Lakeside Wins Title Easily

2A

The 215-pound championship match of the State 2A wrestling tournament was a perfect metaphor for the Great Northern League.

Jason Cummings of team champion Lakeside faced off with Jonny Varona of Medical Lake for the title at Mat Classic XI Saturday night in the Tacoma Dome.

Cummings was one of five finalists for the Eagles, who rolled to the team title with 148 points, well ahead of Mt. Baker. Varona was in a group of 20 GNL wrestlers not from Lakeside who combined for 13 more medals, including two championships.

Overall, the Eagles brought eight wrestlers, seven of them placed, six in the top three. Chris Matthews won the 101-pound title and Matt Westenfelder won his second crown with a dominating performance at 168.

The 215-pound battle went to Varona, who beat Cummings for the third time this year, 6-4. The fourth GNL title went to undefeated 129-pounder Joben Nuesse of Riverside.

Colville’s John Slater (115), Medical Lake’s Ben Steele (135) and Lakeside’s Chad Charbonneau (275) lost in the finals.

Westenfelder, fifth as a freshman, was third when the Eagles won the State A title in 1997. He won the 168 title last year year when Lakeside was second, despite bringing 15 wrestlers and placing 10.

“We just got it done this year,” he said. “The team got on a roll and kept it going. We got almost as many points this year with seven placers as we did with 10 placers last year.”

The Eagles had wrapped up the team competition before the finals, which allowed the wrestlers to enjoy their individual accomplishments.

“I think this one’s a lot better,” Westenfelder said of his second title. “I had something to prove (as a favorite). Last year I was an underdog. That was real surprising.”

Matthews rolled 14-3 against Jordan Bradbury of Montesano, which surprised him, but that’s what happens when you’re relaxed.

“Knowing the team wrestled so well, it made it so all we had to do was go out and perform,” he said.

The placers who were not in the championship matches included Seth Weatherman, Chewelah, fourth, 101; Justin Belyea, Lakeside, seventh, 115; Tim Slater, Colville, sixth, 129; Jason Divis, Colville, fourth, 135; Jon Waunch, Deer Park, fourth, and Josh Cruger, Medical Lake, eighth, 148; Josh Haney, Newport, third, 158; Nate Scott, Chewelah, sixth, 168; Andrian Lowrey, Lakeside, third, and Craig Alexander, Riverside, fifth, 178; and Spencer Murphy, fifth, 190.