PORT ANGELES — The Olympic League wrestling title might be decided Wednesday night in the first dual meet of the season at Port Angeles High School.
That’s when the Roughriders and Kingston square off in their only face-to-face meet of the season. Action starts at 7 p.m. for varsity matches.
“This is our only shot at them, so we have to make it good,” Port Angeles coach Erik Gonzalez said. “This isn’t like basketball where we get a second shot at them.”
The Riders and the Buccaneers tied for second in league last year behind Klahowya.
But Gonzalez said he believes both Kingston and Port Angeles are more balanced than Klahowya, which has a returning state champion and a couple of other state placers returning.
“It takes all 14 kids to win a match for you,” Gonzalez said.
“The returning state placer can give you only six points at a time.”
The Riders lost one state placer and two state participants to graduation but return a team loaded with varsity experience.
“We have a bunch of kids who went to regionals last year and are hungry to take the next step to state,” Gonzalez said.
It will be two well-balanced teams facing off Wednesday night in Port Angeles.
“Kingston has beaten us the past two years, but by only about six points each time,” Gonzalez said.
“Because of that, we have a chip on our shoulder.”
Gonzalez added that he believes the league title will go through Port Angeles or Kingston.
“Klahowya has a lot of firing power but it’s depth that wins dual meets,” he said.
