Lakeside Wrestlers Claim First State A Championship
Lakeside High coach Scott Jones’s expectations are so high for his wrestling program that he’s simply glad the Holy Grail pursuit is over.
Annually a top 10 team finisher at the state tournament, including second in 1994, the Eagles last weekend held on to a lead they compiled early on Saturday to win their first State A championship.
“What I think is that it will be a relief,” said Jones while awaiting the final outcome. “It’s everything a coach pushes for and kids dream about.
“Not that we won’t chase one again.”
And chase it they must, in next year’s newly annointed AA classification. There were only two seniors in the Lakeside state lineup.
“Next year we’re loaded,” said Jones. “Everybody but Nate (Bohl) from the scorers is back. We’ll be a tough team.”
Bohl, who placed second at 141 pounds, had Lakeside’s highest individual finish. But the beauty of the Eagles was how the wrestlers performed in consolations.
Six others finished seventh or better, including three in the top four. All but one of 10 state entrants scored points. They wrestled a total of 43 matches, winning 26.
“If we had finished second it would have hurt a lot,” said Jones, who was named State A-B Coach of the Year. “These kids deserve No. 1.” That was what each pushed for.
“To be in the finals has been my dream since fifth grade,” said Bohl.
Last year he placed in state as a 148 pounder, one up from his normal weight.
“I felt like I could take that weight,” he said, “but when I got to the big tournaments and stuff, I realized they were a lot stronger.”
This year, in his normal weight, Bohl won twice by 3-1 decisions and again 6-4, beating the third and fourth place finishers along the way.
There was no beating Ryan Schmelzer, but Bohl did score the only point the unbeaten Tonasket athlete gave up in tournament.
Whle Bohl was dropping a weight, sophomore Matt Westenfelder, a state placer at 129 pounds, kept gaining it.
“Matt started as our 135-pounder then hit a growth spurt like crazy,” said Jones of his nephew.
Undeterred, he moved up to 148 pounds, went into district seeded third behind junior teammate and state placer Aaron Laughery and wound up second in regionals.
Laughery reached the semifinals, losing to defending champion Travis Knutson of Kiona-Benton by two points. Westenfelder lost in the second round to eventual champion Ben Barkley of Orting.
But he came back to win four straight times for third place, including an overtime win over his teammate. Laughery bounced back to place fifth.
It was a match hard on wrestlers, coaches and Lakeside.
“Those two are close friends before and after a match and are workout partners,” said Jones. “A match like this is easier for coaches who can take a neutral position. It separates the fans a bit.”
Juniors Tim Weisser and Jason Christen finished fourth. Weisser, 122 pounds, was one of three Lakeside semifinalists. Christen, 135, won four straight after losing his opener to make the consolation finals.
Placing seventh were 129-pounder Anthony Layton and 158-pounder Sean Wheeler, both juniors.
Layton’s regional misfortune put him behind the eight-ball at state. He faced three-time state champion Dwayne Magnusson of Blaine in his opener. Wheeler lost by a point in a second round match with champion Garrett Knutson of Kiona Benton.
They’ll all return, along with sophomores Trevor Blackwell, a state placer in 1996, and Adam Christen, and senior Jason Belyea, who missed state this year.
“I know they will all come back,” said Jones. “I know the type of kids we have. They are champions.”
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