Experience, Relaxed Attitude Explain Knights’ Wrestling Success
East Valley’s low-key approach to this year’s wrestling season has paid high-profile dividends.
Last year the Knights started strong but struggled near the end of the season. Inexperience haunted the young team in big meets. Not so this year.
Last weekend, when the team piled up 219.5 points to win the Snohomish Panther Classic, Class AA East Valley beat a pair of schools that finished among the top five in last year’s State AAA tournament.
“It was a fairly solid West Side tournament,” said second-year coach Craig Hanson. “We surprised ourselves and I’m sure the teams there were all in shock, too.”
East Valley had eight finalists and two other wrestlers finish among the top four in the 14 weight classes.
Third-placer Brad Crockett would have been a finalist too had he not been disqualified in the semifinals.
“It was an unintentional slam and the (opposing) kid broke his collar bone,” said Hanson. “Brad teched (won by 15 points) his next two guys.”
EV’s successes have been a product of a relatively relaxed approach to the season, said Hanson, and more experience.
“Last year all were outstanding kids but they were still young,” he said.
It wasn’t as evident in dual meets as in tournament competition.
“It’s different this year,” said Hanson. “The kids have lived through all that stuff and know how to deal with it mentally.”
Included have been a third-place team finish at the Deer Park Invitational, and fourth-place showings at the Mead Tournament of Champions, Pacific Northwest Classic and Tri-State tournament, along with last weekend’s Snohomish title.
Freshman John Sommer at 101 pounds, juniors Kevin Woolf, 115 and Justin Walker 122, seniors Joe Adamson, 129, Chris Duncan, 168 and Tristan Beeman, 190 all won championships.
“Tristan has just made huge strides as a wrestler,” said Hanson. “He’s changed his style and is doing a lot of neat things.”
Woolf, Walker and Adamson won by pin.
Senior Quinton Chapman, 135, and junior Rusty Ruchert, 158, finished second. Chapman lost by a point.
Sophomore Mike Schull, was fourth at 148.
Victory in Snohomish was the last Saturday tournament for the Knights, who now will concentrate on Frontier League matches through Jan. 30.
“I feel that’s good,” said Hanson. “We still have matches Tuesdays and Thursdays and it gives us a longer weekend to avoid burnout.”
Hanson said although he was surprised at how well EV performed in Snohomish, since the beginning of the season the Knights have set high goals.
“Everytime we set a goal, said Hanson, “the kids surpass it.”
, DataTimes