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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Eagles Soar Above Competitors At State

Lakeside wrestler Sean Wheeler looked like a possessed man at the state wrestling championship last weekend at Tacoma.

The 178-pound Wheeler, like the rest of his Eagle teammates, dyed his hair blue for the tourney.

Wheeler sort of resembled one of those spaced-out freaks who walks around Seattle’s Pioneer Square, hitting up people for change.

But there was nothing weird about Wheeler’s state championship win over Quincy’s Brent Duda for the state crown.

Wheeler didn’t say much before or after the win.

His most telling words went to Eagles coach Scott Jones before his win over the previously unbeaten Duda.

“He told me, ‘This is why I’m going to beat him,’ then he lists off like, five or six reasons he would,” Jones said. “Then he goes out there and does it.

“I tell ya, sometimes you just never know what goes through these kids’ heads. He got it in his mind that he would not be beat. And he wasn’t.”

In the face of the Quincy High crowd chanting, “Duda, Duda, Duda…,” Wheeler took Duda out of his game plan. He frustrated him by forcing the action to the outside of the mat and refused to let Duda wrap him up.

Wheeler won the match, 5-4.

Before Wheeler, Matt Westenfelder won the state championship in the 168-pound division. He dominated Mount Baker’s Kris Dekriek, 10-3.

But Westenfelder said the match wasn’t as easy as the score may have sounded.

“That kid’s probably about 6-foot-1,” said the 5-foot-8 Westenfelder. “He was a good competitor, but I had a tough time wrapping him up sometimes.”

Here are other Lakeside wrestlers, their weights and place at state:

Robert Painter, 101, fifth.

Kris Matthews, 101, seventh.

Tim Weisser, 122, fifth.

Anthony Layton, 129, third.

Adam Christen, 135, fifth.

Jason Christen, 141, fifth.

Aaron Laughery, 148, third.

Chad Charbonneau, 275, fourth.

, DataTimes