TACOMA — The Forks Spartans sit in second place after the opening session of the state wrestling tournament, Mat Classic XXVII, today (Friday) at the Tacoma Dome.
Eight of the Spartans’ 11 boys wrestlers won their opening round match.
Sebastian Morales earned a 14-5 majority decision win over Lakeside’s Jesse Woll in his 113-pound contest for Forks.
Alvaro Ortiz claimed a 11-7 decision in triple overtime in his 120 pound match against Kiki Chabolla of Royal.
Battling a rib injury, Garrison Schumack fell 17-2 by technical fall against Lakeside’s Cole Ahrendt at 132 pounds.
Also battling injured ribs, Javier Contreras gamely topped Chelan’s Julian Buyas 5-3 in their 145-pound match.
The Spartan’s two 152-pound wrestlers, Johnny Lua and Joel Mohn, both lost by pin.
Lua was pinned at 5:58 by Klahowya’s Eli Everson.
Vashon’s Chester Pruett took down Mohn at 5:55.
Reece Moody earned a 10-1 major decision win at 170 pounds against Alex Irizarry of Bellevue Christian.
The Spartans’ bigger wrestlers rolled their opponents, with Jack Dahlgren (182 pounds), Dimitri Sampson (195 pounds), Miguel Morales (285 pounds) and Tristin Tumaua (285 pounds) all earning pins.
Dahlgren took DJ Ferry of Cascade (Leavenworth) out at 1:40.
Sampson earned his pin at 1:08 against Sultan’s Hunter Jones.
Morales demolished another Sultan wrestler, Dylan Kole, in just 36 seconds.
Tumaua took down Tyson Mergel of Nooksack Valley at 2:53.
Port Angeles contenders still alive
Port Angeles’ nine wrestlers went 4-5 in the opening round. State title contenders Tyler Gale at 106 pounds, Brady Anderson at 126 pounds, Matt Robbins at 195 pounds and heavyweight Roberto Coronel are all still alive in the winners bracket.
Gale took a convincing 16-0 technical fall win against Hockinson’s Dale Anderson.
Anderson shut out Mark Morris’ Hyrum Robinson 7-0.
Robbins controlled his match against Washougal’s Ruben Aguilar, winning 10-3.
Coronel earned a pin at 3:13 against Ephrata’s Matt Derting.
The biggest upset of the opening round was Kyle La Fritz’s loss at 220 pounds. La Fritz could not find an opening against Rochester’s Matt Sheilds and fell 3-2.
He’ll face a steep climb through the consolation bracket with third place his highest possible finish.
Evan Gallacci was disqualified from the Class 2A tournament’s 182-pound bracket.
Gallacci was alleged to have bitten Washington’s Jacob Nelson.
Gavin Crain fell 4-2 to Foster’s Cale Woyvodich at 120 pounds.
At 113 pounds, Cody Anderson lost by a 15-0 technical fall to Ridgefield’s Trevor Newburn, and Ben Basden fell 12-7 to Cedarcrest’s Parker McBride.
Port Townsend splits
Redhawks senior Shae Shoop earned a 15-4 major decision win at 120 pounds against Deer Park’s Jayson Klauder.
Jackson Schott was pinned at 56 seconds against Chewelah’s John Crise.
Ward upset for Sequim
The Wolves’ Kevyn Ward fell behind 8-3 late in the second round of his 152-pound match against Quincy’s Andy Vargas. Vargas eventually picked up a last-second pin at the close of the second round to toopple Ward and end his eight-match postseason win streak.
Girls update
Forks and Sequim’s girls wrestlers went 4-2 combined in today’s opening round.
The Wolves’ Alma Mendoza picked up an 18-1 technical fall win against Lynette Samano of Nooksack Valley at 125 pounds.
Kaylee Ditlefsen won 7-2 against Pasco’s Natalie Hall.
Kiara Pierson was pinned by Davis’ Cameron Guerin at 2:33 of their 115-pound contest.
Forks’ Brooke Peterson won by pin 1:15 into her 145-pound match with Yelm’s Madison Holmes.
Tristen Williams owned Warden’s Mariah Garza, rolling to a 15-0 technical fall win at 105 pounds.
Brynn Peterson was pinned 45 seconds into her match with Sedro Woolley’s Lizzy Nichols.
Port Townsend’s first win
After Ally Bradley fell in the Redhawks’ first-ever girls state match at 105 pounds, Chloe Rogers picked up the program’s first win, a 13-8 decision at 140 pounds against Warden’s Ashley Martinez.
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Sports reporter Michael Carman is at the Tacoma Dome and can be reached at mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
