“This week we’ll really see where we’re at,” White River High wrestling coach Joe Klein said.
The Hornets travel across the river to face top-ranked Enumclaw at 7 tonight, Wednesday, and host another top-ranked team in Bonney Lake Thursday, also at 7 p.m., before heading south to Chehalis, Wash., for the W.F. West tournament Saturday. W.F. West finished second at Saturday’s highly-touted Pacific Coast tournament.
“We have our hands full this week,” Klein said. “We picked it up a notch this weekend and we’ll have to pick it up another notch this week.”
White River is coming off a second-place finish behind Wenatchee at the 16-team Eastmont High Cats Classic Tournament in Wenatchee, Wash. West Valley Spokane was third with Ellensburg and Sedro Woolley rounding out the top five.
“There were state champions at every weight class,” Klein said. “It’s good to head east and see some of the teams we don’t see very often.”
The Hornets put four in the finals, all settling for second.
Brandon Short was the Hornets’ first runner-up, taking second at 119 pounds. In a match that was close to the end, Short fell to Josh St. Marie of Glacier Peak 15-11 in the final.
“It came right down to the end,” Klein said about Alec Williams’ 6-4 loss to Hilario Farias of Wentachee in the 140-pound title match.
Chase Myers finished second at 215 pounds. After racing through the bracket he found himself pinned by Lucas Sealby of Wenatchee in the title match.
David Meagher rolled through the heavyweight bracket before meeting Konrad Swartz of Sedro Wolley. Swartz pinned the Hornet at the 5-minute, 3-second mark for the 285-pound crown.
On the other end of the weight spectrum, at 103 pounds, Richard Geddes finished fourth pulling within four toward the end before losing to Josh Andrew of Richland, who was a finalist in the Tri-State tournament earlier in the month.
Austin Bethel finished fourth at 160 pounds. He faced Dakato Long of Wenatchee in his final match.
Robert Kautzman, at 130 pounds, dropped his opening match, but fought back through the bracket for fifth, pinning Christian Molina of East Valley Yakima in 1:46 in the medal round.
Jeff Kisner won a 7-3 decision over Joey White of Richland for fifth at 171 pounds.
In his first varsity match, 112-pounder Bryce Thompson was one match away from placing, dropping a 6-2 decision to Brad Balard of Bellevue. Austin Shirey was also close to a top six finish at 135 pounds.
