Battle Ground's Brett Joner pins Union's Brandon Esperto to win the 106-pound weight class Saturday at the Clark County Championships. (Samuel Wilson for The Columbian)Photo Gallery
Some of the usual suspects were out in force at Saturday’s annual Clark County Wrestling Championships.
There were the Union Titans, with their dominance on the mats — nine finalists, five champions — claimed the boys team title with 263 points, easily besting runner-up Battle Ground (159) at Hudson’s Bay High School.
But there were some first-timers, too.
Like the King’s Way Christian Knights, a small program with fewer than 10 wrestlers, which not only produced a boys champion, but also had a girls champion, too.
Is it sign of things to come for the Vancouver private school?
“Hopefully,” said senior Mike Garrison.
Garrison, a transfer from Skyview, won the 195-pound title, his first Clark County title and second time competing at the annual tournament. He wrestled for the Storm last year, but didn’t make it out of Day 1 of Clark County.
His goal this weekend? Just make the top four. Instead, he did three spots better by topping Evergreen’s Kevin Williams, 5-2, in the finals to become the Knights’ first boys champion.
“I’ve come so far,” he said.
An hour earlier, teammate Maritza Chavez pinned Washougal’s Emily Eakins in the girls 190-pound final.
It also was a history-making day for Battle Ground’s Sierra Joner. The senior became the first four-time champion in the girls tournament’s seven-year history when she pinned Fort Vancouver’s Marina Sivaya in 34 seconds in the 120-pound final.
Joner said it’s been a goal to be a four-time county champion since winning for the first time as a ninth grader.
“My biggest fear this year was having somebody beat me,” she said.
It became important, too, because of her support system of her family and coaches.
“They all believed that I could do it,” she said.
Another four-time champion could be in the family. Freshman Brett Joner won the boys 106-pound final Saturday, pinning Brandon Esperto in 3 minutes, 23 seconds.
Ridgefield featured two champions in seniors Trevor Newburn (126), a repeat champion, and Wyatt Gasper (132).
Ethan Rotondo (Union, 113), now a three-time champion, and Whitey Sosene (Heritage, 285) both had the quickest pins in their finals matches at 42 and 45 seconds respectively.
The Washougal girls cruised to the team title with 220 points behind with six individual champions.
“We work like a football team, you could say,” said Panthers senior Morgan Ratcliff. “We have a game plan and execute the best we can.”
Ratcliffe is now a three-time Clark County champion. After cruising to back-to-back pins in under 30 seconds, she got a test in the 145-pound finals from Union’s Krista Warren, and pulled away for a 6-4 finals win.
“I knew I had to work on my technique and not rely on my strength,” she said.
WRESTLING Clark County Championships At Hudson’s Bay BOYS
Top three teams — 1, Union 263; 2, Battle Ground 159; 3, Prairie 152.5.
106 — First place: Brett Joner (BG) p. Brandon Esperto (U), 3:23; Third place: Colton Record (Hock) p. Chad Doney (Heri), 4:08
113 — First place: Ethan Rotondo (U) p. Dylan Draper (Ridge), 0:42; Third place: Rexl Lampkin (CR) p. Robel Grove (LC), 2:20
120 — First place: Vitaliy Manolov (U) p. Ryan Logan (E), 3:09; Third place: Troy Ewers (MV) inj def. Scott Lees (Wash).
126 — First place: Trevor Newburn (Ridge) def. Quintin Krogstad (U), 7-0; Third place: Brayden Sofianos (Prar) p. Cole Pass (Wash), 1:45.
132 — First place: Wyatt Gaspar (Ridge) d. Noah Talavera (U), 9-6; Third place: Skylar Jensen (FV) d. Spencer Inserra (BG), 10-5.
138 — First place: Jon McMillan (HB) d. Chris Joner (BH), 11-4; Third place: Alex Newberry (Heri) p. Logan Knutson (CR), 3:55.
145 — First place: Danny Snediker (U) d. Tanner Lees (Wash), 19-7; Third place: Tyler Hawkins (MV) d. Kenny Ford (Prar), 1-0.
