MARYSVILLE The Jim Linden Fieldhouse was abuzz with the sounds of coaches and athletes alike counseling wrestlers on the mat.
While the equivalent encouragement at a basketball game would likely leave fans and coaches hoarse, voices rang out, Stuff his head! and Straighten your leg, interspersed with referee whistles as boys and the occasional girl paired off on the six mats at the Marysville-Pilchuck Premier meet Jan. 12.
Some guys do quite a bit better with coaching, and some Im not sure hear anything, said M-P coach Craig Iversen, whose team scored two victories in their weight bracket and a fourth-place finish, among the 18 teams present to compete.
To the two Tomahawk athletes who reigned over their weight class at the Premier, winning seems to be coming quite naturally this season.
Senior Michael Pfeiff vanquished each of his opponents on the way to the events heavyweight crown, including a 9-3 decision over Snohomishs highly touted heavyweight Jake Reinhard to advance to the championship match against Arlingtons Mark Davis. Pfeiff pinned the rest of his challengers.
In a hard-fought competition at 215 pounds, junior Tannon Hillis also emerged with a title.
Hillis defeated Snohomishs Derek Britton by a 7-4 decision to win his bracket. His path to the top included challenges from the brackets eventual third-place finishers, Bret Brill, also of Snohomish, and Arlingtons Richard Perkins. Hillis defeated Perkins by a 10-2 decision in his second match, earning a bout with Brill. Hillis won that match in an even closer 11-10 decision.
The wins kept alive a remarkable 18-1 season Hillis has put together entering the Premier, said Iversen.
Four other Tomahawks placed.
Freshman Demitri Robinson wrestled his way to the championship match at 103 pounds, where he fell to meet-champion Snohomishs Raylin Lucey by pin.
Matt Burns took third at 125 pounds, meeting his match in a pin by bracket bridesmaid Sam Ottow of Snohomish. Burns rallied though, winning his consolation match over Arlingtons Chris Berg in a 9-6 decision.
At 112 pounds, Brian Donaldson won his way into a match with his brackets eventual champion, Juan Farias of Burlington. Although he lost the match 15-4, Donaldson earned a consolation match, taking fifth place overall.
Moses Lakes Gabe Guzman won a 12-1 decision over Luke Shumaker at 130 pounds, but the Tomahawk rallied with two pins in the consolation match for a fifth-place finish overall.
M-P took fourth to Snohomish, Moses Lake and Arlington with 116 points. Two winners and six runners-up carried Snohomish to a 223-point total for first place. Arlington threatened Moses Lakes hold on second place despite no bracket victors. The Eagles took third with 181 points on the strength of three second-place finishes and four third-places.