MARYSVILLE — A week ago, Arlington pulled off its first district wrestling championship in school history. For a program that first started wrestling in 1968, it was obviously a special accomplishment.
It was so meaningful, in fact, that the Eagles decided to do it again. On Saturday at Marysville Pilchuck High School, Arlington claimed the Class 3A Region I title, which was likewise the first in school history.
“When I started as a freshman, we never even saw this coming or even knew that this was possible,” said Arlington junior Jeremy Nygard, who did his part on Saturday with a regional championship at 126 pounds. “But two years later we won a district title, and then we win a regional title. It’s really opened all of our eyes up … that we could dream of something like this and now it’s happening.”
“All the hard work we’ve put in came out today,” agreed senior Clayton Hunter, who placed third at 132 pounds. “Everything we’ve done throughout the year has set it up for this.”
The Eagles finished with 180 points, easily outdistancing runner-up Edmonds-Woodway which finished with 133. Third place went to Ferndale with 122.5.
Arlington had two wrestlers win regional championships — Nygard at 126 and sophomore Cooper McAuslan at 145. But the Eagles had seven other wrestlers place either second, third or fourth to qualify for next weekend’s Mat Classic at the Tacoma Dome.
And of Arlington’s nine state-bound wrestlers, eight are underclassmen.
The funny thing is, said Eagles coach Rick Iversen, the team had its struggles throughout the season. Due in part to a variety of injuries, academic issues and other problems, the Eagles lost five dual meets during the season, and placed no higher than third at four large invitational meets. The team’s first tournament victory was at the district meet last weekend.
“We were really lucky that we came on at the right time,” Iversen said. “All of a sudden, two weeks before districts, we started coming together.” And at districts and at regionals, he added, “the kids just overperformed.”
Initially, Nygard said, the Eagles’ goal at state was a top 10 finish. But on the heels of district and regional championships, “we have a really good shot of actually winning (a state championship). We’re taking nine kids, which is the most Arlington has ever taken, and I doubt very many teams are taking that many. So we’re actually in the running for a top three and possibly a title.”
Marysville Pilchuck, which hosted the tournament, finished fifth in the final standings. But Tomahawks seniors Killian Page at 170 and Drew Hatch at 182 are both seniors making their fourth trips to state, and both have legitimate chances to win individual championships. Page won his regional title with two pins and a technical fall, while Hatch posted three straight pins.
Winning in Tacoma “would mean the world to mean,” said Page, the state runner-up the last two seasons after placing sixth as a freshman. “That’s been my goal since eighth grade and it would be so great to win it.”
“It would mean everything,” agreed Hatch, who finished sixth, fourth and third the last three years at state. “I’ve always wanted to be a state champion, and it’d mean everything to finally achieve what you’ve wanted since you were young.”
And if Page and Hatch could both win championships, “that’d be awesome,” Hatch said. “That’s what we’ve been trying to do since really we were freshmen … and now it’s our year.”
Another Western Conference wrestler expected to contend for a state title is Glacier Peak senior Mosese Fifita at 285 pounds. Undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the state for Class 3A, he won his regional title with a pin, an injury default and another pin.
A state championship “is what I’ve been working for and that’s my ultimate goal,” said Fifita, who placed third a year ago and fourth in 2013. Coming up a little bit short the last two years “has definitely motivated me a lot and pushed me to become better than I expected I could be.”
At Marysville Pilchuck H.S.
Team scores: 1. Arlington 180, 2. Edmonds-Woodway 133, 3. Ferndale 122.5, 4. Stanwood 115, 5. Marysville Pilchuck 94.5, 6. Everett 85, 7. Oak Harbor 80, 8. Glacier Peak 72, 9. Meadowdale 67.5, 10. Hazen 53.5, 11. Shorewood 52, 12. Kennedy Catholic 46, 13. Lynnwood 30.5, 14. Mountlake Terrace 17, 15. Marysville Getchell 0.
106—Championship: Fatty (EW) maj. dec. Trey Swanson (A) 10-0, Third: Anthony Scott (H) pinned Graves (F) 3:30; 113—Championship: Kanyi (EW) tech. fall. Mowrey (H) 15-0, Third: Herrera (A) dec. Underhill (E) 9-7 OT; 120—Championship: Bertram (OH) dec. Delgadillo (E) 12-6, Third: Bennett (F) dec. Evanger (A) 2-0; 126—Championship: Nygard (A) inj. def. Lindamood (EW), Third: Rork (A) inj. def. West (E); 132—Championship: Martin (EW) pinned Mccaughan (ST) 1:00, Third: Hunter (A) maj. dec. Vargas (H) 18-5. 138—Championship: Weinert (ST) dec. Vester (OH) 4-3, Third: Harris-Udall (SW) maj. dec. Nichols (H) 10-1. 145—Championship: Mcauslan (A) pinned Daurie (MP) 0:45, Johnston (OH) dec. Castleton (MLT) 7-6; 152—Championship: Bagdadi (E) dec. Kalloway (ST) 9-2, Third: Bellefeuille (F) dec. Klimp (F) 8-3; 160—Championship: Davis (MD) maj. dec. Broselle (F) 13-5, Third: Crew (A) dec. Pablo (MP) 9-5; 170—Championship: Page (MP) tech. fall Thomas (GP) 18-3, Third: Markokaj (L) dec. Ball (MD) 8-4; 182—Championship: Hatch (MP) pinned Ortega (ST) 3:06, Third: Beccera (GP) pinned Cleary (F) 1:34; 195—Championship: Arrona (ST) pinned Schultz (EW) 2:54, Third: Condon (F) pinned Ferro (A) 4:10; 220—Championship: Smith (MD) dec. Lesaer (KC) 5-0, Third: Ferraro (KC) won by forfeit; 285—Championship: Fifita (GP) pinned Constant (OH) 1:29, Third: Erdenebayer (OH) pinned Adamson (SW) 0:59.
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