It’s going to be an interesting week for the Wesco South’s top wrestling squads.
Going into Monday’s action, Edmonds-Woodway (7-0), Mariner (7-0) and Kamiak (6-0) were all undefeated in Western Conference South Division dual meets. All three teams have highly anticipated clashes against each other that will help determine the league champion.
It started with Monday’s E-W versus Kamiak meet (see Page C1 for the story). The next chapter is tonight when Kamiak will play host to Mariner in the annual Mukilteo School District rivalry. Then on Thursday Mariner will travel to Edmonds to take on E-W in the final league meet for both teams.
Also on Thursday, Kamiak will wrestle at Meadowdale (5-3 in South meets) in another league finale. Although Kamiak will be favored, the Mavericks hope to derail Kamiak’s hopes for a division crown.
The Kamiak-Mariner battle is always intense and attracts a big crowd. This year the rivalry has extra fuel because former Mariner head coach Otto Olson is now a first-year Kamiak assistant coach. Olson resigned from Mariner in August after coaching the Marauders to three league titles in six seasons. He accepted a job on Kamiak’s coaching staff in September.
“We know Mariner’s going to be jacked up to bring their ‘A’ game to Kamiak,” said Tracy Regan, Kamiak’s head coach.
Last year the South title race also came down to the final week, with Edmonds-Woodway, Kamiak and Mariner in the mix. Kamiak blasted Mariner 50-14 on Jan. 27, 2009. Two days later, Kamiak needed Mariner to upset unbeaten E-W to create a three-way tie for the South championship, but E-W prevailed 38-27 and became the first Edmonds school to win a league wrestling crown in 21 years.
Kamiak wrestler breaks school record for pins
Wrestler Nate Regan set the Kamiak career pins record when he beat his Mountlake Terrace opponent on Jan. 19. Regan, a senior, tallied his 66th pin (and 100th career win) for the Knights. The old record (65 pins) was held by 2009 Kamiak graduate Anthony Jacobson. Regan is also Kamiak’s career leader in victories with 104. He went 3-0 en route to winning the 135-pound individual title and helping Kamiak place third in the team standings on Saturday at the Tahoma Mat Classic.
Jackson guard has broken hand
Chanel Sam, a senior starter on the Jackson girls basketball team, will have surgery on her broken right hand and might miss the rest of the season, Jackson coach Jeannie Thompson said. Sam, a versatile, athletic leader for the Timberwolves, suffered the injury during a game against Edmonds-Woodway on Wednesday. In addition to averaging about eight points per game, Sam was one of Jackson’s best ballhandlers. “It obviously changes people’s roles a lot,” coach Thompson said. Depending on how quickly Sam’s hand heals, Sam might be able to play again this season if Jackson (10-2, 12-2) qualifies for the Class 4A state tournament (March 3-6 at the Tacoma Dome).
Reminder: Cascade Hall of Fame ceremony on Friday
Cascade High, which opened in 1962, will welcome the inaugural group of inductees into the Cascade Athletics Hall of Fame at approximately 7:45 p.m. on Friday at Reg Scodeller gym in Everett. The inductees are Terry Ennis, Dawn Lawrence, Ann Matheson, Reg Scodeller, Bob Smithson and Pat Sullivan. The Hall of Fame ceremony will take place after the Cascade-Everett girls basketball game, which will start at 6:30 p.m. Following the ceremony, the Cascade-Everett boys game will tip off at 8:15 p.m.
Mike Cane: mcane@heraldnet.com. Check out the prep sports blog Double Team at www.heraldnet.com/doubleteam.
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