Mount Baker senior wrestler Carsen Monaghan has undergone a drastic transformation since his freshman year - both in size and wrestling ability.
As a freshman, Monaghan weighed all of 84 pounds and wrestled in the lowest weight class possible, which was 103 pounds at the time.
Facing opponents who had nearly 20 pounds on him, the Mount Baker grappler found wins hard to come by as he posted a 4-22 record during his first varsity season.
Between his junior and senior year, Monaghan said he grew six inches and put on 10-15 pounds. And while he may still be small in stature, Monaghan has developed into a huge presence on the Mount Baker wrestling team.
"He brings a lot of experience," Mount Baker coach Ron Lepper said in a phone interview. "And you know, he has really come into his own the last couple of years. He's been a varsity guy all four years. He was pretty small the first couple years and his record wasn't overly great, giving up 15-20 pounds. Last year he kind of grew into his body and ran with it."
With the additional weight Monaghan added to his body, he was able to wrestle with the top grapplers in the state. He placed eighth at the Mat Classic after enjoying a brilliant junior season wrestling at 103.
Now wrestling at 113, Monaghan earned a No. 2 seed at state after cruising through the Class 2A Regional bracket. And the senior is now poised to improve on his eighth place finish this weekend at Mat Classic XXIV Friday and Saturday, Feb. 17-18, at the Tacoma Dome, despite wrestling in a higher weight class that is filled with stiffer competition.
"I think my record my freshman year was 4-22 and this year it's like 22-4," Monaghan said in a phone interview. "So, that's pretty good. I wish I could have been as big as I am now my freshman year. The biggest overall goal I have (at state) is that I want to do better than I did last year. I've worked really hard to improve as a wrestler. With my wrestling style, I definitely think I'm better but the (1113) weight class has a lot more competition."
One factor working in Monaghan's favor is his ability to have success on the mat when having little time to prepare.
Typically starting dual meets at the lower weight classes, Monaghan is no stranger to opening up a dual or a tournament with a quick win.
"It's one of the most important positions on the team," Lepper said. " You want a good heavyweight who can close, but you want a guy down below that can get you going. You don't want to wait three or four weight classes to get a win. We have guys we call counters. Those are the guys we can look ahead and count on them winning. Carsen has been that guy on the team the last two years."
Originally, Monaghan said he didn't like feeling the pressure of wrestling first. But as the years have passed, he's learned to embrace wrestling at the beginning of duals or tournaments.
"I've always been one of the first guys to wrestle," Monaghan said. "I didn't really like to be the first guy. Now that I'm a senior I really like getting the team going."
While Monaghan's results on Friday and Saturday will have a direct impact on Mount Baker's team score, he will be responsible for getting himself going over the weekend, as success at the Mat Classic is based on individual effort.
However, a Mount Baker team state title isn't out of the realm of possibility.
According to washingtonwrestlingreport.com, the Mountaineers are ranked second in Class 2A and are slated 11 points behind Deer Park.
While the Mountaineers have an outside chance to bring the Class 2A title back to Mount Baker, both Monaghan and Lepper believe a lot will have to go right over the course of the tournament.
"I think it could be possible for us to win a state title," Monaghan said. "It just depends on how good we wrestle as a whole team. Coach always tells us to look for pins, because pins get the most amount of points."
Having years of experience taking teams to the Mat Classic, Lepper knows a lot will have to go right and a lot will have to go wrong for others if Mount Baker is to claim the tournament's top prize.
"Well, being around this game a long time, realistically, a lot of things have to go right for us and have some things go bad for other people," Lepper said. "We have a lot of No. 4s going against No. 1s. Our approach is that we'll have to get as many placers as we can, not just six or seven guys. We have to score points from down below and hope all those points add up."
Monaghan is one of those Mount Baker wrestlers who has the capability to rack up points. With his 113 title at regionals, his strong seed, prior experience at the Mat Classic and overall wrestling ability, Monaghan has a good shot of navigating deep into his bracket.
"Last year was my first year at sate, and I was a bit overwhelmed," Monaghan said. "I wasn't quite as prepared for my matches as I could have been. This year, I need to focus more on wrestling instead of who's there."
Reach Andrew Lang at andrew.lang@bellinghamherald.com or call 360-756-2862.
ON DECK
MAT CLASSIC XXIV
First session: 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Friday, Feb. 17
Second session: 4-9:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 17
Third session: 10 a.m.-2:15 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 18
Championship matches: 5 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 18
Site: Tacoma Dome
FAVORITES
ALEC POSTLEWAIT, SR., MOUNT BAKER, 285
Postlewait has encountered little resistance this season, collecting plenty of dual meet wins and individual tournament titles. Postlewait used his unique blend of strength and agility to finish third at state last year and fifth in 2010. If the Mount Baker senior can keep the trend upward, he could be calling himself a state champion come Saturday night.
