Things looked promising for the Wolverine wrestlers at the beginning of day two at the Mat Classic. With three Bellevue grapplers in the semifinal matches, just a win away from championship appearances, it seemed a Wolverine in the finals was all but assured.
Too bad their opponents didn’t see things that way.
Though Matt Casimes, Erik Ovens and Jimmy Trull were all beaten in the semi’s, Bellevue still had its most successful state tournament in 30 years as four out of the eight Wolverines placed.
Bellevue even made the top-10 team board and nearly finished on it. The Wolverines finished 11th with 51 points, just two behind Sedro-Woolley.
“It’s huge progress,” said Bellevue coach Tom Ovens. “We made the board. Considering a couple years ago we got last, it’s really a great effort for the kids. Next year we want to stay in the top ten all tournament.”
Yelm narrowly took the 3A team title with 148.5 points, just edging out Enumclaw, which scored 142.
Bellevue’s highest finisher was Trull, who took third in the 215-pound weight class after beating Evergreen’s Thomas Yandall with a pin with 1:38 left in the third period. Trull held a 3-0 lead at the time of the pin.
“I wrestled hard,” Trull said. “I came in there ready to win. If you don’t do that, you’re going to lose.”
Casimes (112) and Ovens (152) each finished fourth in their respective weight classes. Casimes, who beat Yelm’s Jeren Hufford with a reversal for a 6-4 overtime win to reach the third/fourth place match, was beaten 10-3 by Van Lor of Rogers (Spokane) to finish fourth.
Ovens was bested 15-3 by Mount Vernon’s Joe Barrington in his consolation match.
Josh Spiezle also placed for Bellevue, finishing eighth after losing 4-1 to rival Kyle Shanfelt of Mercer Island.
Bellevue’s Colin Small, Jin Park, Will Fields and Jun Park were eliminated on the first day. Trull, Small, Jin Park, Casimes, Spiezle and Trull are all underclassman who could return next season.
“It’s a long tournament,” Ovens said. “I’m tired, they’re tired, but it’s a great experience.”
Interlake had two wrestlers medal. Senior Feynman Liang finished fourth for the Saints in the Class 2A 135-pound weight class, losing to Mason Yates of East Valley High School out of Yakima in the third/fourth match. Liang, who beat Yates 3-1 in the first day of competition, was losing 2-0 in the match when Yates pinned him with one second left.
“It was all leverage,” Liang said. “I picked top to start the third, hoping I could pick up some back points, but he just outmuscled me.”
It was the first state appearance for Liang.
“I’m really glad I made it here,” he said. “It had been my goal since I was a sophomore just to make it here. I wanted third, but I’m happy with fourth.”
Interlake’s Brandae Grein finished eighth for the Saints. Grein was one of the more recognizable wrestlers at the tournament – she was the only one spending time in a wheelchair or on crutches when not competing, following a badly sprained ankle the week prior.
Interlake’s Summer Hanson (girls 119), Jake Wilson (135), Christian Schultz (145) and Andy Agus (189) were all eliminated during the first day, as was Bellevue Christian’s only competitor, junior Xavier Williams.
Newport’s Kevin McCanta finished fifth in the 4A 152-pound class. McCanta, who was limited during the season due to a back injury, lost his first match to Tahoma’s Ryan Ota but rebounded to win five straight, including a 5-1 decision over Wenatchee’s Nick Hunt in the fifth/sixth place match. All of McCanta’s wins were by decision.
Teammate Shawn Weisenburgh went 0-2 at 145 for the Knights.
