EVERETT – Sometimes Plan A doesn’t work.
No problem. Otto Olson simply switched to Plan B.
After the Mariner wrestling team fell behind early and suffered an unexpected defeat, Olson, the Marauders’ head coach, shuffled his normal lineup. In what amounted to a league championship meet, Mariner won five straight bouts after the switch and went on to beat the Kamiak Knights 37-22 Thursday night in a Wesco South Division clash.
Mariner (8-0 Wesco South) completed its second straight undefeated dual-meet season and won its third league title in four years. Don Tiongco (119 pounds), Daniel Link (140) and Zak Rydzak (215) had pins for the Marauders, who were thrilled to beat Kamiak (7-1 in division), their Mukilteo School District rival.
“It feels good. I hope we can win a third (straight league title) next year,” said junior Karl Bush.
“That was a fun night of wrestling, man,” said Olson, who bumped several of his wrestlers up a weight and saw them win five straight bouts from 119 pounds to 140 pounds.
“They had a big swing of momentum there,” Kamiak coach Dan Hanika said. “They got going and we just couldn’t stop it.”
Mariner took its first lead at 10-9 when Tiongco got a pin at 119 pounds. He built an 8-2 lead before ending it with 47 seconds to go in the third round.
Tiongco’s triumph kicked off a five-match win streak that gave Mariner a 25-9 lead. Link (140) capped the run with a third-period pin.
The Mariner High gym was packed for the intense meet. Hundreds of boisterous students from both schools hollered chants and stomped their feet in the bleachers. The ones from Mariner even counted down the seconds of several matches – somewhat of a rarity for wrestling meets.
“This is a fantastic wrestling night,” Kamiak’s Hanika said. “Everybody had a good time and cheered for their team.”
Colin Munoz of Kamiak completed an impressive 12-10 overtime decision at 171 pounds, but Mariner still clinched the meet victory thanks to its 31-18 lead entering the final two bouts.
Olson praised several Mariner wrestlers, including Bush and Michael Boyd. Bush missed three straight practices this week because of the flu but bumped up to 130 pounds (as part of Olson’s Plan B) and grinded out a 15-9 decision. Bush led 9-8 early in the third period but used a barrage of takedowns to win despite feeling ill.
“It was a big match. I wanted to be here and do what I can for the team,” Bush said.
Boyd usually wrestles for the junior varsity, but he stepped in at 125 pounds – Bush’s normal spot – and had a 9-6 decision.
“This is just amazing,” Boyd said of helping Mariner win a league title. He had wrestled for the varsity just four previous times this season.
“I came out and just got a takedown (for a 2-0 lead) and it just went on from there.”
Shawn O’Donnell (145 pounds) and Tyler Nigg (285) had pins for Kamiak. Nigg’s pin kicked off the match for the Knights, who led 9-4 after three bouts. O’Donnell’s pin stopped Mariner’s pivotal five-match win streak.
Kamiak and Mariner will battle again, at least in a tournament format. They are among 13 teams set to compete in the Class 4A Northwest District tourney Feb. 2-3 at Marysville-Pilchuck High School.
At Mariner H.S.
285-Nigg (K) pinned Almelia, 0:52;103-Nguyen (M) major dec. Price, 11-3; 112-Kuselik (K) dec. Woo Song Do, 7-5 OT; 119-Tiongco (M) pinned Chow, 5:13; 125-Boyd (M) dec. Linari, 9-6; 130-Bush (M) dec. Regan, 15-9; 135-Bui (M) dec. Raner, 8-3; 140-Link (M) pinned Morton 5:43; 145-O’Donnell (K) pinned Girardo, 1:24; 152-Hendrickson (M) dec. Huss, 9-3; 160-Coffman (M) dec. Wilkins, 12-5; 171-Munoz (K) dec. Vongphrachanh, 12-10 OT; 189-Klumper (K) major dec. B. Do, 14-3; 215-Rydzak (M) pinned Emry, 3:05. Records-Kamiak 7-1 in division, 7-2 overall. Mariner 8-0, 10-0.
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