Depth analysis

East Valley finds itself wrestling with a dilemma. But the problem is one most coaches would gladly like to have.

Three state placers, one of them a transfer from Gonzaga Prep, are bunched around the same weight at EV. Where they end up remains to be seen, according to coach Craig Hanson.

“We will split them between 145 and 160 pounds and kind of wait and see if we want to separate them (at the end of the dual-match season),” Hanson said.

Last year, Chris Tripplet, while at G-Prep, and EV’s Nic Price competed at 145 and finished second in State 4A and third in 3A, respectively. There’s a good chance they’ll wind up in the same weight when the Knights wrestle in the postseason.

Joining them is Jake Rodriguez, who finished fourth in state at 135. He said he wants to eventually settle at 140.

Right now, they have the best of all worlds in the practice room as workout partners.

“Chris is definitely an asset to the team,” Price said. “It’s going to help out in the room a lot. We’ll help each other.”

Price said that it’s not like it will be a new experience wrestling with Tripplet. They’ve been together on Hanson’s Vipers freestyle club team and competed against each other in the league dual last year.

“We both had the flu that night and I don’t think each of us cared,” Price said. “It was a rough match. I ended up losing 15-14 and we were rolling around giving each other reversals.”

By adding Tripplet and Rogers transfer Aaron Brown, EV has bolstered an already strong lineup. The Knights return a dozen varsity members, six of them state qualifiers from their fifth-place 3A finish, four of whom placed. They will be favored to repeat as Greater Spokane League champions over contenders University, Mead and Central Valley.

“We think, if we hold together, we have a shot at pushing for a state title this year,” Hanson said.

Tripplet was just a sophomore at G-Prep last year when he went undefeated in league and won district and regional titles on his way to the state finals. He lost 7-3 to junior George King of Lake Stevens.

“I was pretty bummed about losing and want to wrestle him again and get revenge,” Tripplet said.

The family moved to the Valley from Spokane. He was a starter on the Knights’ state quarterfinal football team.

“It’s not like he’s a fresh face,” Hanson said. “The kids got to know him and he’s always wrestled in our club.”

Tripplet said he began wrestling in Montana, where he grew up, and has been to national competitions the last two years. He figures to wrestle at 160 for dual matches but would like to drop down, perhaps to 145, by postseason.

Price began wrestling at age 5 and has been a three-time district or regional participant and two-time state qualifier. He also wrestled nationally this summer.

He said he was disappointed in his third-place state finish last year, running afoul of eventual three-time state champ Michael Mangrum in the semifinals but having beaten runner-up Nick Gautreaux of West Valley (Yakima) twice previously.

“That’s what happens when you’re on the same side of the bracket,” he said. “Last year I only lost five matches.”

He said he would also like to stay at 145 but will probably wrestle at 152 during the regular season.

Rodriguez, EV’s student body president, said he is at 152.

“I don’t plan on wrestling that high,” he said. “My early plan is to wrestle 140, but it’s quite a cut and I’m not sure if I’ll get there soon.”

His goal last year was to make the top five in his second state appearance and he topped that, nearly upsetting Sedro-Woolley champion Kevin O’Neil in the semifinal.

Rodriguez competed for team Washington with Tripplet in the national dual matches during the summer in Oklahoma and the two became friends.

“We’re expecting to be good this year,” Rodriguez said of the Knights. “We’re expecting to have a shot at winning a state title.”