Jamell Carroll
Sultan | Jr.
Perhaps as much as any wrestler in the state, Carroll is on the verge of becoming an unstoppable force after placing third at 132 pounds as a sophomore last season.
Already immensely strong for his size, Carroll is nearly impossible for opponents to move, much less get off his feet.
When Carroll, who will wrestle at 152 for most of this season, is able to turn himself loose offensively to go along with his prodigious defensive abilities, a state championship is well within reach.
“He’s really worked on being more dominant on his feet and from the top position,” Sultan coach Garth MacDicken said of Carroll, who was invited to showcase tournaments on the East Coast during the offseason to boost his visibility to college programs.
“We’ve talked about him being more aggressive and attacking his opponent. That’s what he needs to do to be one of the best wrestlers in the state, which is where he sees himself.”
Ally De La Cruz
Kamiak | Soph.
De La Cruz completed her freshman season with a third-place finish at Mat Classic after dropping her state semifinal bout.
Knights coach Bryan Stelling said the work De La Cruz has done in the offseason, combined with the experience she gained at her first state tournament, should give her a chance to improve as a sophomore.
“She went to the Washington Intensive camp and an Edmonds-Woodway camp with a former Olympic coach where she wrestled against boys,” Stelling said. “She’s not afraid to wrestle boys, and though she’s not as strong in the upper body as most boys, her technique is excellent. She wants to wrestle tough kids.”
Stelling said that De La Cruz got pretty nervous before her state semifinal match, which contributed to a 12-2 defeat via major decision.
“Knowing that she’s of the caliber to be a state placer will help her a lot,” Stelling said. “I think she could have beaten the girl she lost to, but she learned to just relax and go out and have fun. She’s pretty good in all aspects of her game and she learned a lot at those camps.”
Jake Douglas
Lake Stevens | Sr.
After completing a sterling regular season last year as a junior, Douglas won a pair of one-point decisions on his way to the state final.
Douglas dropped a 1-0 decision to Central Valley’s Blake Beard in the championship, largely because he wasn’t able to get an escape when he needed it most.
“He lost that match because he couldn’t get away, and I’m sure that’s sticking in his craw a little bit and has been an area of emphasis for him,” Vikings coach Brent Barnes said.” Jake has been really good underneath so that was strange that he would lose a match like that.”
Before he set about working his way back to the state finals at roughly the same 138 pounds as last season, Douglas went to two large national tournaments in the offseason to attract the attention of collegiate coaches.
“It’s just about really fine details for him,” Barnes said. “He’s just expanding the stuff that he already does and focusing on a specific style of wrestling.”
Gavin Rork
Arlington | Soph.
Rork exploded on the season as a freshman for the Eagles last season, placing fourth at his first state tournament and compiling a 40-5 record.
Arlington coach Rick Iversen said that for all Rork accomplished last season, he is not resting on his laurels.
“He said to me the other night, ‘Coach, everybody sees my swing single leg coming. I want to come in from a different direction,’” Iversen said. “It was incredible to me that a kid having all that success realizes that he needs a fuller package, and doesn’t want to be one-dimensional.”
Iversen raves about Rork’s ability to soak up instruction, and notes that he stands out in everything the Eagles do.
“Everything I show in our room, I know Gavin gets it. He’s a true student of the sport and a leader in all of our workouts,” Iversen said. “Gavin forces you to look at him and I know I can count on him.”
Michael Soler
Lake Stevens | Sr.
After winning state titles at 106, 113 and 132 pounds in his first three season with the Vikings, Soler will make a big jump to 170 pounds in his senior season as he attempts to become the first 4A four-time champion since Burke Barnes — the son of Vikings coach Brent Barnes — in 2002.
“If you look at his brother (Eric), who was 145 when he got out of high school and then 190 the next year, they both have that in them,” Brent Barnes said. “He’s comfortable with the weight class he’s at right now and we’re shooting for 170.”
Barnes expects Soler to handle any hoopla surrounding his run at history with his typical poise and calm.
“He is really well-centered and has it together more so than most high school kids,” Barnes said.
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