M-P grapplers place at Mat Classic

The Marysville-Pilchuck wrestling team had two wrestlers place in the 3A State Tournament at the Tacoma Dome on Feb. 21-22.

By Brandon Adam • March 3, 2014 1:17 pm
M-P junior Drew Hatch wrestles an opponent during the 3A State Tournament at the Tacoma Dome on Feb. 22.
M-P junior Drew Hatch wrestles an opponent during the 3A State Tournament at the Tacoma Dome on Feb. 22.

MARYSVILLE — The Marysville-Pilchuck wrestling team had two wrestlers place in the 3A State Tournament at the Tacoma Dome on Feb. 21-22.

M-P took seven wrestlers to the Dome on Feb. 21, with two of those wrestlers placing quite high in the state.

Junior Killian Page placed second after he lost to the State Champion. “He was second last year,” head coach Craig Iversen said. “We were really proud of his effort.”

Killian’s second-place finish came by way of a 6-5 decision over Liberty’s junior Conner Small in the 160-pound weight class.

M-P junior Drew Hatch placed third in State. “He lost his second match, but came back and beat that wrestler,” Iversen said.

Hatch placed third when he defeated Enumclaw senior Sean Wei in the 170-pound weight class. Hatch won by a 6-1 decision.

Hatch wasn’t feeling 100 percent during his time at the State meet. “He had a cold,” Iversen said. “He was kind of low on energy.”

With the juniors coming back next season, Iversen said they will benefit the team tremendously. “We are very excited about their leadership,” Iversen said.

It was long, tough road for M-P’s wrestling season, up until Feb. 22, but Iversen was pleased that his wrestlers turned on at the crucial part of the season.

“We were coming on at the end,” Iversen said. “Next season, we’re trying to aim for State.”

Iversen said State experience for the young wrestlers will pay off into next season.

“Of that crew, we had only one senior,” Iversen said. “So hopefully that’s good experience.”

M-P junior Ryan Daurie didn’t place, but had a good match during the tournament. In the 132-pound weight class, Daurie defeated Prairie sophomore Peter Mattson 11-2.

With M-P’s 2014 wrestling season coming to an end, Iversen was more than pleased with the outcome.

“We ended on a positive note, and that’s what we hoped for,” Iversen said.

The five other wrestlers who participated at the State Tournament, but didn’t place, were 152-pound freshman Keith Pablo, 220-pound freshman Austin Brown, 182-pound junior Ilya Nikitenko and 145-pound senior Jose Villagomez.