Titans claim victory over Knights

Wrestling fans filling East Valley’s 1,900-seat gymnasium to near-capacity got their money’s worth in thrills during Saturday night’s Greater Spokane League championship dual between University and the Knights.

And the outcome, University’s 36-19 victory which ended East Valley’s GSL win streak at 36 matches, resulted in an impromptu celebratory dance by Titan wrestlers.

“They’re special kids,” said coach Don Owen. “They get good grades, are never in trouble and are spirited in the building. But they are a little bit goofy.”

The Knights’ last loss was 32-30 to Gonzaga Prep in the 2001 season finale.

But it took last-ditch victories in three of the eight matches – out of 14 – that were decided by four or fewer points for the Titans to do so.

It began at 135 where Trevor Robb broke a 2-2 tie in the third period against tourney seasoned Matt Hanson. Robb’s takedown with 13 seconds left assured a 5-2 triumph. At 160, Nick Zumwalt trailed state placer Fred Arnold 2-1 entering the third period but rallied for a 4-2 victory, scoring a takedown with 11 seconds to go. And at 171, Jon Sahlberg‘s takedown in a scramble with Jordan Jolley as time expired produced a 3-2 decision.

The losses at 160 and 171, said EV coach Craig Hanson, were the back breakers.

“We counted on those for wins,” he said. “Our fault was in those close ones; we stopped when we had the lead and allowed them to score.”

In the one thriller that went EV’s way, Dan Michalski beat Joey Korn on an escape with five seconds remaining to win 4-3. It was the third time the two had wrestled to a one-point decision.

Titan coach Don Owen said he thought U-Hi’s conditioning as the matches wore on was instrumental in the outcome.

“We won a lot of those close ones,” said Owen, “but we’ve got seasoned kids who paid the price all season long. When it gets late in a match they’re still able to get to things and finish properly.”

The Titans’ GSL championship, their first since 2000 and fourth overall, capped the school’s most successful regular season.

For now, Owen is savoring last weekend’s latest accomplishment.

“This one maybe is the most special of all for me so far,” the coach said. “I was really nervous all week and then you come to a gym full of people and everything’s on the line. It was great for us to win that one against a storied program. This is really big.”

Central Valley finished third in the GSL for the second straight season with a young team. It beat Clarkston 40-31 by building a 37-22 lead after falling behind 12-0 in the first two matches.

The Bears won five straight matches, four by pin for a 27-12 lead and got one more pin, by Joe Alderman, and a 17-4 decision by Camren Ebat before sweating out the final three matches.

This weekend can be more of the same when Valley high schools begin their quest for postseason hardware at district and subregional meets on Friday and Saturday.

The stakes become higher for the Titans and Knights in their quests to challenge for a state team titles.

U-Hi and Central Valley are at Mt. Spokane for District 4A competition, the first of three successive weekends of tournament competition. Four wrestlers per weight qualify for regionals at University the following week. U-Hi has two wrestlers in most weight classes and could advance upward of 15.

East Valley hosts the 3A subregionals this weekend which pits five GSL teams, West Valley included, against seven Mid-Valley League schools. Top five finishers advance to regionals and the Knights could qualify upward of 14 to Ellensburg.

Gymnasts to postseason

Greater Spokane League gymnasts begin their postseason quest as well this weekend. Their ultimate goal, along with wrestlers, is a state trip, Feb. 18 and 19, to Tacoma.

University and Central Valley finished in a three-way tie with Ferris for third place in the GSL with 6-3 records, behind unbeaten champion Mead and second-place Shadle Park.

The Titans were 11-4 overall this year, beating CV and losing to Ferris. The Bears finished 10-6 with a win over Ferris.

Each have gymnasts – Titan Kayla McGahey and Bear Maya Morgan – who will contend for all-around honors this Friday at Mead and should advance several others in individual events to regionals.

Central Valley hosts the regional meet a week from Saturday.