GSL Preview Wrestling

East Valley and Central Valley shared the GSL title in a young league last year. EV’s Knights won their head-to-head match with CV but lost to Ferris. This year they are two-deep with veterans at nearly every weight, including 189 with two state returnees. Mead finished third, University and Ferris shared fourth. Things shouldn’t change much because the league was mainly young. GSL wrestlers dominated the 4A regional with 21 of 28 finalists, eight more third places and a total of 37 state qualifiers.

Back from state

There are 25 returning state qualifiers from either 4A or 3A tournaments, including 10 state placers.

The Knights have state runner-up Chris Tripplet (145), third-place Nic Price (145) and fourth-place Jake Rodriguez (135), along with fifth-place finishers Dakota Lawson (171) and Keith Babington (103), a junior. CV’s Jarod Maynes (103), a junior, was third in 4A. U-Hi junior Ryan Zumwalt (140) was fifth and senior Dan Seymour (112) was seventh. NC’s young team features sophomore Jared Berlinger (103), seventh place, and junior Nathan Brown (112), eighth.

What’s new?

There is change this year in postseason with 4A schools getting three instead of four wrestlers to regional. That will put a higher premium on the consolation finals at district since only the victor moves on. “We had four state qualifiers last year who wouldn’t even have gone to regionals.” said Mead coach Phil McLean. … The GSL’s 3A schools will have the upper hand at subregional for the first time, with five schools facing three Columbia Basin Big Nine teams. The subregional will have a 16-wrestler bracket that advances wrestlers to the regional against teams such as state power Sedro-Woolley. More local wrestlers will compete. “The last couple of years we’ve taken almost everybody out of subs to state, but this year the region won’t be weak,” EV coach Craig Hanson said. “At the same time, we want a chance to knock some of those teams out the week before state.” … Coaches are still struggling to certify their wrestlers’ minimum weights as mandated by the Washington Wrestling Weight Management Program implemented last year. It was designed to keep wrestlers from dropping to less than a healthy weight, a reason some state veteran wrestlers find themselves this year in the same weight class as a teammate.

Outlook

Most teams bring back the bulk of their lineups from last year. The Knights have the ingredients for another title run and state trophy challenge – varsity experience in nearly every weight, a wealth of depth, plus six state veterans. … CV must replace five graduated state placers but has 10 regulars back, half of them state veterans. McLean is as excited about the depth of his Mead team and has a talented freshman class. University traditionally wrestles many youngsters and coach Don Owen said he has more depth than last year with potential to place six in state. “A tough match with Ferris early will determine our fate later,” he said. … North Central, under second-year coach Luke Liefer, is building with youth. Much of his team is filled with freshmen and sophomores, but it is three-deep in all but one weight, thanks to an influx of talent from the West Central Community Center’s Spokane Spartans program. … “I believe the league will be tougher than people think,” Hanson said. “I realize CV lost a few kids and has taken a hit that way, but they have quality people in there. You can’t throw Ferris out of the mix, either.”

December dates of note

The season begins Saturday with the Deer Park Invitational. … The first GSL league matches are Wednesday with University hosting Ferris in the 7 p.m. feature. … CV hosts the Inland Empire Classic, Dec. 12-13. … The battle of state champions is at Deer Park on Dec. 16 when the 2A champion Stags host 1A winner Lakeside. … Mead hosts CV on Dec. 18. … North Idaho College’s Tri-State Tournament is Dec. 19-20.