Miller Time Means Time To Hit The Road I

Charlie Miller has spent the early part of his retirement traveling. The former East Valley High School wrestling coach’s latest trip was from his home in California to Mat Classic VII.

“I wanted to see regionals and state,” he said. “In another year I won’t know half the kids.”

Retiring last year after 29 years as a teacher and coach in Spokane Valley schools, where he had a team state champion and numerous individual winners and placers, Miller and his wife, Gayle, bought a house on a golf course in the drier climate of Palm Desert.

They’ve played golf but scarcely go home, traveling with friends up and down California and across the country to football games.

“We got the motor home going and have been trippin’ all over,” said Miller.

That has grown old and the couple is selling their motor home. But Miller couldn’t stay away from the state wrestling tournament, where his teams and athletes at West and East Valley made him a Hall of Fame fixture.

“I miss this, miss the kids and miss the coaches,” said Miller. “I don’t miss the traveling and yelling at the referees.”

Nice touch

Jeremy Price of Tonasket was one of The Untouchables, although the state tournament program doesn’t agree.

The Tacoma News Tribune, in its annual feature on the state’s best wrestlers, honored Price as one of its dozen or so “Untouchables.”

Price defeated Glenn Hume of Chewelah for the Region IV-AA title last week, but tournament officials flip-flopped the results when reporting them to the state.

The state program, therefore, lists Hume as the region champion, conqueror of an Untouchable.

The true vanquisher was KionaBenton’s Garrett Knutson, who defeated Price on Saturday in the semifinals.

The Untouchables from the Spokane area were Dusty Roberts of University, Troy Hughes of Mead and Henry Peterson of Riverside. All three lived up to the prediction by winning titles.

Historical

By making the finals, Gonzaga Prep’s Cory Brannon and Steve Steigleder were attempting to become the first wrestling state champions from the Northside private school. Brannon was a winner, but Steigleder lost.

Fletcher Barkdull of Ferris, who lost in the semis, was closing in on the Saxons’ first state title since Bjorn Anderson in 1985. Anderson is the only Ferris wrestler to accomplish the feat.

Before Central Valley’s Shane Cunanan lost in overtime during the semis, he was on track to vie for the Bears’ first title since Toby Holden won seven years ago.

Cheerful loner

Barkdull didn’t mind being the only competing wrestler from Ferris. The junior said he didn’t need teammates cheering him on because he undoubtedly had coach Tim Owen’s undivided attention.

Photogenic

Jon Rugan of Mead was the subject in the main photograph the News Tribune used to illustrate the tournament’s first day.

Rugan was shown with an exultant grin - and protruding tongue - after his semifinal win over Columbia River’s Brian Revord.

Dry spell

Colville’s Brandon LaLonde came close to winning the school’s first wrestling championship since 1969, when the Indians competed at the Class A level. LaLonde lost in the finals at 158.

LaLonde allowed just one point during last week’s Region IV-AA tournament. He claims a stall point against him was unwarranted.

Sending a message

Moses Lake (AAA) and White River (AA) needed just one round to show the Tacoma Dome crowd why they should be state team champions.

Both teams went 8 for 8 during the opening round on Friday.White River had never won a state title in any sport.

Burned

The opening round wasn’t as kind to second-ranked Auburn, which lost six of its first nine to drop out of the team race.

The three who won openers were good ones. Greg DeBolt (158) and Justin Bowen (168) made the semifinals, and Ben Criddle (190) lost in the finals.

Heavy duties

Kent-Meridian heavyweight Matt Orndorff was 33-0, with 27 pins, heading into his final with Matt Miethe of Rogers. Orndorff won by pin in just 50 seconds.