PORT ANGELES — Port Angeles heavyweight John Camp won the battle, but the Sequim Wolves won the war.
Or is it the other way around?
The Wolves claimed their first Battle of the Axe on their archrivals’ home turf Saturday afternoon, beating the Roughriders 42-25 in the final to win the eight-team wrestling tournament.
It was their second dual victory over the Riders this season. For Port Angeles (3-1 in the tournament), the runner up finish was its best at its home meet since winning the inaugural competition in 2004.
“It’s kind of a special deal,” Sequim coach Len Borchers said of winning the Axe.
Added Borchers, “We were dead last last year, so it’s nice to come back and finish a little better.”
About the only thing that didn’t go the Wolves’ way was the final match of the day, the 285-pound duel between Camp and Sequim’s Thomas Gallagher,
Camp, ranked first in Class 3A, put Gallagher to the mat in just 26 seconds, ensuring the Sequim junior remained winless against his senior rival.
“That’s the way those heavyweight matches go sometimes,” Borchers said. “If [a Gallagher win] would have happened, it would have been really sweet.”
Camp’s pit-fall was part of a four-pin day for Camp, including a fall of second-ranked Ryan Ransavage of 3A Mount Si, as he earned most outstanding wrestler honors.
“It feels pretty good,” Camp, now 30-0 with 30 pins, said. “I haven’t ever had that before. I know they don’t normally give it to heavyweights.”
Said Port Angeles coach Erik Gonzalez, “I think he earned it today.
“He wrestled two legitimate state placers [in Ransavage and Gallagher], and he wrestled a kid who’s ranked behind him in 3A and he stuck him in the first period again, just like he did in the finals of the Rainshadow.
“In my mind he was the most outstanding wrestler today.”
Sequim’s Ethan Hinton (189 pounds), Alex O’Donnel (160), Joe Hutchison (135), Nick Grinnell (130) and Taylor Gowdy (125) were also a perfect 4-0 on the day for the tourney champions.
“It was pretty cool,” Hinton, now 27-2, said. “Last year we weren’t such a good dual team, because we had a couple of forfeits in the lighter weights.
“This year we have a stronger lineup.”
Defending champion Forks finished third, losing out on the championship match after falling to Port Angeles 46-36 in round two.
Luke Dixon (215), Cutter Grahn (103), 119 Cristian Molina, Tyler Kerschner (135) and Brien Jaksha (171) were all a perfect 4-0 on the day as Forks went 3-1 in its duals.
The Spartans beat the junior varsity all-stars in the fourth round 47-34.
“The kids wrestled well,” Forks head coach Bob Wheeler said. “I made a tactical error that probably made the difference [in the loss to Port Angeles].”
Port Townsend took fifth, going 2-2 on the day after beating Kingston 46-27 in the fourth round.
Mount Si finished seventh and top-seeded North Mason, which didn’t bring its full varsity, was eighth.
The postseason begins next week, with every team in the state headed to sub-districts next weekend.
