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1A EVERGREEN SUB-REGIONALS

Elma wins league title for first time in 10 seasons

With five individual champions, the Elma Eagles placed first at the 1A Evergreen League Sub-Regional meet on Saturday in Elma, winning the league title for the first time since 2014.

Elma’s Xavier Espinoza (106 pounds), Aidyn Johnson (113), Kale Reeves (126), Taye Lessard (144) and Eastin Wright (165) each placed first in their respective weight classes to lead the Eagles to 361 points, seven points better than perennial league power Montesano.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Elma’s Taye Lessard (1) won the 144-pound championship at the 1A Evergreen Sub-Regionals on Saturday at Elma High School. Montesano’s Kole Kjesbu (2) placed second.

“Year one we had 10 kids. Year two we took second behind Monte, which has set the bar for the league tournament for the past 10 years or so,” said Elma head coach Jeff Catterlin, a former Monte assistant coach now in his third year at the helm of the Eagles program. “On the first day of practice, we set some goals and all the kids said, ‘We want to win league.’ … For them to come out and say, ‘Hey, we want to go after Montesano,’ that was a big move on their part.”

Espinoza, Johnson, Reeves and Lessard each won their title matches via pinfall while Wright defeated Eatonville’s Jameson Beckford for an 8-1 victory in the 165-pound final.

Elma’s Colin Chandler advanced to the 106 final against Espinoza while Ben Totten (132), Blaize Salazar (138) and Rusty Johnson (150) also placed second to earn the Eagles key points in the race for the team league championship.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Elma won its first league title since 2014 at the 1A Evergreen Sub-Regionals on Saturday at Elma High School.

“When I got this job three years ago, we were an afterthought in the league,” Catterlin said. “For what we’ve put together over the last three seasons, I’m super proud of the kids for not only believing in themselves, but buying in to what we are talking about every day. The buy in, sacrifice and do what we ask and it paid off.”

Montesano was paced by individual champions Gage Stutesman (157), Gabe Pyhala (175), Felix Romero (215) and Logan Roberts (285).

“Monte brought it today,” Catterlin said of his team’s seven-point victory, one of the closest in the sub-regional in recent memory. “There were times I was watching the team score, and its up and down and all around. In the finals, I was on pins and needles because I knew it could go either way. We had some kids step up big time today.”

SUBMITTED PHOTO Elma’s Eastin Wright (1) stands atop the podium after winning the 165-pound weight class at the 1A Evergreen Sub-Regionals on Saturday at Elma High School.

Hoquiam placed fourth overall with 170 points.

The Grizzlies had three individual weight-class winners in Junior Soto (120), Kingston Case (138) and Oliver Bryson (190).

The top four in each weight class advanced to next week’s regional championship, scheduled for Saturday at Hoquiam High School.

Full meet results available at trackwrestling.com.

PHOTO BY FOREST WORGUM Elma’s Levi Russell shoots on Montesano’s Owen Young, top, during a 165-pound match at the 1A Evergreen Sub-Regionals on Saturday at Elma High School.

Team standings

1, Elma 361 points. 2, Montesano 354. 3, Eatonville 333. 4, Hoquiam 170. 5, Tenino 77.

Regional qualifiers

106 pounds: 1, Xavier Espinoza, Elma. 2, Colin Chandler, Elma. 3, Justice Larsson, Hoquiam. 4, Zane Dillard, Montesano.

113: 1, Aidyn Johnson, Elma. 2, Adam Schmitz, Montesano. 3, Mark Devera, Eatonville. 4, Luis Torres, Elma.

120: 1, Junior Soto, Hoquiam. 2, Ryder McFadden, Eatonville. 3, Justen Koch, Eatonville. 4, Ulises Morelia, Hoquiam.

126: 1, Kale Reeves, Elma. 2, Ethan Taylor, Eatonville. 3, Burton Chavis, Hoquiam. 4, Alex Salstrom, Montesano.

132: 1, Kasey Whitney, Eatonville. 2, Ben Totten, Elma. 3, Cole Tobert, Montesano. 4, Kaden Stott, Montesano.

138: 1, Kingston Case, Hoquiam. 2, Blaize Salazar, Elma. 3, Cody Taylor, Eatonville. 4, Caiden Rademacher, Elma.

144: 1, Taye Lessard, Elma. 2, Kole Kjesbu, Montesano. 3, William Evans, Eatonville. 4, Matthew Causey, Montesano.

150: 1, Trey StaRosa, Eatonville. 2, Rusty Johnson, Elma. 3, Jacob Baudot, Hoquiam. 4, Toryn White, Montesano.

157: 1, Gage Stutesman, Montesano. 2, Jacob Ostendorf, Eatonville. 3, Lucky Douvier, Elma. 4, Liam McManus, Elma.

