Aberdeen claims team title as 12 Twin Harbor wrestlers punch ticket to state

Maybe it was the extra sleep, a little extra home cooking or a home crowd, but no matter the advantage it was Aberdeen celebrating on the podium at the end of the day as the regional champions. The Bobcats tallied 167 points as a team to win the team title at the Region III girls wrestling tournament at Sam Benn Gym on Saturday.

Washougal finished second with a total of 156, while Hoquiam placed third with 86 points.

Aberdeen had a total of six girls earn a spot at the Mat Classic next weekend, with Alex Wilson (125) and Karli Heikkila (170) each winning individual titles. Hoquiam’s Jenna Doll was the only other Twin Harbors wrestler to claim an individual crown on Saturday. Doll earned her trip to the Tacoma Dome with a first round pin in the 155-pound final.

In total, 12 Twin Harbors wrestlers placed in the top three on Saturday to secure their ticket into the Mat Classic field next weekend.

In addition to Wilson and Heikkila, Faith Cardenas (100) and Eleanore Machowek (190) each came up short in finals matches, while Kenadi Bridges (120) and Emily Wharton (235) each wrestled their way back into a third-place finish.

Hoquiam had total of four wrestlers make it through to state with Bianca Lopez (105) and Mercedes Pinnell (120) finishing second and Alexis Delahanty placing third at 110 pounds. North Beach’s Natasha Fruh took second at 235, while Raymond’s Johanna Crow placed third at 190 to earn their spots under the dome lights.

“The overall team title shows that it is a group effort,” Aberdeen coach Craig Yakovich said. “We have been solid in every tournament that we went to and a few individuals have slowly stepped up as the year went on. It was great to get a couple champions, but the team title shows this program is on an upswing. It is just showing all the hard work these girls are putting in is paying off.”

“The girls came out to battle and they brought 100 percent effort every match,” Hoquiam coach Buck Giles said. “It was an outstanding performance. The ones that placed definitely earned their way. They have just shown improvement every week.”

Wilson was the first Bobcat to wrestle her way to the top of the podium on Saturday. The senior trailed Washougal’s Jaden Robb 9-3 late in the second period when Robb rotated a little bit too far and Wilson took full advantage. Wilson slipped around on top and settled in for the pin with just one second left in the period.

“At the beginning of the match, she came out a little flat and wasn’t wrestling all that well and the other girls was controlling the match and then one opening and the next thing you know it is over,” Yakovich said. “Alex is quick on the bottom and was moving a lot and the girl wasn’t fast enough to keep up with her so when she hooked her arm and went to roll through the girl ended up rolling onto her back.”

Heikkila was in control of her match from just after the opening whistle. Scoring a takedown and near fall points in the first minute of her finals match against Skyview’s Jennesee Sayler, Heikkila never trailed on her way to a pin at 2:29.

Doll wouldn’t need a second period to get her pin in the final match at 155. Despite allowing Washougal’s Brooklyn Wurm-Wurtz to score the first points on a takedown one minute into the match, Doll earned a reversal moments later and put Wurm-Wurtz into a headlock for the pin with 27 seconds still on the clock.

“Coming into the postseason, our strategy was to show different looks and in (Doll’s) finals match, I told her ‘You wrestle how you want to wrestle,’ and changing her strategy in her match is bringing her that success,” Giles said. “Jenna is being cautious and confident and moving through these matches. Her love for the sport is at such a high level.”

Fruh earned her third straight trip to the Mat Classic with a runner up finish on Saturday. After a first round bye, the junior earned a first round pin in her semifinal, but was victim of a first round pin by Washougal’s Abby Lees in the final.

“This year I have gone to all of the practices and worked as hard as I can and I’m really relieved,” Fruh said. “I am so happy that I made it.”

Raymond’s Johanna Crow took the hard route to a state ticket. Crow was pinned by Washougal’s Emily Eakins in the first round and battled back through the loser’s bracket into a rematch with Eakins in the third/fourth place match. It would be a different story in the rematch as Crow earned a takedown in the first and flipped and pinned Eakins at 2:47.

“All of my family has went to state and wrestled and the Crows have a reputation and I always feel pressure,” Crow said. “I could never imagine this and it feels amazing. You work so hard for something and it comes down to just three meets. Sub-regionals, regionals and now state.”

Aberdeen 167, Washougal 156, Hoquiam 86, Union 76, Kelso 67, Centralia 60, Skyview 58, Castle Rock 54, Camas 50, Kalama 44, RA Long 37, Woodland 31, Winlock 26, Battle Ground 26, Hudson’s Bay 25, Wahkiakum 22, Fort Vancouver 20, La Center 19, Forks 19, Raymond 18, North Beach 18

100 — Ashlyn Daugherty (Woodland) dec. Faith Cardenas (Aberdeen), 17-6. 3. Ashley McGhee (Kelso). 4. Olivia Delaney (Centralia). 105 — Hikaru Abe (Skyview) dec. Bianca Lopez (Hoquiam), 8-4. 3. Marissa Bailey (Forks). Samantha Eakins (Washougal). 110 — Olivia Lindsey (RA Long) won by forfeit over Eliana Duff (Fort Vancouver). 3. Alexis Delahanty (Hoquiam). 4. Kyla Shoddy (Kelso). 115 — Lacy Dunlop (Camas) pinned Cristy Langdon (Castle Rock), 2:52. 3. Ciyree Sams (Kelso). 4. Maya Kuhl (Aberdeen). 120 — Sierra Joner (Battle Ground) pinned Mercedes Pinnell (Hoquiam), 3:24. 3. Kenadi Bridges (Aberdeen). 4. Abby Kapp (La Center). 125 — Alex Wilson (Aberdeen) pinned Jaden Robb (Washougal), 3:59. 3. Samantha Tietzel (Centralia). 4. Kylie Moore (Kelso). 130 — Allison Blaine (Hudson’s Bay) dec. Makenna Speed (Kalama), 10-2. 3. Annabelle Helm (Union). 4. Cierra Skelly (Aberdeen). 135 — Marissa Montano (Union) pinned Sydney Burres (Camas), 3:29. 3. Kaitlyn Bornstein (Napavine). 4. Mikah Bartel (Washougal). 140 — Hannah Randall (Winlock) pinned Krista Warren (Union), :42. 3. Mialisa Oster (Washougal). 4. Jade Palmer (Chehalis). 145 — Morgan Ratcliff (Washougal) pinned Sidnee Arcury (Centralia), 1:13. 3. Irelyn Gottschaulk (Castle Rock). 4. Makenna Vegh (Kelso). 155 — Jenna Doll (Hoquiam) pinned Brooklyn Wurn-Wurtz (Washougal), 1:33. 3. Stephanie Cuevas (Union). 4. Mackayla Waltee (Aberdeen). 170 — Karli Heikkila (Aberdeen) pinned Jennesee Sayler (Skyview), 2:29. 3. Rayanna Carlon (Wahkiakum). 4. Mariana Juarez-Trejo (Skyview). 190 — Dakota Moon (Kalama) pinned Eleanore Machowek (Aberdeen), :55. 3. Johanna Crow (Raymond). 4. Emily Eakins (Washougal). 235 — Abby Lees (Washougal) pinned Natasha Fruh (North Beach), 1:34. 3. Emily Wharton (Aberdeen). 4. Aiyanah Valencia (RA Long).