Blaine’s Caleb Frey implemented a gritty, intelligent wrestling style while navigating his way to a spot in the Class 2A 145-pound state championship.
He earned a round of 16 pin and added consecutive two-point decisions, including a clutch quarterfinal overtime victory.
But Frey’s dream of winning a state championship was dashed by Fife’s Zach Volk before the lanky Blaine junior could barely break a sweat.
“He caught me,” Frey explained. “I mean, I catch other people, too, so I know what it feels like. It’s hard, but he caught me, and I feel like if we could have went a little longer I would have got him, because he didn’t seem strong on his feet, but we was tough on top.”
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And Volk only needed a few moments on Frey’s back to prove his authority.
Volk gained top position after Frey unsuccessfully shot at the Fife product’s legs a minute into the match. Volk put on a leg ride and followed with a power half, and before Frey could counter, he was on his back and pinned 1:29 into the first period.
“He knew how to work the power half, and he just made it work,” Blaine coach Craig Foster said. “It wasn’t something Caleb did. It’s a tough thing to get out of when it’s that tight, and he knew what he was doing with it.”
In spite of the loss, Frey was Whatcom County’s only boys’ wrestler to advance to a state final. He joined former Borderites Jon Stewart and Mikey Antczak as the only county wrestlers to reach the finals the past two seasons.
Frey placed fourth in Class 1A’s 138-pound bracket a year ago, and the experience of reaching a final adds plenty of motivation for next season.
“I think I did really, really, really good,” Frey said. “It just didn’t turn out the way I wanted it to be, so I just have to come back next year stronger and wrestle.”
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