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

Big Nine Rules Roost In Region Iv Moses Lake, Davis Lead Domination Of Regional Aaa Wrestling Championships

Taking lumps from Moses Lake is one thing.

But now the Big Nine Conference also throws Davis at the Greater Spokane League.

Moses Lake won its second consecutive Region IV-AAA wrestling title Saturday, finishing first in three weight divisions and scoring 153 points.

Davis was the only team giving chase to its conference brother. The Pirates, of Yakima, scored 129 and had two champions.

“We thought the Big Nine would have more champions (than the GSL), but not like it went,” said Moses Lake coach Ron Seibel.

Seibel’s Chiefs advanced eight wrestlers to Mat Classic VII, the state tournament Friday and Saturday at the Tacoma Dome. Moses Lake is favored, with Davis and defending champ Auburn in pursuit. Davis advanced seven, Auburn nine.

The top four in each weight division advanced. The Big Nine snared 29 of the 52 berths to state. Every GSL team sent at least one to state.

Three perfect seniors and Gonzaga Prep sophomore Cory Brannon upheld the GSL’s honor.

Troy Hughes (178 pounds) and Justin O’Connor (190) of Mead improved to 27-0 with titles. They led the Panthers to a third-place total of 99 points.

Dusty Roberts, the lone finalist from GSL champion University, won at 148 and is 28-0.

Brannon, the District 8-AAA runner-up at 108, knocked off top-seeded Ryan Kelly of Eisenhower in the semifinals. In the only all-GSL final, Brannon notched a 15-1 major decision over Mead sophomore Jon Rugan.

Mead advanced five to state. U-Hi, Rogers and Wenatchee earned four apiece. Rogers scored 87.5 points to edge Wenatchee (82) for fourth place.

Roberts, Hughes and senior Dave Herzog of Davis defended regional titles. Herzog (30-1) won at 168 on a forfeit from teammate Dustin Dore.

U-Hi senior Scott Garcia and Moses Lake junior Tony Vehrs failed to repeat as regional champs.

Garcia (141) lost 11-6 in the semis to eventual champ Shane Anderson of Walla Walla. Garcia rebounded for third place and a state berth.

Vehrs (101) lost in the semis and placed third.

No. 1 seeds proved their mettle, winning at every weight except 108, 129, 141 and 275.

GSL No. 1 seeds who missed state were Daryl Groom (108) of Rogers and Bob Perkes (275) of Central Valley.

Senior Fonzie Ruiz (129) of Davis and Pasco junior Nic Oord (275) won titles as No. 3 seeds.

The Big Nine was strongest at 129, 158 and 178, earning three of four berths to state. The GSL did the same at 108, highlighted by Brannon’s win.

Brannon defeated Rugan for the third time this year in four tries. He became the Bullpups’ first regional winner since Frankie Ferraro in 1992.

“There was a lot of tough competition here,” Brannon said. “I was surprised I did it.”

Roberts and Hughes, future teammates at the University of Oregon, are accustomed to winning.

“I’m wrestling the best I think I ever have,” Roberts said after an 11-2 major decision over Moses Lake senior Jerry Shotts in the final. Roberts won the state title as a sophomore.

Hughes controlled Richland sophomore Chris Duncan, taking the final 10-5.

“There’s no excuse why I should get beaten,” said Hughes, a state runner-up twice.

O’Connor had a nail-biting final, a doubleovertime win over Davis’ Jason Reed.

O’Connor tied the match at 3, with 11 seconds left in regulation, when Reed was docked for stalling. The first overtime ended on a double-stall penalty; Reed then had 30 seconds to escape from O’Connor. The unbeaten Panther held.

In other finals, Richland’s Aaron Mann beat Scott Jones of Davis, 4-2 at 101; Donnie Anderson of Moses Lake beat Mike Knight of Rogers, 16-3 at 115; Nelson Crisanto of Wenatchee pinned Pasco’s Jeremy Aldous at 122; Ruiz edged G-Prep’s Steve Steigleder, 11-8 at 129; Reese Chlarson of Moses Lake pinned CV’s Joel Gehrett at 135; Anderson beat North Central’s Josh Robertson, 7-1 at 141; Moses Lake’s Jared Post nipped Pasco’s Drew Vincent, 12-9 at 158; and Oord beat Matt Miethe of Rogers, 8-4 at 275.