Juhre among girls wrestling pioneers
TACOMA – Although she is the lone Greater Spokane League wrestler in the first girls Mat Classic XIX wrestling championships, Emily Juhre isn’t competing to make any particular statement.
“I don’t care if I’m the best wrestler or the worst wrestler, I just want to get better,” the Central Valley sophomore said Friday between matches at the Tacoma Dome. “I wrestle because it keeps me in good shape. I love learning the techniques and it’s fun.”
Juhre, who wrestled here last year when the girls brackets were an exhibition, won her first match at 119 pounds with a pin but lost her second 10-5 to senior Kyra Butler of Hoquium.
It was her first loss in 10 all-girl matches this season. She was 2-3 against boys.
“I was hoping to (win state), that’s my goal,” she said. “If I don’t, that will be my goal next year.”
Her biggest frustration is not in losing but in finding competition, especially considering several small schools have larger contingents. Springdale and Chewelah have four girls competing, Hoquiam, which has 54 points to lead Kentwood by 19 and Kelso by 20, has six.
“Eastern Washington is pretty conservative,” Juhre said. “I think a lot of people don’t think girls should be wrestling. I think people are beginning to see girls can wrestle. (Boys) have the strength, but girls have the flexibility.”
Juhre started wrestling in seventh grade at Greenacres Middle School because she was heavy. She said one coach tried to discourage her, but he changed his mind when she started winning matches for him. Now she said the majority of her teammates are supportive, except for the jerks “nobody likes,” and her coaches have been “wonderful.”
Wrestling against boys, and any awkward moments that might come from it, don’t bother her.
“It’s like acting,” she said. “They might have a love scene, but it doesn’t mean they have a relationship.”
B-ing good
The first round of the B tournament couldn’t have gone much better for Reardan and Republic.
The Indians won eight of nine matches, including three No. 4 seeds knocking off No. 1’s, to grab the team lead in the first tournament the B’s weren’t competing with 1A schools.
The Tigers had a better percent, going 6 for 6.
The second round was a different story, probably ending dreams of a team championship for either.
Republic still fared well, advancing four wrestlers into the championship of their eight-man bracket. Despite taking over the lead with 74 1/2 points, depth is the issue for the Tigers.
“I figured we need four finalists, with two winners, to trophy,” Republic coach Jim Gubler said. “We needed five of six for a chance at the championship.”
Ryn Rollins (112), J.J. Gubler (119), Jordan Hancock (140) and Landis Mills (160) are in the finals.
Reaching the finals was particularly satisfying for Hancock, the defending champion at 130. He broke a leg in football and then got mononucleosis. He lost 25 pounds, scratching his plans to wrestle at 145 or 152.
“I still don’t have all my strength back, (but) I can feel myself getting stronger,” he said. “A month ago (a state title) was in the back of my mind, but it was a little iffy. My leg was really hurting, but it’s getting better.”
Reardan lost its first six second-round matches before Tim Eggleston broke through at 152. Derek Toney (285) is the only other finalist.
A trophy isn’t out of the question with seven wrestlers alive in the consolation bracket. Reardan is sixth with 57 points.
Stalking Republic’s six wrestlers are Concrete (62 points), Kittitas (59), Liberty Bell and Darrington (58) and Oroville (53).
Concrete brought 12 wrestlers and Kittitas nine and both have three finalists and four in consolation brackets. Liberty Bell has five of six left with three finalists, Darrington five of seven with three finalists and Oroville five of seven with two finalists.
Wilbur-Creston/Keller has three finalists, but 125-pounders Deven Johnson and Cody Stephens are squaring off. WCK’s Ben Lembcke is a finalist at 145 and faces the daunting task of battling Liberty’s Adam Thies. Thies, third the last two years, has a pair of first-round pins.
Springdale sophomore Alex Kalugin made the finals at 130 with a pair of first-round pins.