165: 1, Eastin Wright, Elma. 2, Jameson Beckord, Eatonville. 3, Reid Pace, Montesano. 4, Levi Russell, Elma.

175: 1, Gabe Pyhala, Montesano. 2, Koy Knox, Tenino. 3, Ethan Rogers, Eatonville. 4, Kyle Caton, Montesano.

190: 1, Oliver Bryson, Hoquiam. 2, Guy Lowery, Tenino. 3, Logan Shipman, Eatonville. 4, Sam Mullin, Elma.

215: 1, Felix Romero, Montesano. 2, Taylor Beer Holland, Eatonville. 3, Jaxon Johnson, Tenino. 4, Luis Contreras, Montesano.

285: 1, Logan Roberts, Montesano. 2, Aaron Tozier, Eatonville. 3, Rowdie Tafoya, Tenino. 4, Lucas Delgado, Montesano.

Aberdeen places fifth overall at sub-regionals

Talatheon Warness and Erick Silveira led Aberdeen to a fifth-place finish at the 2A Evergreen Sub-Regionals on Saturday at W.F. West High School in Chehalis.

Warness won his quarterfinal and semifinal matches via pinfall to advance to the 106-pound league championship, where he defeated W.F. West’s Mason McGregor via injury default.

Silveira took home the 165-pound championship, defeating W.F. West’s Solomon Dennis via 10-3 decision in the semifinal before defeating the Bearcats’ Kallon Homan via pinfall at 5:58 in the title match.

Aberdeen’s Aidan Watkins advanced to the championship match of the 157-pound weight class, losing to W.F. West’s Andrew Snyder 12-5.

Other Bobcats advancing to the regional championships were Michael Leontyev (132 pounds, 3rd), Glenny Black (138, 4th), Mikey Hatton (150, 4th) and Landon Hamblin (285, 4th).

Aberdeen scored 223.5 points to place fifth overall.

W.F. West won the team title with 372 points followed by Tumwater (278), Shelton (249) and Black Hills (236.5).

Aberdeen will compete at the WIAA 2A Region 3 meet on Saturday at Washougal High School.

Full meet results can be viewed at trackwrestling.com.

Team standings

1, W.F. West 372. 2, Tumwater 278. 3, Shelton 249. 4, Black Hills 236.5. 5, Aberdeen 223.5. 6, Centralia 99. 7, Rochester 89.

Ocosta, North Beach, Willapa Valley wrestlers win at sub-regionals

Ocosta, North Beach and Willapa Valley each had wrestlers win championships at the 1B/2B District 4 Sub-Regionals on Saturday at Adna High School.

Ocosta senior Aiden Davis defeated sophomore teammate Ronin Rutzer via pinfall at 1:46 to claim the 138-pound championship.

North Beach junior Adin Wollum made quick work of Rainier’s Matthew Kenney, earning a pinfall win at 0:47 to claim the title at 215 pounds.

Willapa Valley senior Tyson Portmann won the 165-pound championship, defeating Rainier’s Dorien Cano via pinfall at 2:31 in the title match.

Ocosta’s Andrew Martin (144) and Willapa Valley’s Lucas Swogger (157) also wrestled in their respective weight-class title matches with each placing second overall.

Forks won the team championship with 262.5 points followed by Rainier (176), Ilwaco (146.5), Kalama (146) and Adna (135) rounding out the top five.

Ocosta placed sixth with 127 points while Willapa Valley (106.5, 8th) and North Beach (85, 10th) also finishing in the top 10.

The top six wrestlers in each weight class qualify for the WIAA 1B/2B Region 1 meet on Saturday at Kalama High School.

Full meet results available at trackwrestling.com.

Local regional qualifiers

106: 6, William Breen, Raymond.

120: 5, Liam Kunkle, North Beach. 6, Salvador Medrano, Ocosta.

126: 3, Wyeland Lomedico, North Beach. 6, Ethan Faulkner, Pe Ell.

132: 6, Logan Rutzer, Ocosta.

138: 1, Aiden Davis, Ocosta. 2, Ronin Rutzer, Ocosta. 3, Kasen Clements, Willapa Valley. 6, Obadiah Richards, North Beach.

144: 2, Andrew Martin, Ocosta. 4, Kevin Hovis, Raymond.

150: 4, Conner Reyes, Willapa Valley.

157: 2, Lucas Swogger, Willapa Valley. 4, Konnor Pilz, Pe Ell. 5, Ethen Noble, Pe Ell.

165: 1, Tyson Portmann, Willapa Valley. 5, Blake Burnett, Pe Ell.

175: 5, Carter Joslin, North Beach.

190: 3, Cody Strozyk, Willapa Valley. 4, Hunter Harris, Pe Ell.

215: 1, Adin Wollum, North Beach. 6, Alejandro Cruz, Raymond.

285: 4, Mark Sevilla, Ocosta.