Union boys win ninth straight Clark County wrestling title

Union is no stranger to asserting itself as the best boys wrestling team in the county.

Going into Saturday’s Clark County Invitational, the Titans had claimed eight consecutive first-place finishes.

But even as Union won its ninth on Saturday at Skyview High School, ahead of 14 schools from all classifications in Southwest Washington, Titans wrestling coach John Godinho wasn’t convinced they’d win.

“I didn’t think we’d do that well (boys),” Godinho said. “We had eight finalists, I thought we’d have far less than that. But the kids stepped up in the semifinals, so we’re pretty excited.”

Kyle Brosius said the Titans, who won with 257 team points, only had three projected finalists. But once the semifinal matches were over, Skyview’s gym consolidated to two mats, the overhead lights went out drawing the spotlight on the finals, Union delivered.

“Underneath the light you get rushed up, you get more adrenaline and you don’t really feel pain,” Kyle Brosius said, proudly wearing two black eyes and a busted lip. “I just love it.”

Brosius won at 160 pounds after finishing fourth last season. His sister, freshman Kayla Brosius also won on the girls side, marking the first time siblings from Union have won in the same year.

Five of Union’s eight finalists won. Brandon Esperto won the 113-pound class and Noah Talavera won the 138-pound class after both finishing second in last year’s invite, which showcases the top wrestling programs in Clark County. Danny Snedicker was a repeat champion, and Josh Barber won the heavyweight category.

Washougal finished second with 166 points and Prairie had 136 to nab third.

The Panthers had three finalists and two winners. Tanner Lees (145) pinned Prairie’s Brayden Sofianos in1:15 and Cole Pass defeated Ridgefield’s Dylan Draper in an 8-6 decision.

Perhaps one of the more closely contested final matches was between best friends.

Skyview’s Jackson McKinney, who finished second as a sophomore at Mat Classic and won last year, defeated King’s Way’s Michael Garrison on a 3-2 decision to become the first Skyview boys wrestler to win the Clark County Invite twice.

Garrison attended Skyview his first two years of high school before transferring to King’s Way, which led McKinney to attest the two know each other “scary well.” They still train together.

“It went even better than the way I planned.” “We started at the beginning (of the tournament) as friends, then (during our match) we hated each other, and now it’s back to friends.”

Hockinson’s Colton Wheeler (170) beat Union’s Josh Joo in a 57-second pin.

“If I could take to him, I knew I could keep the intensity up,” Wheeler said. “Getting that first takedown right off the back really sets the tone.”

Wheeler was Hockinson’s lone finalist. Nathan Balderas (285) finished third.

Other Clark County champions included Heritage’s Sanry Nguyen (106), Daniel Joner of Battle Ground (120), Logan Smith of Skyview (132), Dylan Goodpaster of Evergreen (182) and Dawson Lieurence of Ridgefield (220).

WRESTLING

Clark County Championships
At Skyview High School
BOYS
Top three teams – 1, Union 257; 2, Washougal 166; 3, Prairie 136.
106—First place: Sanry Nguyen (Her) def. Ryan Esperto (Union), 4-3; Third place: Noah Larsen (Prairie) def. Hunter Brown (MV), 5-2.
113—First place: Brandon Esperto (Union) def. Rexl Lamkin (River), 13-6; Third place: Noah Messman (MV) def. Bridger Paradis (Prairie) 5-3.
120—First place: Daniel Joner (B) p. Aaron Avery (Union), 1:38; Third place: Dat Nguyen (Ever) p. Tanner Klopman (Wash), 0:20.
126—First place: Cole Pass (Wash) def. Dylan Draper (Ridge), 8-6; Third place: Draven Burton (Her) p. Elijah Volk (Set), 1:07.
132—First place: Logan Smith (Sky) def. Scott Lees (Wash), 11-6; Third place: Robel Grove (LC) p. Jason Wilcox (Prairie), 1:21.
138—Noah Talavera (Union) def. Andrew Hopple (Wash), 19-3; Third place: Cole Miller (Her) def. Rayn Preston (Ever), 5-4.
145—Tanner Lees (Wash) p. Brayden Sofianos (Prairie), 1:15; Third place: Atticus Kurtz (River) def. Denny Roa (Ever), 3-1.
152—First place: Danny Snedicker (Union) p. Spencer Inserra (BG), 1:28; Third place: Miles Bethell (Ridge) d. Chris Johnson (Sky), 5-1.
160— First place: Kyle Brosius (Union), def. Logan Knudson (River), 8-6; Third place: Noah Renk (BG) def. Bobby Shepard (MV), 4-1.
170— First place: Colton Wheeler (Hock) p. Josh Joo (Union) 0:57; Third place: Nick Oien (Sky) def. Angel Castillo (Bay), 11-3.
182— First place: Dylan Goodpaster (Ever) p. Chandler Wann (KW), 0:52; Third place: Nick Langer (Prairie) def. Michael Hickey (Sky) 6-1.
195—Jackson McKinney (Sky) def. Michael Garrison (KW), 3-2; Third place: Logan Wilson (River) def. Levi Harms (Union), 17-6.
220— First place: Dawson Lieurance (Ridge) def. Nehemiah Polk-Rasheed (Fort), 11-1; Third place: Dumitru Salagor (Union) def. Connor Wood (Prairie) 8-7.
285— First place: Josh Barber (Union) p. Alex Ferruzca (MV), 3:49; Third place: Nathan Balderas (Hock) p. Austin Stewart (BG), 0:30.