Local Roundup: Grays Harbor College women’s wrestlers third at Boxer Open

Also: Aberdeen boys swim team second in Kelso; Local powerlifters kick off season

By Ryan Sparks • January 22, 2024 11:00 pm
SUBMITTED PHOTO Grays Harbor College’s Alexandria Kauffman-Templeton, right, controls the leg of Pacific University’s Aurora Rager at the Boxer Open on Sunday in Forest Grove, Oregon.
SUBMITTED PHOTO Grays Harbor College’s Alexandria Kauffman-Templeton, right, controls the leg of Pacific University’s Aurora Rager at the Boxer Open on Sunday in Forest Grove, Oregon.

The Grays Harbor College’s women’s wrestling team earned a high placement at a meet in Oregon as we review the weekend’s Twin Harbors sports action.

WOMEN’S COLLEGE WRESTLING

Grays Harbor College takes third at Boxer Open

Led by another first-place finish from Renaeh Ureste, Grays Harbor College placed third overall at the Boxer Open on Sunday at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon.

Ureste defeated Eastern Oregon’s Trinity Tafoya via fall at 1:06 to win the 190-pound weight class and lead a Chokers team that scored 88 points to finish behind first-place Eastern Oregon (200.5 points) and Evergreen State College (140).

GHC’s Maysa Brown reached her weight-class final, taking second at 130 pounds after a 12-2 technical-fall loss to Evergreen State’s Erica Grant.

Other podium placers for the Chokers were Eden Lopez (109, 4th), Aliyah Hammons (116, 3rd), Alexandria Kauffman-Templeton (123, 6th), Elizabeth Patana (136, 5th), Marissa Riojas (136, 4th) and Nancy Frayle (171, 5th).

Full results available at trackwrestling.com.

The Chokers will compete in the 2024 NCWA Western Regionals on Saturday and Sunday at Hoquiam High School.

SUBMITTED PHOTO The Montesano powerlifting team poses for a photo after opening the season on Saturday, Jan. 16 in Buckley.

SUBMITTED PHOTO The Montesano powerlifting team poses for a photo after opening the season on Saturday, Jan. 16 in Buckley.

WEIGHTLIFTING

Prep powerlifting season kicks off in Buckley

Several local prep weightlifters competed at the season-opening powerlifting meet on Saturday, Jan. 16 in Buckley.

The women’s competition was led by Montesano’s Hailey McElroy, who lifted a total of 550 pounds to win the 114-pound weight class, earning her the Overall Women’s Lifter of the Meet honor.

Elma’s Quinton Perry and Montesano’s Isac Hawkins led the men’s competition with victories in their respective weight classes.

Perry lifted a total of 765 pounds to win the 123-pound class while Hawkins took first in the 181-pound class after lifting a total of 935 pounds.

Local results are as follows:

Women’s team standings

1, Shelton 52 points. 2, White River (Buckley) 51. 3, Montesano 38. 4, River Ridge 11.

Local women’s results

105 pounds: 2, Rossi Newbill, Montesano. 3, Hailey Kuntz, Montesano. 4, Jasmin Flores, Montesano.

114: 1, Hailey McElroy, Montesano (550 total pounds lifted).

132: 2, Ember Jones, Montesano. 5, Aubrey Chandler, Elma.

148: 4, Kristina Wallace, Montesano.

165: 4, Mayah Stewart, Montesano. 5, Madeline Valentine, Montesano.

181: 1, Carmen Bennefeld, Montesano (395 total pounds lifted).

Overall Women’s Lifter of the Meet: Hailey McElroy, Montesano.

Men’s team standings

1, Shelton 35 points. 2, White River (Buckley) 25. 3, Quilcene 22. 4, Montesano 20.

Local men’s results

123: 1, Quinton Perry, Elma (765 total pounds lifted).

148: 4, Zach Timmons, Montesano.

165: 3, Kolby Rademacher, Elma. 4, Hayden Lang, Elma.

181: 1, Isac Hawkins, Montesano (935 total pounds lifted). 2, Jeremiah Kersey, Montesano. 5, Cohen Finch, Elma.

220: 3, Ethan Martin, Montesano.

BOYS PREP SWIMMING

Aberdeen places second at Kelso Invitational

The team depth of the Aberdeen Bobcats boys swim paid dividends at the Kelso Invitational on Saturday at Kelso High School.

Despite not winning a race at the event, Aberdeen finished with 252 points to place second behind host Kelso.

The Bobcats were led by a second-place finish in the 500-yard freestyle by Jacob Hallack, who touched the wall with a time of 5:51.80.

Other notable performances came from Cole Nylander in the 100 breaststroke (1:11.22, 6th), Denny Linker in the 100 freestyle (58.15, 8th) and Cooper Gills in the 100 backstroke (1:16.10, 8th).

“Heading into the final week of the regular season, I am very proud and thrilled to see the performances this team is producing right now,” Aberdeen head coach Rob Burns said. “There were a ton of time drops and personal bests marked today. Everyone is getting into their best shape going into the postseason.”

Aberdeen hosts Shelton for its Senior Night festivities at 4 p.m. Wednesday at the YMCA of Grays Harbor in Hoquiam.

Team standings (top 10)

1, Kelso 466 points. 2, Aberdeen 252. 3, Skyview 240. 4, Mark Morris 238. 5, Mountain View 234. 6, Hockinson 221.5. 7, Prairie 210. 8, Fort Vancouver 209.5. 9, Union 206. 10, Battle Ground 165.

Aberdeen results (top 10)

200-yard medley relay: 6, Aberdeen (Austin Weiss, Cole Nylander, Zeke Olson, Jacob Natwick).

200 individual medley: 4, Denny Linker, 2:22.16. 5, Jacob Hallack, 2:22.29.

100 butterfly: 6, Zeke Olson, 1:06.12.

100 freestyle: 8, Denny Linker, 58.15.

500 freestyle: 2, Jacob Hallack, 5:51.80. 8, Tyson Powell, 6:36.86.

200 freestyle relay: 8, Aberdeen (Cooper Gill, Jacob Natwick, Jacob Hallack, Denny Linker).

100 backstroke: 8, Cooper Gill, 1:16.10.

100 breaststroke: 6, Cole Nylander, 1:11.22. 7, Zeke Olson, 1:11.67.

400 freestyle relay: 4, Aberdeen (Cooper Gill, Zeke Olson, Jacob Hallack, Denny Linker).