EV leads at Mat Classic
TACOMA – A year ago, East Valley’s Matt Hanson dreamed of reaching the state finals after having gone 0-2 in his first state appearance as a sophomore.
Then he got hurt, breaking a hand in the postseason. His season ended, Hanson was forced to watch the state meet from the stands.
“Sitting there last year, I really wanted it,” he said. “It built stuff up in me.”
On the first day of Mat Classic XVII on Friday, the senior was part of the Knights’ 3A steamroller that sent a school-record seven wrestlers into today’s semifinals, which begin at 10 a.m.
Those Knights are all assured top-six individual finishes, but the goal is for more than that.
“We’re wrestling tough,” said Hanson. “We have a shot to win state” as a team.
After Friday’s competition, the Knights are first, narrowly, over three-time champion Sedro Woolley with 81 points and will medal nine of their 12 state entrants.
The Cubs have 78 points, six semifinalists and a total of nine top-eight finishers.
“We had an absolutely great day,” said EV coach Craig Hanson, Matt’s dad. “The year we won state we didn’t get that many in the semis. But we didn’t have anyone out there to chase.”
His son, competing at 135 pounds, won twice by pin, the latter coming on the heels of a dramatic overtime victory by Jared Imes over 130-pound favorite Nathan Decker.
“That was awesome,” Matt Hanson said. “I’m happy for Jared. He’s my workout partner and wrestled just like we practiced.”
It was a match to be decided on the feet, and the two traded takedowns before Imes escaped twice around a Decker takedown to force OT. There he was awarded a penalty point on an illegal hold for the upset.
“That’s a huge jump for us,” an excited Imes said of the win. “I pictured this a million times, but didn’t know how it would feel. Knocking out an ‘untouchable’ like Decker is huge. We got two pins already and me upsetting Decker, maybe the ball is rolling.”
EV sophomore 103-pounder Shelby Lawson, who won 4-3 and by pin, and senior 112-pounder Joe Plumb, by technical fall and pin, had started things. Sophomore Bryce Fisher (145) with two high-scoring efforts; Tyler Jolley (215), by injury default and major decision; and Chris Helm (275), who rallied from a 4-0 deficit to pin, all are wrestling today to reach the championships.
East Valley was nearly flawless in the first round of competition, losing just two of 12 matches. And the Knights just missed going 11-1, Jordan Jolley losing by a couple of points at 171 pounds.
In general, the GSL’s 3A contingent did magnificently, sending 17 of 20 state qualifiers into the quarterfinals.
Thirteen of them are wrestling for first, including Dan Siebert from North Central and Clarkston’s Jason Fairley, who meet opposite Matt Hanson at 135. NC’s Mike Clute (152) and Derek Brown (189) and Cheney’s Blake Risk, who faces Imes, and Travis McKenzie (215) are the others.
Today, Matt Hanson faces a Sedro Woolley wrestler, Fisher faces Kelso defending champion Brandon Sitch, Clute wrestles two-time champion Kyle Bounds of Columbia River and Tyler Jolley wrestles favored Brad Padget from White River, a three-time placer and last year’s runner-up.
“We’re in tough in a couple of weights,” said Craig Hanson of his team’s chances to withstand Sedro Woolley. “But we’re real happy.”
If the Knights don’t win state it won’t be for lack of the first day’s effort.