Wrestling Roundup: Aberdeen boys place second at own Kickoff Classic Tournament

Also: Aberdeen girls win Lady Jag Kickoff

By Ryan Sparks • December 8, 2019 1:30 am
Montesano’s Cooper Johansson, left, grapples with Aberdeen’s Jeremy Roberts during the 126-pound final of the Kickoff Classic on Saturday at Aberdeen High School. (Ryan Sparks | Grays Harbor News Group)
Montesano’s Cooper Johansson, left, grapples with Aberdeen’s Jeremy Roberts during the 126-pound final of the Kickoff Classic on Saturday at Aberdeen High School. (Ryan Sparks | Grays Harbor News Group)

BOYS PREP WRESTLING

Roberts, Hoseney lead Aberdeen to second-place finish

Jeremy Roberts and Jaden Hoseney won their respective weight classes to lead the Aberdeen Bobcats boys wrestling team to a second-place finish at its own Kickoff Classic Tournament on Saturday at Aberdeen High School.

Roberts won the 132-pound weight class while Hoseney took the 220-pound individual title, leading the Bobcats to 177 points, just four points behind first-place Klahowya.

In the 220-pound final, Hoseney won 10-2 on points against teammate Liam Heikkila.

Roberts won the 132-pound final by earning a fall victory over Montesano’s Cooper Johansson. Roberts recovered from a bloody nose that caused the match to be stopped momentarily early in the first round to go up 7-2 on Johansson in the second round. Roberts pinned Johansson at the 3:19 mark of the match to pick up the victory.

“I know he’s a tough kid and we’ve wrestled throughout middle and high school. I’ve seen what he can do,” Roberts said of Johansson. “I scored first and that gave me a big advantage. The next thing you know he made some mistakes and I countered off them and got the W.”

The victory was well-earned for Roberts, who found himself fighting for control at times though he held the lead on the scoreboard.

“I like to stay calm when on bottom knowing no one can turn me or do anything with me,” he said. “When (opponents) make mistakes, I counter and come up with the pin.”

Montesano had a class winner in Brandon Kroeger, who ran through the 113-pound weight class and earned the gold medal by pinning Klahowya’s Dylan Chandler at the 3:42 mark of the final match.

Hoquiam’s Malaki Eaton, top, tries to gain control of Rochester’s Riley Comrom during the 152-pound final of the Kickoff Classic tournament on Saturday at Aberdeen High School. (Ryan Sparks | Grays Harbor News Group)

Hoquiam’s Malaki Eaton, top, tries to gain control of Rochester’s Riley Comrom during the 152-pound final of the Kickoff Classic tournament on Saturday at Aberdeen High School. (Ryan Sparks | Grays Harbor News Group)

Several other local wrestlers competed in the final matches on Saturday. Montesano’s Jacob Salstrom, who lost a close 4-3 decision to Woodland’s Judeah Sanders in the 120-pound weight class.

Montesano’s Cole Ekerson lost the 126-pound final to Woodland’s Josiah Sanders via fall at 5:48 of the match and Hoquiam’s Malaki Eaton was pinned by Rochester’s Riley Cohrom at the 3:01 mark of the 152-pound final.

Monte placed third in the team results with 128 points, followed by Rochester (120.5) and North Mason (116) to round out the top five. Hoquiam placed ninth with 58 points and the Elma Eagles came in 12th with a team total of 33 points.

GIRLS PREP WRESTLING

Aberdeen wins Lady Jag Kickoff Tournament

Led by three first-place finishers and nine medalists total, the Aberdeen Bobcats girls wrestling team took the team title at the Lady Jag Kickoff Tournament on Saturday at Emerald Ridge High School in Puyallup.

Led by Tatum Heikkila, Rylie Waltee and Ciera Skelly —each of whom won gold —the Bobcats earned a total of 188 points to cruise to victory over the 17 team field. The Bobcats finished more than 80 points ahead of second-place Federal Way (104) and Puyallup, which took third with 101 points.

“It was one of those proud coach kind of days,” Aberdeen head coach Craig Yakovich said. “We have becoming to this tournament every year since the Aberdeen girls wrestling team has been an official program and we finally took home the team title.”

Waltee and Skelly blistered the competition, rolling through their weight classes en route to a place atop the podium.

Waltee pinned Tahoma’s Kiara Gallardo at the 1:30 mark to win the 120-pound weight class while Skelly downed Fife’s Nathalie Singh by fall at the 2:30 mark to take the 145-pound crown.

Heikkila, last season’s 2A state runner-up in the heavyweight division, had to battle through a stacked 235-pound class to earn an individual title. Heikkila, who is ranked as the No. 3 heavyweight in the nation by TheMat.com, defeated another state finalist, Thomas Jefferson’s Goddess Ma’alona-Fatetogo, by a score of 2-0.

Other Aberdeen medalists included Rhianne Cline (105, 2nd), Madison Neeley (105, 3rd), Aili Scott (115, 3rd), Katlynn Smith (125, 3rd), Hailey Wilson (130, 2nd) and Emma Siano (135, 3rd).

Next up for the Bobcats is the Grizzly Stocking Stuffer Tournament at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 21 at Hoquiam High School.

The Aberdeen girls wrestling team earned a team victory at the Lady Jag Kickoff Tournament on Saturday at Emerald Ridge High School in Puyallup. Pictured from left are Bobcats medalists Katlynn Smith, Rhianne Cline, Tatum Heikkila, Ciera Skelly, Emma Siano, Rylie Waltee, Hailey Wilson, Aili Scott and Madison Neeley. (Submitted photo)

The Aberdeen girls wrestling team earned a team victory at the Lady Jag Kickoff Tournament on Saturday at Emerald Ridge High School in Puyallup. Pictured from left are Bobcats medalists Katlynn Smith, Rhianne Cline, Tatum Heikkila, Ciera Skelly, Emma Siano, Rylie Waltee, Hailey Wilson, Aili Scott and Madison Neeley. (Submitted photo)