University adds to latest successes

After strong finishes in their last three tournaments, including a first place in the Viking Invite in Lake Stevens on Dec. 30, University wrestling coach Don Owen said the Titans’ goal for Saturday’s Pacific Northwest Classic was nothing short of first place.

Wrestling on their home mat, the Titans made good on that goal, scoring 244.5 points to win the tournament at U-Hi.

Four wrestlers stood atop the podium for U-Hi, including seniors Ryan Zumwalt and Jacob Mason, who have placed first or second in each tournament this season.

Zumwalt battled Scott Bacon of Republic for the 152-pound title, getting a chance to wrestle a Tri-State champion in his final match.

The two wrestlers battled to a stalemate after the first round before Zumwalt, who had beaten his previous two opponents in dominant fashion with a pair of technical falls, took a 2-1 lead with a takedown early in the second. Bacon tied the score with an escape before Zumwalt scored the final three points of the match in the third round for the 5-2 victory.

“I was pleased with Ryan Zumwalt today,” Owen said. “He wrestled great all day long and then in his final match wrestled a Tri-State champion and the outstanding wrestler of the Tri-State tournament and beat him. … I really admire (Bacon) for coming here and moving up a weight to wrestle Zumwalt and that kid was definitely good for Zumwalt.”

“I was just glad to have him, because there weren’t a whole lot of tough kids here,” Zumwalt said. “The first period I usually like to see what the person wrestles like and by the second period I have it figured out what I’m going to do.”

Zumwalt has been on a mission, out to prove that last year’s second-place state finish would not happen again. Losing last year’s state title match in the last 4 seconds, he has made it a goal to no longer leave any doubt in any of his matches.

“Last year I lost in the last 4 seconds on a stupid call, so I’ve been trying to further myself in competition to make sure a stupid call can’t change the outcome in the last second,” he said.

After the win for the Titans at 152, Mason downed Amando Deleon of Othello 6-0 at 160 and Dustin Johnson scored a 15-3 major decision over Trevor Beaman of Flathead at 189.

U-Hi’s other champion was Tyler Clark at 112.

Flathead – out of Kalispell – took second with 214 points, ahead of Moses Lake (155), Wenatchee (135) and Central Valley (129).

Leading CV’s Bears to their top-five finish was Jarod Maynes at 119. Maynes took second at Tri-State at 112, but even moving up a class for U-Hi’s tourney he took first place in dramatic fashion against Ely Garza of Southridge.

Maynes trailed 4-1 after two takedowns by Garza in the first round. Maynes quickly becoming the aggressor in the final round, earning a takedown and a near fall in the final 20 seconds for the 8-5 victory.

“I’m more of a last-round wrestler,” Maynes said. “I knew I had a chance. I kept shooting but he kept me away then finally I said, ‘This is my last chance,’ and I just put all my effort into that last takedown.”

•Rollie Lane Invitational: Coeur d’Alene senior Kevin Moore took home first place at 171, beating Brennon Connolly of Mountain View 7-6 to lead the Vikings to a second-place finish at Nampa, Idaho. Columbia took the team championship.

James Ost won the 125 title with a 7-4 win over Star Valley’s Hyden Heap to lead Post Falls, which was sixth.

Cheney Invitational: Ben Carter took the 189-pound crown and led North Central to the team title with Reardan second and Cheney third in the 12-team invite. Four-place Clarkston had the most champions with three, including pins by Devon Norland at 285 and Brock Beeler at 152. Deer Park’s Cole Harris (103) and Kurt Nygard (140) of Ephrata had the other pins in the championship round.