TACOMA — Best team ever.
Based on historical records going back to 1953, that’s what the 2008-09 Lake Stevens High School wrestling squad became Saturday during a spectacular performance in Mat Classic XXI at the Tacoma Dome.
Lake Stevens, coached by Brent Barnes, pinned down its third consecutive Class 4A state team championship and seventh overall. This time it wasn’t even close.
Fueled by 10 top-eight individual placers, including repeat winners Josh Heinzer and George King, the Vikings piled up 169 points, the most ever scored in the big-school (now 4A) state tournament. The old record was held by Moses Lake, which tallied 159.5 points in 2000.
“You’re only as good as your season (ends) and that proves it right there,” said Heinzer, pointing to the giant 4A team scoreboard after he won the 112-pound title. Heinzer, a junior who in 2008 won at 103 pounds, defeated Cortney Nalley of Davis 9-3 in the finals.
King later joined Heinzer (33-3 this season) as a two-time state champ by edging Moses Lake’s Sam Villegas 5-3 at 152 pounds. After winning, the usually calm King (30-1) pointed to screaming Lake Stevens fans in the Tacoma Dome bleachers and triumphantly yelled, “Yeah! Yeah!”
The latest state team title is Lake Stevens’ seventh, all since 1990. It was close in 2007 and 2008, when the Vikings won by 13 points and 5.5 points, respectively. But this year senior-heavy Lake Stevens topped the runnerup team (Snohomish, 102.5 points) by 66.5.
“Nobody’s happier for Brent’s program than we are,” first-year Snohomish head coach Rob Zabel said. “We want Wesco represented well.”
“Well deserved,” Edmonds-Woodway coach Mike Hanchett said. “They do a great job of prepping for and peaking at state.”
Western Conference North Division rivals Lake Stevens and Snohomish entered Mat Classic ranked first and second in 4A by Washington Wrestling Report. They fulfilled their perceived potential. Snohomish had its best team finish ever and two individual winners: Sam Ottow (130 pounds) and unbeaten Stefan St. Marie (135).
Asked if this Lake Stevens team is unquestionably his best, coach Barnes said yes, then added: “They’re definitely up there in the top three, no doubt. They can argue it.”
Before its current three-year run, Lake Stevens won 3A team titles in 1990, 2000 and 2001, and a 4A crown in 2004. The 2009 group featured top-eight placers in 10 of the 14 weight divisions. Other than Heinzer and King, the placers were Jack Stilwell (runnerup, 119), Sean Anderson (runnerup, 125), Ryan Rodorigo (third, 103), Jacob Anderson (fourth, 145), Jake Welch (fourth, 160), Steven Walkley (fifth, 130), Zach Teuber (fifth, 285) and Blake Lehuquet (seventh, 171).
Marveling at the performances, Barnes applauded the experienced seniors: King, Stilwell, Sean Anderson, Welch, Teuber and Lehuquet. They are “really good kids that are good citizens and good human beings and have a lot of character,” Barnes said. “They really took ownership of this team.”
Lake Stevens’ two runnerup finishers, Stilwell and Sean Anderson, both lost against 4A top-ranked foes. Second-ranked Stilwell lost 6-0 against Graham-Kapowsin junior Efrain Aguilar, who also won in 2008. Anderson, ranked No. 3, was pinned in the second round by lightning-quick Woodinville senior Kyle Komata.
Mike Cane: mcane@heraldnet.com. Check out the prep sports blog Double Team at www.heraldnet.com/doubleteam.
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