JEREMY KORTHUIS, SR., LYNDEN, 182
Korthuis is one of the few wrestlers in the state that has the chance to place in all four of his varsity seasons. The Lynden senior has tackled every obstacle opponents have thrown at him this year. Korthuis, who has been nursing a shoulder injury much of the year, will undoubtedly hold nothing back at state.
SHAYPHER HENDRICKS, SR., BLAINE, 145
There's no denying Hendricks' abilities. He has a tremendous amount of prior state experience and should have a good chance of navigating through his 152 pound bracket. Currently, he's ranked as the No. 2 wrestler in the state in Class 2A. But, Hendricks is hoping he can prove he's No. 1 when medals get handed out Saturday.
TANNER KLEMANN, SO., NOOKSACK VALLEY, 120
Klemman is an extremely sound wrestler for being just a sophomore, and the Nooksack Valley product has cruised through competition this year. He placed third at state as a freshman in 2011, but if he wants to take the top prize in 2012, he'll have to get past defending state champion Josh Crager of Cascade Christian.
NOLAN TAKEMURA, SR., BELLINGHAM, 126
Takemura has reached the Mat Classic all four seasons he's wrested for Bellingham. He's a veteran with good technical skill and possesses what it takes to become a state champion. Takemura has a solid draw as a No. 2 seed and shouldn't be significantly challenged until the semifinal round.
CONTENDERS
Andrew Peterson, Sr., Bellingham, 132
Dante Gray, Sr., Sehome, 182
Chloe Gardner, So., Nooksack Valley, 137
Caleb Johnson, Jr., Blaine, 195
Zach Larson, Jr., Mount Baker, 152
DARK HORSES
Tyrel Cronk, Jr., Mount Baker, 195
Jerrid George, Jr., Mount Baker, 160
James Reedy-Capp, Sr., Meridian, 195
Mike Antczak, Jr., Blaine, 285
Aysha Schwinden, Jr., Mount Baker, 195
ON TO STATE WRESTLING
Whatcom County wrestlers who qualified for the state championships on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 17-18, at the Tacoma Dome:
GIRLS
Wt. Wrestler School
100 Laura Torrero Mount Baker
118 Olivia Adams Blaine
124 Dani Mata Mount Baker
130 Megan Young Mount Baker
130 Kara Ebergson Squalicum
137 Lacy Cannon Mount Baker
137 Chloe Gardner Nooksack Valley
155 Rachel Hollinsworth Mount Baker
155 Kaela Piehler Mount Baker
170 Marissa Veliz Lynden
195 Alesha Cuny Lynden
195 Aysha Schwinden Mount Baker
265 Luisa Garcia Lynden
265 Susie Molioo Bellingham
265 Angela Mendez Mount Baker
CLASS 1A
Wt. Wrestler School
106 Michael Kippling Nooksack Valley
113 Taylor Gardner Nooksack Valley
120 Tanner Klemann Nooksack Valley
120 Troy Rathjen Meridian
126 Hunter Whittern Nooksack Valley
138 J.J. Hansen Meridian
152 Tyler Warner Nooksack Valley
160 Jesse O'Bryan Nooksack Valley
195 James Reedy-Capp Meridian
285 Nick Bourassa Nooksack Valley
CLASS 2A
Wt. Wrestler School
106 Kyle Gonzales Blaine
106 Riley Takemura Bellingham
113 Luke Jordan Squalicum
113 Zach Wallace Squalicum
113 Carsen Monaghan Mount Baker
120 Jake Knight Bellingham
126 Nolan Takemura Bellingham
132 Joey Walton Mount Baker
132 Andrew Peterson Bellingham
132 Nazar Bezugly Mount Baker
138 Zak Alter Squalicum
138 Justin Belding Blaine
138 Cody Thayer Mount Baker
145 Ryan Meggison Lynden
145 Shaypher Hendricks Blaine
152 Carson Eiswald Sehome
152 Zach Larson Mount Baker
160 Jerrid George Mount Baker
160 Zach Wilson Squalicum
170 Levi Wigg Mount Baker
182 Dante Gray Sehome
182 Jeremy Korthuis Lynden
182 Vlas Bezugly Mount Baker
195 Tyrel Cronk Mount Baker
195 Caleb Johnson Blaine
220 Sterling Honeycutt Mount Baker
220 Caleb Newman Lynden
285 Mike Antczak Blaine
285 Alec Postlewait Mount Baker
285 Jake Larsen Mount Baker
CLASS 3A
Wt. Wrestler School
120 Isaac Robison Ferndale
182 Sam Alexander Ferndale
220 Kam Williams Ferndale
SOURCE: WIAA.COM
