Mat Classic notebook: Tulalip’s Robinson just happy to be there after suspension

Published 6:18 pm Sunday, February 22, 2009

TACOMA — Unlike his first trip to Mat Classic, Demitri Robinson’s second appearance didn’t culminate in a championship. This time he was just grateful to participate.

Last year Robinson, a sophomore at Tulalip Heritage High School in Marysville, had a dream freshman wrestling campaign, capping it with a first-place finish in the Class B tournament.

But this season Robinson nearly wiped out his chances to repeat when he was suspended 20 days for breaking into a school building with some friends. “I got into some trouble,” Robinson said Saturday at the Tacoma Dome, “making some mistakes. I’m lucky to be here.”

Robinson’s suspension ended just before the postseason began. After competing for Marysville-Pilchuck High during the regular season, he represented Tulalip (which doesn’t have a wrestling program) in the postseason, just like last year when he won the B 103-pound state title.

Entering Mat Classic XXI, the state-championship tourneys at the Tacoma Dome, Robinson was 11-0 and favored to win another title. He ended up placing third.

But there were no frowns, no moping — just the opposite, in fact.

Robinson beat Kaare Anderson of Reardan Saturday in the third-place 125-pound consolation final. The result thrilled Robinson and his coach, Tony Hatch.

“He never quit. He kept coming,” Hatch said of Robinson, who lost a first-round match Friday against Anderson.

“He goes out a winner this year,” Hatch added. “He got to beat the kid who beat him.”

After losing against Anderson on Day 1, Robinson won his final three matches.

“I got my loss out of the way,” Robinson said, “and I was able to come back and beat this kid.”

Coming in as a returning champion was nervewracking, said Robinson: “I felt a lot more pressure than the year before. Everyone was expecting me to come win it again.”

Noting that he learned from his off-mat mistake, Robinson said he’s already looking forward to next season.

Wesco North showcase

Proving that the Western Conference North Division is among the state’s elite leagues, 10 Wesco North wrestlers reached the finals in their respective tournaments and weight divisions. Half of them competed for Lake Stevens: Josh Heinzer (112 pounds), Jack Stilwell (119), Sean Anderson (125), George King (152) and JoMae Alewine (103 pounds).

The other local finalists from the Wesco North were Snohomish teammates Sam Ottow (130 pounds) and Stefan St. Marie (135), Arlington teammates Chris Myers (160) and Bryant Dickerson (285), and Everett’s Alec Bird (215).

E-W coach recognized

Mike Hanchett, the Edmonds-Woodway wrestling coach who will retire after this season, was honored before the finals Saturday as one of the state’s two longtime coaches who are wrapping up their career. Hanchett has coached for 29 years, serving as Edmonds-Woodway’s head coach since 2000. He brought an E-W record six grapplers to Mat Classic this year and guided two semi-finalists, Andrew Vulliet (103 pounds) and Rudy Johanson (189).