IT’S PIN OR go home time on the state high school wrestling scene.
The beginning of February signals the arrival of the postseason for state grapplers.
Weight classes in each classification will be whittled down each weekend during the next three weeks, with the last man (or woman) standing the night of Feb. 20 at Mat Classic XXII in the Tacoma Dome.
The North Olympic Peninsula had four wrestlers place in the top three of their weight classes last winter.
And while a repeat of last year’s success doesn’t seem likely, there are still a number of contenders in the area to watch out for.
Here’s a quick rundown of the three best:
• Brett Johnson, Sr., 160 (Port Townsend) — Johnson may very well be the Peninsula’s best hope for a state title.
The senior has already placed twice at state, including a third-place mark at 152 pounds last winter, and appears to be the odds-on favorite to win it this time around.
He’s been ranked No. 1 in Class 1A at the 160-pound level for the last month by washingtonwrestlingreport.com.
Despite suffering a shoulder injury near the beginning of the season, the coach’s son — father, Joey, is the longtime Redskins coach — is 20-1 on the season.
• Adam Raemer, Sr., 145 (Port Angeles) — Raemer, a year removed from finishing fifth at 140, has won a handful of tournaments on his way to a 24-5 record this season.
What might be most impressive, however, is his losses, which includes a narrow 3-2 defeat at the hands of Olympic’s Brandon Yeik.
He enters the postseason ranked No. 2 in 3A behind Yeik, someone he should be more than familiar with come Mat Classic time.
No doubt, he’d love a rematch in the finals.
• Tanner House, Sr., 285 (Forks) — Unlike the two wrestlers above him, House has yet to place at the state level.
That being said, nobody has had a better season than Forks’ stud pulling guard. At 25-1 with 24 pins, he’s dominated the competition and is ranked fifth in 1A at 285.
It will be a tough road to the finals, however, with two of the top-four 1A heavyweights from a year ago back.
Signing Day
Super fans throughout the land will have an extra pep to their step when they exit their parents’ basement this morning.
Today is, after all, their special holiday: National Signing Day.
That is the first day a high school senior can sign a binding National Letter of Intent for college sports.
It is a day of “road graders,” “burners” and “cannon arms.” A day of “blue chips,” “red chips” and (several bags of) potato chips.
A day of grown men salivating over 250-pound linebackers donning their alma mater’s Blue-and-Gold hat for the first time.
Unfortunately, there won’t be any ESPN live feeds here on the Peninsula.
There are some, however, who will go on to compete elsewhere:
• Sequim distance runner Alison Cutting, the Class 2A state cross country champion in 2008, will run on scholarship for Seattle Pacific University.
Cutting will run for the Falcons’ cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field teams in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
• Sequim football left tackle/defensive tackle Thomas Gallagher said he will accept a full-ride scholarship from Georgetown University of the Patriot League.
“It will be the first time going up against kids close to my size, so it’s going to be a much bigger challenged,” said Gallagher, listed at 6-foot-5, 310 pounds for the Wolves last fall.
“I think with proper preparation I will be playing by my freshman year.”
• Port Townsend wide receiver Cameron Robinson said he still hasn’t made a decision in where he will go next year.
Named the PDN’s football MVP for the 2009 season, Robinson has received interest from a few Division III schools.
As of right now, he said he’s leaning toward Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma.
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Matt Schubert is the outdoors and sports columnist for the Peninsula Daily News. His column regularly appears on Thursdays and Fridays. He can be reached at matt.schubert@peninsuladailynews.com.
