SEDRO-WOOLLEY - Squalicum wrestling coach Russell Robinson said when he took over the program last year, his goal was to turn the Storm into perennial top 10 state placers.
With more performances like the one Squalicum displayed at the Class 2A Region One Wrestling Tournament Saturday, Feb. 9, at Sedro-Woolley High School, the Storm appear to be well on its way to accomplishing Robinson's vision.
Led by Storm 120-pounder Luke Jordan and heavyweight Patrick Schjelderup, who each won individual titles, Squalicum advanced all seven of its regional wrestlers to next weekend's Class 2A State Championships at the Tacoma Dome.
Squalicum placed higher than any other 2A Whatcom County team with its 115 points and fourth-place finish. Bellingham and Lynden tied for sixth with 85 points and Sehome took ninth out of 14 teams with 58 points.
"Last weekend was a rough weekend," Robinson said. "We didn't get as many through as we wanted. The kids that did get through worked hard this week. I was thinking on the outside five, but to have all seven make it through with two champs and three in championship rounds, that's cool. That's a good day."
Jordan beat Burlington-Edison rival Eman Trujillo with a grind-it-out 3-2 decision, and Schjelderup beat Bellingham's Dylan Hanson with a 9-5 decision. Spencer Wallace (113 pounds) also made the finals but lost.
"I just feel great," said Jordan after his narrow win. "I won my first tournament last week, and winning another one the next week is awesome. (Trujillo and I) have a rivalry. I have won three times now, and he has won four times for the career."
Anthony Krause (106), Josh Pratt (106), Aaron Saunders (152) and Kyle Stallo (182) were the Storm's four other wrestlers to earn top four finishes and advance to the Mat Classic.
"I would have to say Spencer Wallace at 113 had a great day," Robinson said. "He had a rough weekend last week, but things aligned for him today. It was great. He would definitely be my standout."
Besides Jordan and Schjelderup, Lynden 170-pound wrestler Ryan Meggison was the only other Whatcom County wrestler to claim a first-place medal. The Lynden senior did so in impressive fashion.
After pinning his quarterfinal opponent and escaping the semifinals with a 3-2 decision, Meggison pinned Sedro-Woolley's Quinton Roppel in 44 seconds in the championship match.
"I knew he was a young kid, so I had some on him," Meggison said. "I worked my kind of fashion move on him. ... I'll have a really good seeding, so that helps out a lot. That's what I was working for, because I already knew I was in to state."
Meggison was one of four Lions to advance to the Mat Classic.
Caleb Newman lost in the 220-pound championship match, Nick Iaconetti (126) also lost in the championship round and Christian Mouat placed fourth in his 145-pound weight class.
Bellingham sent the second most Whatcom County wrestlers to state. Both Patrick Anderson (138) and Hanson (285) settled for second-place finishes after losing their championship matches, and Riley Takemura (113), Sergio Torres (126) and Blair Bennett (160) placed fourth. Seniors Austin Bavaro and Scott Tang ended their season in heartbreak after dropping their winner-to-state matches.
Sehome 160-pound wrestler Austin Vosburgh highlighted the Mariners' day. A week after winning sub-districts, the Sehome junior lost in the championship round to Cedarcrest's Carlos Toledano.
Mariners' Jose Ramirez (145) placed third and punched his ticket to the state tournament, and Devin Robins (285) took fourth in his weight class to give Sehome three state wrestlers.
Reach Andrew Lang at andrew.lang@bellinghamherald.com or call 360-756-2862.
CLASS 2A REGIONAL TOURNAMENT
At Sedro-Woolley
Team scores: Burlington-Edison 165, Sedro-Woolley 149, Sultan 122, Squalicum 115, Cedarcrest 107.5, Bellingham 85, Lynden 85, Granite Falls 80, Sehome 58, Lakewood 54, Anacortes 48.
Whatcom County top four placers
106: 3. Josh Pratt (Squalicum), 4. Anthony Krause (Squalicum); 113: 2. Spencer Wallace (Squalicum) 4. Riley Takemura (Bellingham); 120: 1. Luke Jordan (Squalicum); 126: 2. Nick Iaconetti (Lynden), 4. Sergio Torres (Bellingham); 132: none; 138: 2. Patrick Anderson (Bellingham); 145: 3. Jose Ramirez (Sehome), 4. Christian Mouat (Lynden); 152: 3. Aaron Saunders (Squalicum); 160: 2. Austin Vosburgh (Sehome), 4. Blair Bennett (Bellingham); 170: 1. Ryan Meggison (Lynden); 182: 3. Kyle Stallo (Squalicum); 195: none; 220: 2. Caleb Newman (Lynden); 285: 1. Patrick Schjelderup (Squalicum), 2. Dylan Hanson (Bellingham), 4. Devin Robins (Sehome)
106: Bailey McBride (Cedarcrest) dec. Logan Corbin (Granite Falls). 113: Adam Adkinson (Sedro-Woolley) pin Spencer Wallace (Squalicum) 4:48. 120: Luke Jordan (Squalicum) dec. Eman Trujillo (Burlington-Edison) 3-2. 126: Tyler Groff (Granite Falls) dec. Nick Iaconetti (Lynden) 5-1. 132: Nick Granberg (Burlington-Edison) dec. Curtis Chittenden (Cedarcrest) 4-0. 138: Ely Malametz (Cedarcrest) dec. Patrick Anderson (Bellingham) 8-6. 145: Jacob Farrell (Sedro-Woolley) dec. Brandon Grandy (Burlington-Edison) 8-5. 152: Kyle Morgan (Sedro-Woolley) dec. Jason Barrus (Sultan) 21-9. 160: Carlos Toledano (Cedarcrest) pin Austin Vosburgh (Sehome). 170: Ryan Meggison (Lynden) pin Quinten Roppel (Sedro-Woolley) 0:44. 182: Jacob Naslund (Sultan) pin Ross Atterberry (Anacortes) 1:36. 195: Jeff Bajema (Burlington-Edison) dec. Foster Wade (Archbishop Murphy) 10-2. 220: Taylor Comfort (Sultan) pin Caleb Newman (Lynden) 3:26. 285: Patrick Schjelderup (Squalicum) dec. Dylan Hanson (Bellingham) 9-5.
Reach ANDREW LANG at andrew.lang@bellinghamherald.com or call ext. 862.
