SEQUIM — As the pins and points piled up early for the Sequim wrestling team against rival Port Angeles, belief blossomed on the Wolves’ bench.
Thursday’s red-hot start, in which Sequim claimed three straight matches by pin, provided the boost needed to finally slip the grasp of the Roughriders.
The Wolves shook off seven seasons of frustration against their rival to earn a 42-33 win over Port Angeles, the first Olympic League dual triumph against Port Angeles since Jan. 8, 2009.
“We’ve never beaten them, or really even come close,” Sequim’s Kevyn Ward said.
“It shows how much we’ve grown as a team. We had a three-year losing streak [in Olympic League duals] and we came out of it last year, and now we are winning duals and showing people we are still here, we are growing and becoming something. It really shows a lot.
“We’ve had our share of days where we didn’t wrestle to our full potential, but tonight everybody brought their A-game and put in the work to deserve this.”
The Wolves (4-3) also defeated an undermanned Port Townsend 69-3 to finish the North Olympic Peninsula showdown with a 2-0 mark.
Port Angeles beat the Redhawks 63-6 to finish 1-1.
Sequim won six of the 10 contested matches against the Riders, five of those victories coming on pins by Michael Latimer at 220 pounds, McKenzie Stockdale (285), Dalton Brown (106), Ben Newell (126) and Ward (160).
The first three contested matches barely lasted the length of one round combined.
Latimer opened with a pin 1 minute and 3 seconds into the first round.
Stockdale’s pin came 35 seconds into his match, while Brown pinned Daniel Basden in 41 seconds.
“We came out with so much more energy tonight,” Sequim coach Charles Drabek said.
“I think that early start put them on their heels a little bit.”
The last time the Wolves beat the Riders, Drabek’s son Anthony earned a pin.
Port Angeles coach Brent Wasche was gracious in defeat.
“First off, my hat’s off to Charles and the Sequim team,” Wasche said.
“They wrestled lights-out tonight. They picked up those pins when they needed them, and in wrestling those pins add up to big points.”
Down 24-6 early, Port Angeles’ Tyler Gale (120 pounds) attempted to staunch the bleeding by pinning Sequim’s Caden Robert in just 18 seconds.
An injury default win for Ben Basden at 126 pounds and Morgan Mowers’ 9-5 decision against Craig Baker helped Port Angeles cut the deficit to 30-21.
Sequim’s Grant Pierson stymied Riley Gale 4-0 in their 145-pound match to earn three points.
Brandon Currie then trimmed the Wolves’ lead to 33-27 by picking up a late second-round pin versus Travis Baker.
Ward then made quick work of Caleb Joslin, winning the 160-pound match by pin in 34 seconds.
“As soon as I came off the mat, I knew we had a chance at this,” Ward said.
But Port Angeles’ Thomas Blevins (170 pounds) also picked up a first-round pin, which gave the Riders a chance to tie if they could record a pin in the 182-pound match.
“I was really, really impressed with Thomas Blevins at 170,” Wasche said.
Ward had encouragement for teammate Adrian Klarich just before the final match.
“Before he hit the mat, I told Adrian to go out and get the win,” Ward said.
Klarich steadily outpointed Port Angeles’ Blake Mann in the deciding match to claim an 8-1 victory and seal the win.
“I think our kids are starting to get it and step up, especially the younger kids,” Drabek said.
“And that feels pretty good.”
Ward described the exhilaration he felt with victory in Sequim’s grasp.
“As I watched the final seconds ticking down it was the most amazing thing,” Ward said.
“It was something that we’ve worked for, Michael and I have been on this team for four years and we’ve worked for this moment.
“We’ve always said we’ve wanted to beat PA, and it took so much work, but we did it.”
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Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-452-2345, ext. 5250 or at mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
