Hester whips Johanson as rematch looms

SHORELINE

Advantage, Hester.

The much-anticipated 189-pound bout of the night between Shorewood’s Tim Hester and Edmonds-Woodway’s Rudy Johanson went to the Shorewood senior, by an 11-2 major decision.

Hester endured, albeit with a red scratch on his right cheek — Johanson cut his lower lip — to avenge his loss to Johanson in the district meet last year.

With a score of 57-15, Edmonds-Woodway won the meet, held Jan. 11 at Shorewood High School.

Hester and Johanson have met three times, with Hester now the victor in two matches. They know each other well, getting insight from coaches who have worked with the other wrestler and who understand the other guy’s tendencies.

Hester (16-0) said he expected Johanson (8-1) to come in and tie him up, then back up and come out and take a shot. He said Johanson tried that move four or five times.

“He knew what I was going to do and I knew what he was going to do,” said Hester, who seemed a step quicker as he anticipated Johanson’s moves. “It was a great match to watch.” Hester scored a takedown and near fall in the first period, and Johanson got an escape. Hester notched an escape and threw Johanson to the mat for a takedown in the second period. After the pair got tangled up and tussled a bit after the buzzer at the end of the period, Hester gave up an escape in the third round but followed it up with a near fall.

“You got to be ready for Tim,” Edmonds-Woodway coach Mike Hanchett said. “It’s two different styles. Rudy’s so long and lanky he can recoil so fast.”

Hester goes after the upper body.

“That’s where we had trouble tonight, with the throws,” Hanchett said.

Johanson said he missed some time recently because of a vacation.

“I’m a little out of shape,” Johanson said. “I was out of practice for three weeks. I’ll get back in shape and see him at district again. He works a lot of upper body. He’s good at getting guys into it and I got into it. Just a few things I need to work on in practice.”

Edmonds-Woodway dominated most of the other matches to improve to 5-2 in the Western Conference South Division and 8-3 overall.

Andrew Vulliet pinned Shorewood’s Daniel Yun at the 3:47 mark of the 103-pound match after a close first period.

“Andrew did a great job wrestling his style,” Hanchett said. “He really played things to his strength.”

The Warriors’ Sam Warren edged Brandon Leach 5-4 in the 112-pound match by scoring a reversal in the second period after trailing Leach early.

Edmonds-Woodway’s Stefan Carlson pinned Kyle Floresca at the 3:18 mark of the 119-pound match; Edmonds-Woodway’s Ryan Deweese pinned Sam Hobbs in 1:08 in the 125-pound match; The Warriors’ Christian Haberman won a 13-7 decision over Carl Berenson in the 130-pound match; Edmonds-Woodway’s Steven Alfi pinned Chris Nitta in 1:49 in the 140-pound match; Edmonds-Woodway’s Ryan McAllister won by technical fall over Giovanni English 21-6 in the 145-pound match; Edmonds-Woodway’s Michael Asefaw won a 18-7 major decision over Joel Smith at 160 pounds; Edmonds-Woodway’s Alex Rutledge pinned Ned Kelly in 3:19 at 215 pounds; and Edmonds-Woodway’s William Murphy and Merim Cutuk won by forfeit at 171 and 285 pounds respectively.

Shorewood’s other winners included Matt Jensen by a 17-2 technical fall over Sam Storino in the 152-pound match, and Alfredo Lopez with a pin of Loren Fuell at the 1:45 mark of the 135-pound match.