In any other year, holding a high school district championship wrestling tournament outdoors — on a football field — would have raised more than a few eyebrows.

In 2021, it’s par for the course.

Montesano High School’s Jack Rottle Field hosted the unique event on Saturday, as prep grapplers from six schools got together to wrestle in the sunshine at the 1A District 4 Championship Tournament.

“When we started talking about doing a league tournament, and then started talking to everybody in our region, we found out there are a bunch of teams that weren’t wrestling this year. … We had four teams from the south and four teams up here and so we said ‘Let’s do it. Let’s do it outside if (the weather) is nice.’ And everybody was on board,” Monte head coach Jeff Klinger said of how the event came about.

“We wanted to give the seniors something. … We just knew we needed something to celebrate our seniors and the sport of wrestling.”

The event featured wrestlers from Elma, La Center, Castle Rock, Seton Catholic, Tenino and host Montesano. Originally, eight teams were planned for the meet, but both Hoquiam and Goldendale backed out amid COVID considerations, leaving some weight classes scant on competitors. For example, the 113-pound weight class did not crown a champion this year, as the only wrestler competing in that class moved up a weight on Saturday.

Other logistical concerns were mixing in Senior Night activities for all the senior wrestlers at the event; referees consistently pausing mid-match to have competitors reposition face masks; and the 75-degree heat causing abnormally hot wrestling mats, so much so that event staff attempted to cool the mats with ice water and a large fan ahead of the final rounds.

“The mat was just hot,” Klinger said. “That was probably the biggest thing that was interesting. … It worked out pretty good overall. Running tournaments is never an easy thing and being outside and having never done that before is all a brand-new experience.”

Being a new and different experience for the wrestlers as well, some particularly enjoyed wrestling outdoors.

“After my first match I thought, ‘Wow, I really like this,’” Montesano senior Ty Ekerson said. “There’s light everywhere, it’s nice and warm, the mats got a little hot but that’s OK. … The fresh air definitely helps. I’d rather breathe in fresh air than gym air.”

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Montesano’s Cole Ekerson, left, grapples with Seton Catholic’s Amman Au during the 132-pound final of the 1A District 4 Championships Saturday at Rottle Field in Montesano. Ekerson won via pinfall.

On the mat, Montesano led the way. The Bulldogs claimed the overall district title with 394 points and placed 10 wrestlers in the finals.

Monte was led by championship-winning performances from Jacob Salstrom (120 pounds), Cole Ekerson (132), Cooper Johansson (138), Ty Ekerson (145), Brandon Kroeger (170), Connar Hollatz (182) and Mateo Sanchez (195), and by far had the most wrestlers compete of the approximate 70 participants.

Ty Ekerson, who placed third in the state tournament last year and was a favorite for a state championship heading into this season, stated that though there is disappointment in being unable to compete for a state title, finishing out his decorated high school career in front of family and friends at such a unique event is memorable.

“My goal, ever since I was 4 years old, was to be a state champion. This year, I was planning on doing that,” Ekerson said. “COVID happened and we just had to make the best of what we got, so the next best thing was a regional tournament. So I set my goals to win that and that’s the best I could do.”

Ekerson looked all the part of a top-caliber, state-level wrestler in dispatching of Castle Rock’s Asa Hamer via pinfall in the 145-pound final. The senior grappler reflected on the cheers from the crowd and raising his hand in victory after his final match in a Bulldogs singlet.

“I’ve always dreamed of winning and putting my hand up in the air and I was saving that for that moment,” Ekerson said. “I was saving (raising the hand) for a state championship, but I didn’t get that so I decided to do it today and it felt good. It definitely took a little of the pain away.”

Klinger said there were also some pleasant surprises.

“We knew we had some good kids that were going to be in the finals. … But then you pop-in our freshman girl, Kya Roundtree, who wins her (semifinal) match and makes it to the (170 pound) final and surprises everybody. Reid Pace goes unseeded and makes it through to the (138 pound) final as well, so that is always awesome to see,” Klinger said.

Ekerson said he was proud of his team’s overall performance.

“Everyone did a really good job of having good sportsmanship and high character,” he said. “That’s what we talked about this week, just have high character. Whatever happens, just go out there and have fun because this is our last meet.”

La Center placed second with the Elma Eagles taking third place.

The Eagles were led by Kale Reeves and Austin Salazar, who won the 126- and 220-pound championships, respectively.

Reeves defeated Castle Rock’s Tony Ibsen twice on the day, the second iteration coming in a competitive title match that saw Reeves exhibit some wrestling IQ to seize upon an opportunity.

“I see that arm lift up and I throw what is always a good move for me — the cow-catcher — and I just started squeezing,” Reeves said of his pin-fall win. “I knew if I didn’t stick him there, it was going to be a real hard match.”

Reeves’ victory drew one of the largest roars from the crowd on the day after claiming the district title.

“Amazing, I loved it,” he said of hearing the crowd after the win. “It’s just hard to describe. It’s a great feeling and it just felt real good to experience it.”

Klinger said honoring the graduating seniors for all schools involved was important after many teams, including his own, missed a chance to have their own Senior Night festivities.

“Tenino had 14 days under quarantine. They got one practice in then they were wrestling today. I knew they didn’t get a Senior Night and I don’t know what every team has done, and I thought we are just going to honor every senior that is here,” he said. “I just wanted to make sure everyone gets honored and the seniors get recognized for what they’ve done. … I wanted to make sure our kids had something special and the seniors from the other schools had something special as well.”

The top three placers for each weight class are as follows:

Results

106 pounds — 1, Skylar Ammons, Castle Rock. 2, Jordan Meadows, Elma. 3, Zach Keech, Tenino.

120 — 1, Jacob Salstrom, Montesano. 2, Aidan Watson, La Center. 3, Jesse Hollatz, Montesano.

126 — 1, Kale Reeves, Elma. 2, Tony Ibsen, Castle Rock. 3, Jaeieson Carroll, Elma.

132 — 1, Cole Ekerson, Montesano. 2, Amman Au, Seton Catholic. 3, Karson Lane, Montesano.

138 — 1, Cooper Johansson, Montesano. 2, Reid Pace, Montesano. 3, Ian Burton, Castle Rock.

145 — 1, Ty Ekerson, Montesano. 2, Asa Hamer, Castle Rock. 3, Michael Ritchie, La Center.

152 — 1, Jayden Nelson, Castle Rock. 2, Jared Whisenhunt, Elma. 3, Zander Sayers Hartman, Elma.

160 —1, Elijah Volk, Seton Catholic. 2, Austin Matson, La Center. 3, Kysen Knox, Tenino.

170 — 1, Brandon Kroeger, Montesano. 2, Kya Roundtree, Montesano. 3, Liam Schryers, La Center.

182 — 1, Connor Hollatz, Montesano. 2, Randy Marti, Tenino. 3, Enrique Mendoza, Montesano.

195 — 1, Mateo Sanchez, Montesano. 2, Aiden McCain, Elma.

220 — 1, Austin Salazar, Elma. 2, Robby Marti, Tenino. 3, Grant Kincaid, Castle Rock.

285 — 1, Jonah McGary, Castle Rock. 2, Donavan Bishop, Elma. 3, Miles Bacon, La Center.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Elma’s Kale Reeves, right, shoots on Castle Rock’s Tony Ibsen during the 1A District 4 Championships Saturday at Rottle Field in Montesano. Reeves would go on to win the 126-pound district championship.