Area High School Wrestlers Clean Up
East Side wrestlers needed a Brinks truck to carry all their precious medal over the Cascades.
Highlighted by team titles for Gonzaga Prep and Lakeside, Spokane-area teams dominated Mat Classic XI, which concluded Saturday night in the Tacoma Dome.
Prep won the 4A state title behind state champions Sean Malone (148) and Travis Pascoe (190) and a gutsy finish by Kyle Gleason in the third-place match at 178. Gleason held on for a 5-4 win despite finishing with torn ligaments in his right ankle.
Overall, the Greater Spokane League had 10 wrestlers in the championship bouts and won an unheard-of eight. University and Central Valley, the 1998 team king, had two champions apiece. U-Hi sophomore Tommy Owen (115) and senior Reggie Lee (168) helped the Titans finish third. Blair Alderman (178) and Tyree Clowe (215) led CV to a top-10 finish. Ben Houk of Rogers won at 108 and Mead’s Mark Denholm at 122. The league had 23 placers among 31 participants.
“We had a good tournament,” CV coach Brett Racicot of the GSL. “Our top end guys were so good and it turned out our bottom were pretty good, too.”
Lakeside sent five wrestlers into the 2A finals and got championships from Kris Matthews at 101 and Matt Westenfelder at 168.
Overall, the Great Northern League had four champions and 20 of 28 participants picked up medals. Riverside senior Joben Nusse completed an undefeated season at 129 pounds with his second straight state title. Jonny Varona of Medical Lake won at 215.
“It’s always our goal, but I don’t know how often you think it’s realistic,” Lakeside coach Scott Jones said of the Eagles’ second title in three years. “You want everyone to do their best and possibly they do. And that’s what our kids did.”
The brothers Winona of Almira/CouleeHartline led the 1A/B wrestlers, Craig winning at 168 and Luke at 215 in double overtime. The two-day Mat Classic drew 32,223 fans.
Complete Mat Classic coverage/C6