Mat Classic: Deer Park, Colville in line for 1A title

TACOMA – The battle for the State 1A wrestling championship is following the expected script.

Colville and Deer Park are waging a Northeast A tug of war. The Indians pushed five into the semifinals to the DP Stags’ four as Mat Classic XXVIII unfolded Friday at the Tacoma Dome.

When action resumes Saturday morning, Deer Park will be atop the field with 79 points, 3.5 ahead of Colville.

Colville’s Trevor Morrison (106 pounds), Trent Baun (113), TJ Baun (120), John Knight (138) and Ryley Smith (170) easily moved along Friday with Morrison, the Bauns and Smith each winning two matches by pin.

Still, Colville coach Randy Cloke was lamenting what could have been while expressing disappointment.

“It was a horrible round for us,” Cloke said of the quarterfinals, which started with much promise with eight Indians winning opening-round matches. “These are the rounds where you win state championships. You’ve got to come to battle in those spots. We knew those (five) were capable, but you’ve got to win the those toss up, questionable matches.”

Deer Park’s semifinalists are Everett Pierce (106), Tysen Jorgensen (145), Dean Lockwood (152) and Trevor Eicher (220).

Eicher, who is seeking to become just the second Stag to win three state titles, won with one of the quickest pins in the first round, needing just 14 seconds. He had a pin in 1:05 in the quarterfinals.

“To win it we’re going to need our semifinalists to push to the finals because Colville has kids who will get through,” Deer Park coach Matt Jorgensen said. “We need to match their points. It was a pretty competitive day overall.”

Baun got a double portion of chicken wings. The defending state champ used a move he called a double chicken wing for a pin in the quarters.

“I just wrestle and use stuff that presents itself and not just look for one certain thing,” Baun said.

Baun hurried off to get another workout in after the quarters.

“I just have to go and get down to weight,” Baun said. “I’m going to get a nice workout in and I should be really close.”

Cloke said the state title is there for the taking for his team and Deer Park.

“We’ve got to punch those four into the finals,” Cloke said. “The semi wins are going to be huge.”

Other NEA semifinalists are: Logan Holt (106) and Sebastian Hyta (195) of Freeman; and Dalton Young (132) and Garrett Brown (160) of Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls).

Young, 122-0 overall, is seeking a third straight title. He won by pins of 56 seconds and 1:04.

2A: East Valley moved three into the semifinals.

Trey Meyer (170) led the way, winning by pin and technical fall.

“I was trying for a pin for the team points,” Meyer said of his technical fall. “I felt dominant and ready.”

The other two Knights hoping to advance to the finals are Randy McDonald (126) and Logan Sundheim (138), who won by 10-0 decisions in both his matches.

Other area semifinalists are Dalton Port (106), Spencer Clegg (120), Tanner Benton (132) and Dylan Beeler (195) of Clarkston; Drake Ferguson (152) and Hunter Ferguson (170) of West Valley; and Boedy Taylor (170), Devon Waterman (195) and Michael Ferguson (220) of Cheney.

B: Twelve area wrestlers moved into the semifinals: Ryan Issakides (106), Justin Chantry (120), Tristan Chantry (138) and Hunter Carmen (152) of Selkirk; Randy Dixon (113) of Springdale; Colton Kuykendall (138), Michael Sims (160), Ethan Landt (170) and Josey Anderson (182) of Reardan; Blake Phillips (170) of Republic; and Reggie Jones (145) and Mitch Barney (152) of Colfax.

Girls: Just one area athlete advanced to the semifinals. Shaelynn Mason of Lewis and Clark won by 3-0 and 4-3 decisions at 190.