The Ferndale wrestling team put the team in team title at the Class 3A sub-regional tournament on Saturday, Feb. 2, at Stanwood.
Depite getting only three wrestlers through to championship matches - and two of them having to face each other - the Golden Eagles ran away with the team title over second-place Stanwood and third-place Oak Harbor after having 19 wrestlers place.
"I've been preaching team work all season, and this was the epitome of it," Ferndale coach Caleb Schlack said in a phone interview. "I saw guys in third- and fifth-place matches in the same weight class cheering for each other and hugging each other when it was done. It was great to see."
The Golden Eagles also will send 10 wrestlers to the 3A regional tournament on Saturday, Feb. 9, at Marysville-Pilchuck.
Kam Williams was the 220 pound title, while Sam Alexander beat teammate Klinton Maassen in the 182-pound championship match.
The trio will be joined next week by third-place finishers Mike Carpenter (106), Isaiah Heredia (113), Adeaus Premo (126), Derek Vajda (132), Riley Saenz (145), Erik Engels (160) and Hunter Grunhurd (195).
Fourth-place finishers Cory Slaughter (138), Miguel Mungarro (145) and Chris Hernandez (285) will be alternates to the regional tournament.
Ferndale also had Troy Lacy (113), Devon Bennett (120), Braiden Klimp (126), Taylor Bellefeuille (152) and Charnjit Mattu (170) place fifth and Collin Sutton (120) place sixth.
