ticket. Regionals are set for Washington High School in Tacoma this coming Saturday starting at 10 a.m.
Senior Mike Bereiter had the highest finish for Sequim as he captured second place at 171 pounds for the second straight season.
The Wolves had two placers at heavyweight with junior Brian Bearden taking third and freshman Darren Fitzgerald claiming fourth.
Others taking fourth place were Derek Fruin at 119, Zach Sisco at 125, Luke Mooney at 130, Mustang Riggins at 140, Dakota Hinton at 152 and Kenny Henning at 145.
Punching a regional ticket with fifth-place finishes were Kenny Griffith at 112, Winston Babb at 130 and Clay Charley at 215.
In addition, Sequim female wrestler Amariah Clift, a freshman, qualified for regionals by taking third in the girls subregionals at Eatonville on Saturday.
The girls regionals are slated for Emerald Ridge High School.
SPARTANS FOURTH
MONTESANO — Forks took fourth of seven teams at subregionals at Montesano High School on Saturday.
The Spartans earned 156 points, finishing behind champion Montesano, Rochester and Tenino. The top four earned regional trips.
Regionals are set at Montesano again this coming Saturday.
The Spartans were a little top heavy with three individual champions.
Taking first were brothers Dane and Tanner House, and Joey Salazar.
Dane House was first at 119 pounds while Salazar was the top 215-pounder and Tanner House claimed the title at heavyweight.
Cutter Grahn and Travis Petrovich also finished high, with Grahn taking second at 112 and Petrovich runner-up at 152.
Nick Atkin took third at 145 while Tyler Cortani was fourth at 112.
Jose Duran is an alternate at 160 pounds, where he took fifth place.
Information about Port Townsend’s performance at its subregional was unavailable at press time Saturday night.