TACOMA – You don’t often see Brent Barnes jump for joy.
Until this week, the last time he did it was exactly one year ago, when one of his athletes on the Lake Stevens High School wrestling team, Lester Brown, won an individual state championship. But the Lake Stevens coach found new incentive to soar Friday during Mat Classic XVII at Tacoma Dome.
Who was the inspiration this time? Lake Stevens junior Jon Wilbourne, who knocked off heavily favored Brynsen Brown of Emerald Ridge in a 189-pound quarterfinal to become the least likely of the four Vikings who advanced to championship-round semifinals.
Wilbourne and the other Lake Stevens semifinalists – Kelly Kubec (112), Lester Brown (135) and Clint Osborn (275) – helped the defending Class 4A state champion Vikings stay within striking distance of favorite University (Spokane). With three semifinalists among its nine competitors, University, ranked No. 1 in the latest Washington State Wrestling Association Coaches 4A Poll, scored 66.5 points to take a sizable lead over Auburn (48), Lake Stevens (46) and Stanwood (36).
“We’re still in the hunt,” Barnes said of Lake Stevens’ chances for winning another team championship today. “We still have hope.”
Shooting for its fourth state team title in six years, Lake Stevens has a solid opportunity to close the gap thanks to two head-to-head championship-round semifinal matches today with University. Kubec faces junior Chase Fish at 112 pounds and Wilbourne battles senior Joey Korn at 189.
The Vikings got off to a hot start, going 7-for-7 in first-round matches. “That was our goal going into it – getting all those first-round wins, trying to set the tone for the later rounds,” said Kubec, a sophomore who placed third at 103 pounds last year.
Kubec pinned his first opponent Friday and then earned a 6-1 decision over 2004 state finalist Anthony Hayes of Battleground to move to the semifinals.
Brown, a 2004 state champ at 125, and Osborn, a second-place finisher last year, both executed quarterfinal pins. In between those matches, Wilbourne energized the Vikings with his come-from-behind upset. Wilbourne, who had never advanced to a regional tourney before this season, rallied from 5-0 and 9-5 deficits before finishing an 11-10 victory with a last-second takedown against Emerald Ridge’s Brown, who placed second last year.
Barnes and a slew of Lake Stevens supporters immediately erupted following Wilbourne’s triumph. After leaping out of his chair, pumping his fists and high-fiving cheering onlookers, Barnes talked about Wilbourne’s achievement.
“He’s a really hard worker,” Barnes said. “He battled from adversity and he’s a great student. … He’s the kind of kid you love to see have success.”
Wilbourne, who called the victory the biggest of his life, missed almost the entire regular season after he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left leg during the prestigious Tri-State Tournament in Sand Point, Idaho.
Despite Wilbourne’s effort, Lake Stevens will have an uphill battle today. The Vikings’ Brown said Mat Classic feels different this year. On one hand, he said, his team is playing the underdog role, but people also seem to expect more than ever from the Vikings.
“We started thinking we’re gonna have to wrestle our best if we want to stay in the top place,” Brown said.
Stanwood hopes to move up from fourth place to reach its goal of a top-three finish. Junior Jake Allen (171) and senior Tully Smith (140) made the semifinals for the Spartans.
Stanwood struggled to a 4-4 record in first-round matches, but Smith overachieved. After barely advancing to the regional tourney, he guaranteed himself no worse than sixth place at state with a 5-3 overtime decision over Eisenhower’s Ruben Ramos. Smith recovered from an early 2-0 deficit to force extra time. Ramos seemed to have victory within his grasp early in overtime but Smith used his secret weapon – flexible, double-jointed shoulders – to escape and triumph.
Smith said he may not be the most technically gifted wrestler around but he has what it takes to win late. “It’s whoever wants it most in the end,” he said.
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