Stags in the thick of 2A title hunt

TACOMA – Coach Matt Jorgensen knows a repeat performance of last year’s State 2A wrestling title won’t be as easy. Still, his Deer Park Stags wrestled themselves into position to repeat as the State 2A champions Friday at the Tacoma Dome.

The Stags advanced six of nine Mat Classic XXI participants into this morning’s semifinals, and overcame a Round 1 deficit to lead 73.5-52.5 over Blaine. Riverside is fourth with 49.

“I didn’t think it would be like last year,” Jorgenson said of when DP easily outdistanced Blaine. “Blaine’s tough. They’ve got a lot of guns. And Riverside has got some good guys.”

Blaine flexed its muscle early.

After the morning’s first round, the Borderites led the defending champions 29-27.5.

“It’s all about whoever keeps guys moving through the front door,” Jorgensen said.

The Stags did that. Blaine managed just two semifinalists. Riverside has one.

Unfortunately, it isn’t Jacob DesRoches, a state finalist a year ago. DesRoches lost by default when he was involved in the scariest moment of the first day in a quarterfinal with Hockinson’s Joey Wagner at 160 pounds.

Late in the second round, DesRoches tried to make a move and get Wagner beneath him. The Riverside senior lifted Wagner almost a foot off the mat and started back down.

But before he could finish the move, Wagner slipped in DesRoches’ arms, bringing Wagner down hard on top of his head. The move drew a penalty point, and it cost DesRoches, ahead 8-0 at the time, the win.

Wagner lay motionless for more than five minutes before paramedics put Wagner onto a gurney and took him to a hospital for precautionary X-rays. It was reported that he was OK.

On the mat, Deer Park 140-pounder Billy Rhoads was a quarterfinal winner over Mt. Baker’s Bryce Postlewait, the fourth Stag to advance.

“It’s a good start, but we’d like to get all seven in,” Rhoads said.

Most did, including Brandon Leliefeld (145), who was wrestling next to Rhoads; Blake Adams (112); defending champion Drew Acorn (119); defending champion Cody Miller (152); and Seth Burton (285).

Also advancing from the GNL into the semifinals, and guaranteed top-six medals, are Ryan Major, Riverside (125); Quinn Gannon, West Valley (130); DJ Darnall (160) and Gabe Hocum (171), both Clarkston; and DJ Hall, Colville (215).

Deer Park has two other placers and Riverside four.

1A

Bryan Baumgarden of Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls) and his coach, Troy Hughes, knew the senior returning state finalists would have a tough second round match Friday.

“He was ranked over me,” Baumgarden said. “He won 112 pounds last year.”

True to expectation, Zillah junior Skylor Davis posed difficulties for Baumgarden with his aggressive style. But the Eagles’ senior survived a late head-and-arm throw to his back for a 17-13 triumph and is one of five semifinalists for his team.

“I was a little hesitant,” Baumgarden said. “I tried not to let his style worry me. I just wrestled hard, pressured him and tried to wear him down.”

His brother Michael, at 112; brothers Jacob and Josh Lauderdale at 125 and 130; and 285-pound Ben Fuson will all attempt to repeat their finals appearances of a year ago. Jacob, assured a fourth medal, is seeking his third straight state championship.

As a team, the Eagles (58) are a distant third behind favored Orting (99.5) and Warden (97).

Other semifinalists from the Northeast A League are Daniel Swain (135) from Newport, Cody Gunn (189) from Freeman, and Russell Whitley (189) and Mychal Woods (285), Chewelah.

B

Area schools produced 11 finalists on the first day and defending state champion Republic leads the way with five.

Regional champion Kittitas has four, but the Coyotes have 10 in position to score to Republic’s six.

Republic leads Kittitas 89-80.

Tigers finalists are freshman Kyle Kirkendall (103) with two pins, last year’s second-place finisher Levi Larson (119), defending champions junior Ryn Rollins (125), senior J.J. Gubler (140) and sophomore Scotty Bacon (145).

Also in the finals are Springdale’s Conan Kalugin, who meets Ryn at 125 in the evening finals, and Alex Kalugin (152) who won twice by pin.

Reardan freshman Niko Knezovich (160) and junior Raleigh Beckstrom (171), who faces Almira/Coulee-Hartline’s Mike Rehn, and Josh Strohl (285) from Liberty are the others.