Published: Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Prep wrestling preview: Grapplers to watch
BOYS
CAM WADE
Archbishop Murphy, senior
Weight class: 145 (projected)
Had one of the most impressive performances in last year's Mat Classic. Fought hard and was bloodied on the way to the 145-pound championship. Gilbertson has him ranked No. 5 in all-class rankings. “Good kid,” Gilbertson said. “Good technician. It'd be nice if he had more partners since that is a smaller school.”
RYAN DEWEESE
Edmonds-Woodway, senior
Weight class: 135 (projected)
Finished second in the state at 130 pounds as a junior. He had a great meet at Mat Classic and hopes that carries over into his senior year. “He's good with the head and arms,” Gilbertson said. “He'll be real tough this year again.”
MARK MORRILL
Snohomish, senior
Weight class: 189 (projected)
Was fifth in state at 171 pounds a year ago and figures to excel at the next level up. Gilbertson says 189 is very deep at the 4A level but Morrill should be up there with the best. “He's going to do good in a pretty tough group. ... I think he's top 10 in all class but sixth in (4A) 189. That's how deep it is.”
STEVEN WALKLEY
Lake Stevens, junior
Weight class: 135
Involved in a disciplinary issue with some teammates at Lake Stevens a year ago for a violation of the athletic code, Walkley has rebounded nicely since then with no further issues and projects as one of the best wrestlers in his class at 4A. “He's one of my top two kids at his weight group in the whole state,” Gilbertson said.
NATHAN SHORTT
Arlington, senior
Weight class: 152 (projected)
Struggled through the end of the season and Mat Classic with some health issues but still finished seventh in state. Assuming he's 100 percent, Gilbertson has him atop 4A wrestlers at 152. “He's definitely one to watch."
GIRLS
CASEY MATHER
Stanwood, junior
Weight class: 112 (projected)
Mather comes from a wrestling family and placed sixth in state a year ago. This summer she traveled to Fargo, N.D., with the Washington national freestyle team to compete against girls with a high level of experience. At the Yelm tournament Dec. 4, she placed first, beating fellow Spartan Savannah Phillips in the final. Phillips will move down to 103, making the Stanwood girls even tougher.
LAURA CHARBONEAU
Stanwood, junior
Weight class: 285
Placed fifth at Mat classic last year, losing to the eventual champion — who later went on to win a national freestyle championship— in the semifinals. “She pretty much overpowers and oversizes girls,” Stanwood coach Ray Mather said. Mather expects Charboneau to be a significant part of the girls team that he projects as top 10 in the state. “I've got some high expectations for the girls team this year,” he said.
BRIDGETTE BELCHER
Lake Stevens, senior
Weight class: 135 (projected)
Lake Stevens has a fairly small girls team this year but Bridgette will likely be the best member. She will lead a group of freshmen with potential, according to coach Brent Barnes. Belcher qualified for regionals a year ago and will certainly look to make it to the Mat Classic in 2011.
ADRIENNE BRESKE & EASTON LARSEN
Snohomish freshmen
Weight class: Between 112-119 (projected)
For the first time in the storied 52-year history of Snohomish wrestling, according to coach Rob Zabel, the Panthers will have girls on the wrestling team. From Day 1, Breske and Larsen have fit right in to the Snohomish squad that looks to be strong again this season. “We couldn't have asked for two better girls to come into the program,” Zabel said. “Whenever something is new you have questions about how it's going to go, but it's been great.”
JUSTINE PALABRICA
Everett, junior
Weight class: 103 (projected)
One of the toughest returning girls in the area, Palabrica placed fifth in state at 103 pounds as a sophomore. She returns for her junior campaign out of the shadow of JoMae Alewine, the 2010 103-pound state champ from Lake Stevens who graduated. "She's looking pretty solid right now," Everett coach Brien Elliott said. "I definitely think that she is one of the top 3 girls (in the state) at 103."
Jackson coach Gustavo Anaya, who doesn't have any girls wrestling this season for the first time in four years, expects Palabrica to be a force for Everett. “(She) is probably one of the better girls in the league,” Anaya said. “She's one of the few girls that wrestles on the boys team during the varsity season.”
