E-W takes home two medals

TACOMA

Edmonds-Woodway’s Rudy Johanson and Andrew Vulliet didn’t achieve their ultimate goal of winning state titles at Mat Classic XXI, but the two Warriors still had solid showings and came home with medals.

Johanson, a senior who was making his third straight trip to the state wrestling championships, took fifth place in the Class 4A 189-pound division and was just a point away from advancing to the finals. Vulliet, a sophomore in his first appearance at the Tacoma Dome, finished sixth at 103.

“I feel all right,” said Johanson following his 12-3 victory over Monroe’s Sam Kenagy in the fifth/sixth place match on Feb. 21. “It’s not what I wanted, not my goal.”

The Edmonds-Woodway standout found himself one match away from the finals after posting strong performances on the first day of the tournament. Johanson opened with a 17-2 technical fall victory over Skyline’s Anthony DeMatteo and then a 10-3 decision over Shelton’s Jordan Frost.

Johanson then faced Decatur’s Darren Faber in the semifinals the next day. Trailing 3-2 after the first round, Johanson dominated the second period, building an 8-4 lead. But Faber did not fold and started chipping away at the lead in the third period. Faber opened the period with five straight points to take a 9-8 advantage before Johanson tied it up at 9 to force overtime.

“He didn’t give up and he just kept going and going and going and he didn’t get tired,” Johanson said.

Faber scored a takedown with 35.3 seconds left in overtime to cap his comeback.

“I just got put to my back for a few seconds and got caught,” Johanson said.

Edmonds-Woodway coach Mike Hanchett knew going into the match that Faber was a relentless competitor.

“He’d take a point, after point after point, one at a time,” Hanchett said. “He wasn’t really trying to score super big or anything. He was tenacious, just staying after you.”

The loss really rattled Johanson, who said that winning a state title was a goal of his since elementary school.

“It was really hard,” Johanson said of his first consolation match, which he lost 5-2 to Snohomish’s Spencer Caraballo.

Johanson only had about half an hour between his semifinal loss and the first consolation match.

“My head wasn’t into it. My heart wasn’t into it,” Johanson said.

After the loss to Caraballo, Johanson went back to his hotel and regrouped.

Johanson and Kenagy were tied 2-2 entering in the third period before the Edmonds-Woodway senior pulled away with a 10-1 run.

“He just upped his attack on him and realized that his shots were working,” Hanchett said. “The other wrestler had to start to jeopardize his position more. He (Johanson) took advantage of that.”

“He’s just got some innate natural ability, innate athletic ability. Coupled with his speed and his agility he’s become an excellent wrestler.”

Vulliet also found himself wrestling in the semifinals on Saturday. The sophomore standout opened the tournament with a 6-4 victory over Heritage’s Austin Frazier and then edged Richland’s Kyler Mars 4-3 in the quarterfinals.

Kentwood’s Ruben Navejas ended Vulliet’s hopes of a finals appearance with a pin at the 1-minute, 41-second mark. Navejas went on to finish first in the division.

“I was just a little bit unready for how hard he was going to come because last year he was expected to win state or at least get second,” Vulliet said. “He fell short and he ended up getting fifth. He was really, really, really fired up for the match.”

In his first consolation match, Vulliet lost 1-0 to Frazier and then dropped an 11-0 decision to Kent Meridian’s Jesus Valdez in the fifth/sixth match.

“I fell short in my second to last match,” Vulliet said. “I was really close. I beat that kid earlier in the tournament. I should have beat him this time.”

Even though Vulliet has wrestled in some major tournaments, the state high school championships were still a big deal to him.

“Once I got into the (semifinals and the medal rounds) I got a little bit nervous,” Vulliet said. “I learned that I need to wrestle more attacking and less defensive and not let the scenery get to me.”

Hanchett expects Vulliet to be a familiar face at state the next two years.

“He’s got two great years ahead of him,” Hanchett said. “You can expect to see lots of him in the Tacoma Dome.

“You put some weight on him this offseason and have him do some more freestyle and he’ll have a whole different look next year.”

Hanchett, however, won’t be around to help guide Vulliet since he announced his retirement earlier this year. Johanson and Vulliet were the only two Warriors in medal matches so that meant Hanchett was officially retired.

“That’s a wrap,” he said.

His plans for the rest of the evening were simple.

“Watch and enjoy. Watch and enjoy,” Hanchett said with his voice cracking with emotion. “Watch and enjoy with the kids who have come so far with me.”

MEADOWDALE SENIOR TAKES EIGHTH: Meadowdale’s Michael Loutsis finished eighth in the Class 3A 215-pound division. The Maverick senior opened with a 10-1 victory over Auburn Mountainview’s Kristian Agemotu before losing 19-4 to Union’s Quanah Briggs in the quarterfinals. Loutsis then bounced back with a 12-0 decision over Port Angeles’ Nathan Cristion. White River’s Chase Meyers then pinned Loutsis at the 3:30 mark. Agemotu avenged his first-round loss with a 10-2 victory in the seventh/eighth place match.