Deer Park’s Trevor Eicher does things his way

Deer Park senior Trevor Eicher is an unconventional wrestler.

Eicher doesn’t always do things according to coach Matt Jorgensen’s coaching philosophy.

Jorgensen’s record in 12 seasons speaks for itself. Deer Park has won six State 2A championships, five straight from 2007-08 to 2011-12, before dropping to 1A. And Jorgensen has had 20 individual champions and 70 placers.

Jorgensen knows his craft. Still, Eicher steers his own ship. Eicher and Jorgensen both laugh about it.

“I like to do things my own way,” Eicher said. “That’s my personality. I’m more laid back and coach Matt is gung ho and more intense.”

“He’s cut from a different cloth,” Jorgensen said. “He’s respectful and kind. He’s showed me there are several road maps to becoming a great wrestler. He’s his own kid and it’s totally worked for him.”

Eicher is heavily favored to win a third straight state title this weekend at the Tacoma Dome. He’s going for a second straight title at 220 pounds.

He’s never had to cut weight and that’s intentional. While many peers will cut from their natural out-of-season weight to have a size advantage at a lower weight, Eicher detests it.

“When I was little I cut weight and hated it,” he said.

When Eicher takes to the mat in the opening round Friday morning, he’ll weigh 210. He’ll give up pounds to some opponents.

Eicher counters his opposition to weight loss with strength. Few opponents can match his strength. He lifts weights daily.

“His talent level exceeds anyone I’ve seen in our room in 12 years,” Jorgensen said.

One of Jorgensen’s favorite stories about Eicher occurred when he was a sophomore. His final at 182 was the last for Deer Park, and a decision would clinch a team title.

Eicher loves to throw wrestlers as often as possible and add back points in the process. Jorgensen was a bundle of nerves mat side and was trying to get Eicher to be as conservative as possible.

“When wrestlers throw sometimes they can get caught accidentally,” Jorgensen said. “I’m so nervous before his match and he’s calm, like he’s waiting in line to buy groceries. He asked me, ‘do I have to pin him coach?’ I told him he just had to win. He was wrestling a state finalist.”

Eicher executes five or six head-and-arm moves, never backing down. He won by technical fall 16-0.

“I’m hoarse afterward because I was screaming and telling him to take it easy,” Jorgensen said. “Then he told me ‘I heard you’. This was a 15-year-old kid and he was in total control.”

While Jorgensen appeared as if he was going to have a coronary, it was business as usual for Eicher.

“I was just having fun,” Eicher said. “I figured I had to wrestle how I’d wrestle anybody – no matter if it’s the state finals or first round match at state.”

Eicher, 32-1 this year, is having his first injury-free season. Somebody his caliber would have well over 100 career victories. He’s 90-8 and five of the eight losses are by injury default.

Jorgensen suspects Eicher has missed the equivalent of two seasons.

The injuries started when he was a freshman. He dislocated an elbow in the state semifinals and couldn’t finish the tourney.

Just before his sophomore season, he had to have his appendix removed. He thought it would be an in-and-out process but when the surgeon opened him up, it was a different story.

“I was having stomach aches and we had no idea what it was,” he said. “The doctor thought it was the appendix. He figured it would be a 20-minute procedure. I woke up about four hours later.”

The doctor told Eicher he had one of the largest appendix he had ever seen. It weighed about four pounds because of the infection.

“It had actually burst about two weeks earlier but it was lodged against my rib cage and it held most of the infection inside,” Eicher said. “That’s why I didn’t die from it.”

Eicher was in the hospital 10 days.

“I couldn’t walk for a week,” he said.

He returned about two weeks before the postseason. He still managed to win a state title.

Last year, he dislocated his other elbow and essentially won another state title with one arm.

“It kept me out for most of the season,” Eicher said.

His biggest win of his career came in early December when he beat nationally ranked Sam Colbray of Hermiston 6-2 in overtime. Colbray is headed to Iowa State.

They hooked up again in the Tri-State finals where Colbray prevailed 3-2.

Eicher is being recruited by NCAA Division I Michigan State, South Dakota State and Cal Poly and NCAA Division II California Baptist, San Francisco St. and Notre Dame College.

“I’ll decide by the next signing date in mid April,” Eicher said. “It doesn’t matter what division. I just want to find the best fit.”

Deer Park, which won a regional title last weekend, will challenge for a state title. To that end, Eicher has worked a lot with his upper-weight teammates, and three qualified for state.

“He’s spent a lot of his time coaching those kids,” Jorgensen said. “He sacrifices his own conditioning and drilling to help them.”

Said Eicher: “When they first started they weren’t that great. I just slow things down and work with them.”

Eicher can become just the second Stag to win a third state title. The first was Phil McLean, the coach at Mead.

No matter what happens this weekend, one thing is for sure. Eicher will do it his way.