Lakeside In Second; Toppenish Leads 2a
Lakeside High School’s wrestling team may be feeling a bit like the Green Bay Packers at halftime of the recent Super Bowl.
Most observers didn’t think anyone could touch the Eagles in their quest for a second straight wrestling title in the Class 2A ranks at Mat Classic X in the Tacoma Dome. However, the Toppenish Wildcats are assuming the role of the Denver Broncos.
And assuming it well.
“We’re going after Lakeside, that’s all there is to it,” Toppenish coach Albert Zuniga said. “All year long, all we’ve heard is Lakeside, Lakeside, Lakeside.
“We’re going gung-ho after these guys. And everybody else, all these other schools, they’re just stepping stones,” he said.
Toppenish has 79 points to Lake side’s 64 after the first day.
The Wildcats started the morning session in a hurry, winning four of their first five matches with pins.
After the morning round, Lakeside and Toppenish had 30 points each.
It didn’t take long for Lakeside coach Scott Jones to see Toppenish meant business.
“I think this is going to go down to the wire,” Jones said.
The problem is, Lakeside is forced to play catch-up.
Toppenish seized the day early in the second round. Its effort was aided with two head-to-head wins over Lakeside.
At 101 pounds, Toppenish’s Armando Valadez dominated Lakeside’s Kris Matthews, 17-6.
In an entertaining match at 122 pounds, the Wildcats’ Rigo Castaneda defeated the Eagles’ Tim Weisser 11-6 to earn a trip to the semis.
Castaneda led 8-3 before Weisser cut the deficit to 8-6. Late in the third period, Weisser executed a quick escape move in an attempt to pin Castaneda, but Castaneda escaped a potential pin, and Weisser never challenged again.
“It’s all intimidation; it’s all intimidation,” Zuniga said after the match. “Our kids thrive on that stuff.”
Minutes later, Othello’s Ross Kondo defeated Lakeside’s Anthony Layton 6-4 to advance to the semis.
Lakeside entered the tournament with 15 wrestlers. Six Eagles made it to the semis.
On the other hand, Toppenish entered 11 and has eight headed to the final four.
For Lakeside, Robert Painter (101), Adam Christen (135), Jason Christen (141), Aaron Laughery (148), Matt Westenfelder (168) and Sean Wheeler (178) head to the semis.
Jason Christen will meet Toppenish’s David Escamilia in a semifinal.
Other local competitors advancing to the semifinals are Riverside’s Joben Nuesse (122) and Paul Purcell (168) and Medical Lake’s Matt Parker (141).
, DataTimes