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

Big finish for EV something to dye for

TACOMA – Subscribing to the theory that blonds have more fun, East Valley’s eight wrestlers bleached their locks and put their best wrestling foot forward on the first day of State 3A competition during Mat Classic XXI.

The Knights, like last year, put six wrestlers into the today’s semifinals that begin at 10 a.m. in the Tacoma Dome. They are among 10 semifinalists from the Greater Spokane League, three from North Central and one from Mt. Spokane. All are guaranteed no worse than sixth-place medals at state.

But the Knights don’t want what happened last year to reoccur when the morning round did not go well.

“Last year we tumbled,” EV coach Craig Hanson said. “We were the underdog in all the matches we lost and we wrestled tough. The effort was good, we just lost.”

The idea to dye their hair as a show of solidarity may bring the luck EV needs. The task of winning a team title is formidable. After the first day, the Knights trail Enumclaw and Yelm 85-70-66.5, and those teams have a numbers advantage.

“Enumclaw has to screw things up,” Hanson said. “Yelm is in better position than us. But our guys are doing their job. They’re getting pins and techs and hanging in there.”

EV sprinkled its semifinalists through the weights, beginning with freshman Nick Sweeney’s two pins at 103 and ending with Dakota Lawson’s dominating performance at 189 that featured a technical fall and pin. Hanson said Lawson is on a mission.

“It’s just a matter of focusing in practice, coming out and getting the job done,” Lawson said. “It’s just a year of maturity.”

Keith Babington, a semifinalist last year before finishing fifth, advanced at 112 pounds. winning twice by decision, including 15-3 in his second match. He will face regional foe Steven Romero today.

“We’ve been battling out forever and he’s beat me every time,” said Babington, most recently 10-6. “It should be a good one.”

On the other side of the bracket is NC’s Nathan Brown, who won twice easily.

EV’s next double winner was Chris Tripplet at 145 by pin and major decision. Jake Rodriguez followed at 152 with a pin, his second of the day. Nic Price, at 160, pinned his way into the semifinals.

Rodriguez trailed 7-1 when he got caught by a throw in his quarterfinal. But his second escape, to start the second period, produced a charge, wrap-up and throw that ended the contest in a hurry.

“I was a little worried when I was on my back, but you can’t give up,” Rodriguez said. “I was kind of just shooting.”

He wrestles Mt. Spokane’s Zach Wilkes in today’s semifinal. Wilkes won two low-scoring two-point decisions.

Joining their teammate Brown in the semifinals are NC 171-pounder Ben Carter, who pulled out a 9-7 first-round triumph and won in a minute in his second match, and Steve Taylor, who won twice by pin at 285.

4A

The University Titans earned three of the GSL’s seven 4A semifinalists. The league total equals that of defending team champion Lake Stevens alone. Lake Stevens leads Moses Lake 83-51 after day one. U-Hi has 33 points in eighth and Mead is 11th with 30.

Of the seven GSL semifinalists, none may be more surprising than Titans 135-pounder Kevin Harder. Harder qualified for state fourth out of Region 4, but he survived a first-match overtime against returning state placer Tyler Enos, 13-8, and won 9-3 in his second match.

“Kevin has been fairly consistent this year,” coach Don Owen said. “He’s been pretty tough”

Harder said he’s been honed in the shadow of U-Hi’s two other semifinalists, 145-pounder Ryan Zumwalt and 160-pound Jake Mason.

“They beat me up every day in practice,” he said. “This is exciting.”

Zumwalt rolled into the semis and will face one of Lake Stevens’ semifinalists, Jacob Anderson. Mason, who won workman-like 11-4 and 11-5 decisions, meets another from Lake Stevens, state sixth-placer Jake Welch.

Mead produced two semifinalists, freshman 140-pounder Jordan Rogers, who won twice easily, and 215-pound junior Jacob Trotter, winner by pin and 7-0. Last year he was eliminated in three matches.

“(I had to learn) that mentally I need to figure I’m the best person on the mat and that I can win,” Trotter said. “Last year I was ranked fourth in the state and didn’t do anything. This year I’m ranked second, but I’m going to win it.”

Rogers is joined on the other side of the 140-pound bracket by Central Valley’s Tyler Simmet. Ferris’ Ian Bauman advanced with 8-0 and 6-5 wins at 171.