BELFAIR — The Port Angeles girls wrestling team picked up four first-place finishes at the Hawkins Memorial Classic held Tuesday and Wednesday at North Mason High School.
Roughrider wrestlers winning their weight divisions were Natalie Johnson at 81-100 pounds, Faye Dachs at 111-116 pounds, Willow Harvey at 125-130 pounds and Julia Baeder at 130-138 pounds.
“I feel this year we have a possibility of placing more than one girl [at state],” said Port Angeles coach Rob Gale. “I think we can easily place this year as a team for girls.”
The event was originally scheduled for the week before Christmas, but was postponed due to heavy snow and ice.
Also taking first in the boys’ tournament was Raymond Rodriguez of Port Angeles at 126 pounds. Gale said Rodriguez is among the top 3 2A wrestlers in the state in his division and that, overall, the Port Angeles boys are among one of the best teams he’s had in years.
The East Jefferson girls also had a pair of winners at the same event. Mi Amada Lanphear-Ramirez took first at 116-117 pounds, while Melody Douglas took first at 141-155 pounds.
As a team, Port Angeles came in sixth with 80.5 points. Sequim was ninth with 55 points and East Jefferson 10th with 43.5 points. Winning the event was Lincoln, a 3A school, with 189 points.
Port Angeles wrestling will next host a triple dual at 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 6 with Bainbridge and North Mason. On Saturday, Jan. 7, the Roughriders host the big Battle of the Axe, with 16 teams participating, including Forks, East Jefferson and Sequim.
Other Olympic Peninsula wrestlers who placed at North Mason include:
Boys
Aiden Galvin, Sequim, second, 106 pounds.
Manaseh Lanphear-Ramirez, EJ, second, 145 pounds.
Ethan Abrams, PA, third, 152 pounds.
Talan Newton, PA, fourth, 113 pounds.
Jameson Henery, EJ, fourth, 160 pounds.
Bryson Graham, PA, fourth, 170 pounds.
Beau Manuel, EJ, fourth, 285 pounds.
Girls
Isabella Diaz, Sequim, second, 117-119 pounds.
Agata Opatrna, EJ, third, 140-146 pounds.
Sam Smith, PA, fourth, 133-139 pounds.