152 — First place: JJ Talavera (U) d. Jeff Mayola (LC), 9-4 Third place: Quinn Martin (Sky) d. John Gable (Wash), 6-0.
160 — First place: Izaiah Duran (BG) d. Mike Hickey (Wash), 6-1. Third place: Six Buck (U) d. Kyle Brosius (U), 1-0.
170 — First place: Tommy Strassenberg (U) p. Dylan Goodpaster (E), 1:46; Third place: Colton Wheeler (Hock), d. Chandler Wann (KW), 8-3.
182 — First place: Jackson McKinney (Sky) d. Alton Culver (MV), 11-1 Third place: Dawson Lieurance (Ridge) p. Jedidah Shaver (E), 1:42.
195 — First place: Mike Garrison (KW) d. Kevin Williams (E), 5-2 Third place: Curtis Stradley (BG) d. Connor Wood (Prar), 16-3.
220 — First place: Bryan Person (Prar) d. Nehemiah Rasheed (FV), 6-3 Third place: Dumitri Salagor (U) p. Casey WIshon (HB), 2:28.
285 — First place: Whitey Sosene (Heri) p. Wyatt Close (Prar), 0:45; Third place: Kevin Kruse (S) p. Nathan Balderas (Hoc) 3:58.
GIRLS
Top three teams — 1, Washougal 220; 2, Skyview 116.5; 3, Union 102.5
105 — First place: Hikaru Abe (Sky) d. Samantha Eakins (Wash), 15-0. Third place: Naomie Martinez (CR).
110 — First place: Eliana Duff (FV) p. Nyah Schnackenberg (U), 3:04 Third place: Sofia Bautista (Sky) p. Aria Yang (Wash), 0:26.
115 — First place: Jenna Beaver (Wash), p. Shelby Kysar (LC), 1:01 Third place: Sierra Wooard (U) d. Jasmine Rauch (FV), 3-2 (OT).
120 — First place: Sierra Joner (BG) p. Marina Sivaya (FV), 0:34; Third place: Ariana Clemte (Wash) p. Ella Palandrani (Sky), 1:57.
125 — First place: Jaden Robb (Wash), p. Abby Palandrani (Sky), 1:05; Third place: Abby Knapp (LC) p. Elizabeth Kinnan (BG), 1:34.
130 — First place: Annabelle Helm (U) p. Laura Rasmussen (Wash), 2:21; Third place: Madi Asborne (LC) p. Brianna Fehrer (U), 2:15.
135: — First place: Allison Blaine (HB) p. Mikah Bartel (Wash), 1:08; Third place: Mary McLeod (Prar) p. Jessica Wu (Sky), 1:15.
140 — First place: Mialisa Oster (Wash) p. Marissa Montano (U), 1:08; Third place: Aleksi Donahue (Wash) p. Kiah Collins (FV), 1:46.
145 — First place — Morgan Ratcliff (Wash) d. Krista Warren (U), 6-4 Third place — Nevaeh Cassidy (Heri) p. Bennett Allen (LC), 4:31.
155 — First place: Amanda Fry (MV) d. Brooklkyn Wurmwertz (Wash), 11-2; Third place: Stephanie Cuevas (U) p. Alexis Kysar (LC), 4:01.
170 — First place: Cece Sayler (Sky) p. Eveline Major (HB), 1:12; Third place: Mariana Juerez-Trejo (Sky) p. Carolina-Cramer-Jensen (HB), 0:13.
190 — First place: Maritza Chavez (KW) p. Emily Eakins (Wash), 3:35; Third place: Kylie Vela (Sky) p. Saiah Clark (Wash), 0:34.
235 — First place: Abby Lees (Wash) p. Abigail (Mandiola (FV), 1:43; Third place: no match.
King's Way Christian's Mike Garrison and Evergreen's Kevin Williams struggle for points at the Clark County Wresting Tournament at Hudson's Bay High School on Saturday, January 21, 2017. Garrison beat Williams to win the 195-pound weight class. (Samuel Wilson for the Columbian)
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