GSL produces four champions

TACOMA – Brian Owen’s wrestling career was not without its bumps. But the University senior ended as it had begun, with a state championship.

Owen’s title, at 130 pounds, was the third in succession Saturday for Greater Spokane League competitors, who shared a kinship beyond the medallions draped around their necks.

All had trained for the moment at Mat Classic XX in competitions against each other.

Owen’s teammate and training partner Anthony Rivera produced the first GSL title at 119 to complete a 36-2 season. One of his losses was in a league dual match against Mead’s Philip Smith.

Smith has an unconventional style and uncanny ability to squirm out of danger, and he parlayed that into a championship at 125.

His only three losses this year came against Owen, who capped a perfect 37-win year with one last thoroughly dominating performance for his second title in four finals appearances.

“We’re almost all in the same weight class,” said Owen. “It says a lot about our area that we’re nothing to mess with.”

The GSL gained six finals berths in morning semifinals and won four titles. Central Valley finished third as a team and U-Hi tied for its third straight fourth-place finish. CV finished with 103 points behind champion Lake Stevens’ 145 following Tyler Cochran’s overtime championship at 215.

“I’m awfully happy for the kids,” said CV coach John Owen. “The run started six weeks ago and kept building. There hasn’t seemed to be a letup.”

Brian Owen won his first title as a freshman before injuries set him back. But he was somehow able to make the finals as a sophomore and junior. There would be no suspense this year.

“The closest anybody got to him was seven points,” said U-Hi coach Don Owen. “His high school season was not challenging.”

A case in point was this tournament in which Owen had two first-period pins and 15-5 and 15-2 decisions in final-day matches. The had no doubt he’d attain perfection

“Not in my mind,” Brian said. “Every loss tears you apart and the last one of the season hurts worst.”

Owen wrestled in front of a large contingent of family from all over.

“It was a big deal for me to go out on top,” he said.

Rivera, like Owen, also suffered an injury, a dislocated elbow that kept him from state last year after finishing second for East Valley as a sophomore.

“Thank God it was just my junior year and I had enough time to come back from it,” Rivera said.

He, too, was determined to finish with a title, in full control during 7-0 and 9-1 final-day decisions.

“When I look at how much sacrifice he made to be a state champion,” Don Owen said in gratification of Rivera.

Rivera dropped a weight to 119 to avoid being in the same class as Brian Owen – who ultimately moved up to 130 at district to pave the way for Smith.

Smith said his game plan in the final was to “go at it and control the whole match. I tried to break him down and did that.”

Smith is difficult to wrestle against because no matter how an opponent seems to have him wrapped up in control, he can wiggle out from underneath. That’s what he did during a 5-4 win over Sam Otto of Snohomish several times.

“He has unbelievable swivel hips,” said Mead coach Phil McLean.

“This tops off an awesome senior year,” Smith said.

Cochran defeated Matt Foxworty, a wrestler he lost to here last year. A stall call tied the taut match, but Cochran got a takedown 21 seconds into OT.

“It feels great,” said Cochran. “It’s been my dream all year long.”

CV’s Tanner Teeples (112) and Gonzaga Prep’s Chris Tripplet (145) finished second.

3A

The third time continued to be a charm as Clete Hanson tied up all the loose ends of an outstanding wrestling career.

Hanson defeated Garrett Rutledge of Auburn for the third time this year 6-4 to capture the 189 title as East Valley’s lone finalist.

The Knights fell on hard times in the semifinals, losing three heartbreakers, and finished fifth.

“We were wrestling great and losing close matches,” said coach Craig Hanson. “We could have had (three others) in the finals and won this thing.”

As it was, the tournament ended on a high note with his son’s well-wrestled victory. He went overtime twice with earlier in the year with Rutledge and won this one with a takedown as time expired.

“He was blocking out, but I finally scored,” Clete said. “I didn’t want to be one of those kids who was always second.”

EV had six other placers.