5 wrestlers to watch

Published 11:37 pm Saturday, December 1, 2007

Zach Zweifel, Lake Stevens Vikings, Senior

Comment: When you think Lake Stevens’ wrestling you think of success. Five state team titles, and 14 straight seasons without a conference meet loss. Zach Zweifel defines the characteristics of a Vikings wrestler. After a fifth-place finish as a sophomore, Zweifel, won a 4A state title as a junior pinning teammate Jack Stilwell in the 103-pound weight class, and leading Lake Stevens to a team championship. The senior will try to join the long line of Vikings wrestlers who have won two or more individual titles. With Zweifel, who finished 36-3 last season, moving up to the 112 class and the junior Stilwell (22-5 in 2007) at 119, Lake Stevens shows no sign of slowing down.

Casey Finnicum, Mountlake Terrace Hawks, Senior

Comment: Casey Finnicum has found nothing but success on the wrestling mats of Mountlake Terrace High. The senior placed sixth as a freshman and seventh as a sophomore — both finishes coming in the 160-pound weight class — before breaking out in his junior campaign by winning the 4A state championship in the 171-pound weight division. Finnicum, who finished last season with a 34-2 record, will move up to the 189-weight class this season.

Karl Bush, Mariner Marauders, Senior

Comment: After finishing seventh (125) last season and sixth in 2006, the senior from Mariner High School looks to improve on those finishes and end his high school career with a state title. Bush will jump up to the 140-pound weight class after wrestling at the 125 division last season.

Sam Ottow, Snohomish Panthers, Junior

Comment: The ex-Monroe Bearcat, Sam Ottow, will bring state wrestling experience to a Snohomish Panther team that had its best state finish since finishing fifth in 1996. The Panthers took 14th last season in the 4A state title and will return seniors Richard Reed (eighth place, 160-pounds) and Brad Perry (fifth place, 130-pounds) along with the newcomer Ottow, who finished runner-up in the 119-pound division as a sophomore, losing a heartbreaking 4-3 decision and finishing sixth (112) as a freshman. Ottow will wrestle at 125 and Perry at 140 this season.

Brady Paxman, Cedarcrest Red Wolves, Senior

Comment: Coming off a football season in which he won the Cascade Conference offensive player of the year, Brady Paxman looks to continue that success on the wrestling mat. The senior finished 41-3 last season and placed third in the 171-pound weight class while helping lead Cedarcrest to fifth place at the 2A state tournament. Paxman, and teammate Ty Howard (43-2 last season), a senior who has had back-to-back third place finishes at state, will try to lead the Red Wolves to a state title. Paxman will again wrestle at 171, while Howard will compete at 119.