PORT ANGELES — Olympic League sub-regional tourney titles were earned by Port Angeles’ smallest wrestler, 106-pound Tyler Gale and two of its bigger grapplers, 220-pounder Kyle La Fritz and Roberto Coronel in the 285-pound weight class.
For the second straight year, Olympic took the sub-regional team championship, besting Port Angeles by a score of 303-278. Kingston finished third with 222 total points. Sequim was eighth with 26 points.
“We always want to win every time we compete, but I feel we are setup well for success next weekend [at regionals] when it matters more, and two weeks from now when it matters the most [at state],” Port Angeles coach Erik Gonzalez said after Saturday’s meet at Port Angeles High School.
Including the three champs, the Roughriders qualified eight athletes and one alternate for the Class 2A regional wrestling tournament Saturday at Hockinson High School.
Other Port Angeles qualifiers include Ozzy Swagerty, who forfeited the 126-pound final due to injury, and second-place finishers Ben Basden at 113 pounds, Brady Anderson at 120 and Matt Robbins at 182.
Cody Anderson finished third in the 106-pound weight class and Sam Burton will serve as an alternate after placing fourth at 138.
Sequim High School’s Royhon Agostine at 132 pounds and Nathan Allison at 220 will serve as alternates after both finished fourth Saturday night.
Gale dominated his 106-pound match against Olympic’s Tre Toledo, rolling up an 8-0 lead after one round and swiftly pinning Toledo 17 seconds into the second round.
“We expected to have both of our kids in the finals [referring to third-place Cody Anderson], but we knew Gale would get there,” Riders coach Erik Gonzalez said.
“Tyler is highly ranked and has a good shot at state.”
Basden, a freshman, was pinned 42 seconds into his match with Matt Zink, his highly regarded North Mason counterpart.
“That kid [Zink] is a stud, a legitimate state-placer and a senior,” Gonzalez said.
“Ben only weighs about 107 pounds and wrestles up a bit.”
Junior Brady Anderson lost a heartbreaker of a match 4-3 in the fourth overtime to Olympic’s Isaiah Rodenhurst.
Anderson held a 3-0 advantage entering the last regulation round but was called for stalling twice in the final minute to send it to overtime.
“I was a little frustrated with the first stalling call,” Gonzalez said.
“But after that Brady kind of made his own bed. I hate to say it, but he was stalling at the end [of regulation].
“That’s a kid we believe we can beat and we didn’t have to beat him today — next week is more important and two weeks is when it really counts.”
Ozzy Swagerty, the Riders’ relentless 126-pound senior, chose to give his injured ankle a rest after clinching a trip to regionals earlier Saturday.
“He sprained his ankle pretty severely Thursday night in practice and was hobbling around on crutches at school on Friday,” Gonzalez said.
“We had to wrestle him Friday night [in the first round and the quarterfinals] and he was obviously in pain and hobbled. So we knew if he won his first match today he was through to regionals, so we just want to get him healthy.”
At 182 pounds, Matt Robbins lost a controversial 6-3 decision to Kingston’s Aaron Dickson.
Dickson was given two points for a takedown that appeared to come far outside the out-of-bounds line.
Later Robbins made a similar maneuver and received no points from the refs.
The crowd at Port Angeles High School erupted, requesting consistency from the officials.
During a huddle with the refs after the non-call, Gonzalez said he was asking for the same thing.
“All I asked them for was consistency. I said if you are going to award Dickson that two, then give my guy the same treatment,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez wasn’t discouraged by Robbins’ effort, however.
“That’s a kid [Dickson] that placed at state last year and who they think can win a state title this year, and Matt can wrestle right with him,” Gonzalez said.
Kyle La Fritz started on the offensive in the 220-pound final, earning a two-point takedown 25 seconds into the first round and swiftly pinning Ryan Sigo of Kingston 47 seconds into the match.
“Kyle wanted a piece of that kid; he struggled with him and won on points in the dual meet [earlier in the season], and tonight he wanted to leave no doubt,” Gonzalez said.
In the 285-pound match, Port Angeles’s Roberto Coronel had some points taken away for an unplanned eye poke and a late stall, but still claimed a 6-3 decision over Olympic’s Umo Timoteo.
Timoteo had been swinging his arms and elbows at Coronel early on in the match, but only received a warning from the refs and no point deduction.
Port Townsend/Chimacum advances nine to regionals
VASHON — Port Townsend qualified seven wrestlers and Chimacum two more for the Class 1A boys regional wrestling tournament this Saturday at Castle Rock.
“We only brought 13 wrestlers total, so we almost advanced our whole team,” Port Townsend coach Steve Grimm said after Saturday’s meet (Grimm also coaches the Chimacum wrestlers).
“I have been telling these guys how good they are all year, and they went out and proved it tonight.”
Sub-regional champions for Port Townsend were Shae Shoop at 113 pounds and Matt Cain at 152, while Chimacum’s Alex Morris claimed the 145-pound title.
Second-place finishers for Port Townsend included Kade Wilford at 138, Jeff Seton at 170 and Trevor Garrett at 182.
Nick Outley (138) and Peter Glitsch at 113 finished in third place for Port Townsend, and Aaron Reyes qualified for Chimacum after placing third at 120.
“Our dual record in the Olympic league is poor just because of the forfeits we give up. But at tournaments it’s a different story,” Grimm said.
Forrest Piatt at 160 and Jacob Massie at 195 finished fourth for the Redskins and will be alternates at the regional event.
Port Townsend’s Jesionowski moving on to regionals
AUBURN — After finishing second in the 112-pound weight class at sub-regionals, Port Townsend’s Charity Jesionowski advanced to the girls regional wrestling tournament this Saturday at Steilacoom High School.
Teammate Chloe Rogers was fifth at 130 and will serve as an alternate at the tournament, which combines all state classifications.
“These girls have been working hard all year,” Grimm said.
“They are tougher than most boys, too. I’ve seen Charity get a black eye, bloody nose, and dislocated her finger all in one practice.
“After I reset her dislocated finger, she just threw some tape on it and was back out there.”
Jesionowski is a second-year wrestler while Rogers is a rookie.
“What a season she has had,” Grimm said.
“Placing fifth in a 16-person bracket and being a regional alternate in her first year. I can’t wait to see her wrestle next year.”