BREMERTON — Four area wrestlers won championships and many more qualified for state at regional tournaments over the weekend.
Port Angeles’ Tyler Gale won the 113-pound class at the boys 2A Region 1 tournament by defeating Olympic’s Alec Acfalle 8-1 Saturday.
The Roughriders had two other state qualifiers in 126-pounder Ben Basden, who was second at regionals, and 138-pounder Morgan Mower, who took fourth.
The top four finishers advanced to the Mat Classic this weekend at the Tacoma Dome.
Blake Mann and Cody Anderson placed fifth at regionals for Port Angeles and will be alternates at the state meet.
Port Townsend’s Chloe Rogers won the 140-pound class at the girls Region 2 tournament in Yelm.
Redhawks coach Steve Grimm said Rogers, who took second at state in the division last year, was set to wrestle Wilson’s Flar Parker-Borreo, the state champ at 135 pounds last year, in Saturday’s final, but Parker-Borreo had to bow out due to injury or sickness.
State championship state of mind
Grimm said he and Rogers were disappointed she didn’t get to tangle with Parker-Borreo and see how she wrestles.
Other than that disappointment, Grimm said Rogers “had a great day.”
And now she turns her attention to the Mat Classic, where she made a somewhat surprising run to last year’s finals.
“She’s pretty darn focused right now,” Grimm said.
“Her mind is focused and all she wants right now is that state title.”
Rogers’ teammates, Ally Bradley (115 pounds) and Brenna Franklin (155) both took sixth and missed being an alternate by one spot.
The only Port Townsend boy to qualify for state is Cody McClain, who took second in the 220-pound division at the 1A Region 1 tournament.
Jesus Duran will be an alternate at 126 pounds for the Redhawks.
Forks had the North Olympic Peninsula’s best regionals showing, taking second as a team having two individual champs at the 1A Region 2 tournament in Castle Rock on Saturday.
Senior Alvaro Ortiz is the 113-pound champion, and Jack Dahlgren won the 182-pound division.
The Spartans had eight other state qualifiers: Josue Lucas (second at regionals in the 106-pound class), Joel Mohn (second at 160), Tristan Tumaua (second at 285), Garrison Schumack (third at 138), Kenny Gale (third at 170), Johnny Lua-Ceja (fourth at 170), Gavin Palmer (fourth at 145) and Joseph Mariner (fourth at 152).
Brett Moody (152 pounds) and Luke Dahlgren (195) took fifth in their classes and will be state alternates.
“Ten wrestlers qualifying for the state tournament is always considered a good showing at a regional wrestling tournament,” Forks coach Bob Wheeler said.
“However, I am hoping that our wrestlers will understand that they can still do better. We had at least at couple of wrestlers who didn’t qualify, but probably should have.
“We also had three finalists who were second because they lost to the same wrestlers whom they had beaten at the sub-regional tournament last week.
“I am hoping that this will give them a wake-up call to be ready for the state tournament.”
The Spartans racked up 185 points, which was 9.5 less than region champion Castle Rock.
At the girls Region 3 meet in Aberdeen, Marissa Bailey placed fourth in the 100-pound class and will be an alternate at state.
Sequim qualifies six for state
Four Sequim boys are moving on to the 2A state tournament after placing in the top four at the boys Region 1 meet in Bremerton.
Kevyn Ward punched a return ticket to the Mat Classic when he pinned Sedro-Woolley’s Noah Stroosma 56 seconds into the third-place 160-pound match.
Three other Wolves placed fourth at regionals: Craig Baker (132 pounds), Adrian Klarich (182) and Michael Latimer (220).
Sequim had two advance to state from the girls Region 2 tournament in Yelm.
Kiara Pierson placed second in the 110-pound division, while Alma Mendoza was sixth at 140 pounds.
Aylee Bennett will be the alternate for the 135-pound class.
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Compiled using team reports.