CAM WADE
Archbishop Murphy, senior
Weight class: 145 (projected)
Had one of the most impressive performances in last year's Mat Classic. Fought hard and was bloodied on the way to the 145-pound championship. Gilbertson has him ranked No. 5 in all-class rankings. “Good kid,” Gilbertson said. “Good technician. It'd be nice if he had more partners since that is a smaller school.”
RYAN DEWEESE
Edmonds-Woodway, senior
Weight class: 135 (projected)
Finished second in the state at 130 pounds as a junior. He had a great meet at Mat Classic and hopes that carries over into his senior year. “He's good with the head and arms,” Gilbertson said. “He'll be real tough this year again.”
MARK MORRILL
Snohomish, senior
Weight class: 189 (projected)
Was fifth in state at 171 pounds a year ago and figures to excel at the next level up. Gilbertson says 189 is very deep at the 4A level but Morrill should be up there with the best. “He's going to do good in a pretty tough group. ... I think he's top 10 in all class but sixth in (4A) 189. That's how deep it is.”
STEVEN WALKLEY
Lake Stevens, junior
Weight class: 135
Involved in a disciplinary issue with some teammates at Lake Stevens a year ago for a violation of the athletic code, Walkley has rebounded nicely since then with no further issues and projects as one of the best wrestlers in his class at 4A. “He's one of my top two kids at his weight group in the whole state,” Gilbertson said.
NATHAN SHORTT
Arlington, senior
Weight class: 152 (projected)
Struggled through the end of the season and Mat Classic with some health issues but still finished seventh in state. Assuming he's 100 percent, Gilbertson has him atop 4A wrestlers at 152. “He's definitely one to watch."
GIRLS
CASEY MATHER
Stanwood, junior
Weight class: 112 (projected)
Mather comes from a wrestling family and placed sixth in state a year ago. This summer she traveled to Fargo, N.D., with the Washington national freestyle team to compete against girls with a high level of experience. At the Yelm tournament Dec. 4, she placed first, beating fellow Spartan Savannah Phillips in the final. Phillips will move down to 103, making the Stanwood girls even tougher.
LAURA CHARBONEAU
Stanwood, junior
Weight class: 285
Placed fifth at Mat classic last year, losing to the eventual champion — who later went on to win a national freestyle championship— in the semifinals. “She pretty much overpowers and oversizes girls,” Stanwood coach Ray Mather said. Mather expects Charboneau to be a significant part of the girls team that he projects as top 10 in the state. “I've got some high expectations for the girls team this year,” he said.
BRIDGETTE BELCHER
Lake Stevens, senior
Weight class: 135 (projected)
Lake Stevens has a fairly small girls team this year but Bridgette will likely be the best member. She will lead a group of freshmen with potential, according to coach Brent Barnes. Belcher qualified for regionals a year ago and will certainly look to make it to the Mat Classic in 2011.
ADRIENNE BRESKE & EASTON LARSEN
Snohomish freshmen
Weight class: Between 112-119 (projected)
For the first time in the storied 52-year history of Snohomish wrestling, according to coach Rob Zabel, the Panthers will have girls on the wrestling team. From Day 1, Breske and Larsen have fit right in to the Snohomish squad that looks to be strong again this season. “We couldn't have asked for two better girls to come into the program,” Zabel said. “Whenever something is new you have questions about how it's going to go, but it's been great.”
JUSTINE PALABRICA
Everett, junior
Weight class: 103 (projected)
One of the toughest returning girls in the area, Palabrica placed fifth in state at 103 pounds as a sophomore. She returns for her junior campaign out of the shadow of JoMae Alewine, the 2010 103-pound state champ from Lake Stevens who graduated. "She's looking pretty solid right now," Everett coach Brien Elliott said. "I definitely think that she is one of the top 3 girls (in the state) at 103."
Jackson coach Gustavo Anaya, who doesn't have any girls wrestling this season for the first time in four years, expects Palabrica to be a force for Everett. “(She) is probably one of the better girls in the league,” Anaya said. “She's one of the few girls that wrestles on the boys team during the varsity season.”
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