Prep wrestling: Girls gain experience at dual meet, Hammer Head Invite

Despite winter break looming, the Wolves’ wrestling squads kept a full slate of matches last week.

Results were mixed though for Sequim’s boys and girls at two dual meets and a huge tournament in Bremerton.

The boys opened the week with a 63-9 loss at North Kitsap (2-1 overall) on Dec. 13.

Coaches said Hayden Gresli was the lone Wolf to win a match, a decision over Noah Cameron at 160 pounds, with the remainder of Sequim’s points coming by forfeit.

The following day, Sequim hosted the Olympic League Girls Dual Meet with all of the team’s girls wrestling that day.

In varsity matches, Sequim’s Megan Puksta, 125 pounds, pinned Port Angeles’ Brook Meyer in 2:30 while at 130 pounds fellow Wolf Amara Sayer pinned Klahowya’s Hannah Bumbalough in 5:51. Sayer and Bumbalough were tied at 2-2 in the first period before Sayer went up 5-4 in the second and worked her way to a pin in the final seconds.

Kiara Pierson faced some tough competition too with Bremerton’s Haley Michaelson at 135 pounds ending in a tie, sort of.

The wrestlers were deadlocked with no points through the entirety of the match but the referee stopped the match three times — two for Pierson with a bloody finger, and a third and final time halfway through the third period when Michaelson injured her thumb when Pierson attempted to take her down.

Sequim coach Bill Schroepfer asked the referee to raise both wrestlers’ arms at the end of the match when it was called due to injury.

Pierson said she and Michaelson had a recent close match where Pierson lost by 1 point at the Judy Emry Invite on Dec. 9.

Girls pin down Hammer Head

Pierson and Sequim’s junior varsity wrestlers went deep into the brackets at the Hammer Head Invite at the Kitsap Sun Pavilion in Bremerton on Dec. 15-16 with the girls going on Dec. 16 only.

At 140 pounds, Pierson finished tied for third place after opening with a pin over Olympic’s Victory Thomas in 1:03. She lost to second place finalist Ivy Kraigt of Kentwood by a 4-1 decision, but in the consolation she pinned Marissa Montano of Union in 1:20 before the third place finals was declared a tie.

Sequim freshman Aleah Chen won the 155 B bracket with three pins over Hailey Shamblin of Federal Way in 1:20, Dasha Burnett of Yelm in 1:04, and Briana Epley of Lakes in a minute flat.

Fellow freshman Emily Dodson took runner-up in the junior varsity 125 pound bracket winning her first three matches by pin over Katie Medoza-Valeria of Hazen in 4:21, Jaiden Pratt of Hoquiam in 1:05, and Amber Andrada of Central Kitsap in 31 seconds. In the finals, she fell to Reily Dogeagle of Franklin Pierce by pin in 45 seconds.

Both Amara Sayer, 120 pounds, and Aylee Bennett, 155 pounds, won two matches each with Sayer taking back-to-back pins in the consolation over Kyla Shoddy of Kelso in 1:19, and Georgina Gomez Duarte of Hazen in 38 seconds. Bennett opened with a 14-second pin of Samantha Janes of Graham Kapowsin and in the consolation bracket she pinned Abigail Archer of Gig Harbor in 43 seconds.

Sequim’s Megan Puksta, 125 pounds, and Kayden Hilliard, 120 B, won a match each with Puksta pinning Kelso’s Alana Gugleberg in 34 seconds, and Hilliard pinning Raven Dulcos of Steilacoom in 2:12.

Boys in Bremerton

Sequim’s boys saw some success on the mats last weekend with two seniors, Jamie Schroepfer, 132 pounds, and Hayden Gresli, 160, winning three matches apiece.

Schroepfer opened with a pin of Olympic’s Zane Plotts in 32 seconds and later in the consolation, he pinned Tim Porter of Olympic in 30 seconds, Klahowya’s Hayden Steele in 45 seconds.

Gresli opened his tournament by pinning Carter Parker of Mount Si in 5:05 and pin of Daven Macugay of Lakes in 2:34. After losing by pin, Gresli won 6-2 over Kai’imi Henry of WF West.

Fellow senior Ben Newell, 145 pounds, won two matches of his own pinning Adrian Cleaver of North Kitsap in 47 seconds and Shadyn Sneath of Lakes in 3:31.

Sequim’s Austin Newton, 170, won one match with a pin over Derrick Dunaway of Port Angeles in 2:46.

Up next

Winter break may be on, but the Wolves travel to North Mason’s Hawkins Memorial JV & Girls Tournament on Dec. 22, and the varsity boys travel on Dec. 23 to the North Mason Classic.

In the New Year, Sequim opens with a dual meet again in North Mason on Jan. 4.

Reach Matthew Nash at mnash@sequimgazette.com.

Sequim’s Amara Sayer avoids a takedown by Klahowyas Hannah Bumbalough on Dec. 14. Sayer went on to win with a pin in 5:51. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash

Sequim’s Amara Sayer avoids a takedown by Klahowyas Hannah Bumbalough on Dec. 14. Sayer went on to win with a pin in 5:51. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash

Sequim’s Kiara Pierson battles Bremerton’s Haley Michaelson at the Olympic League Girls Dual Meet on Dec. 14. They were deadlocked with no points through the third period until the match ended on an injury after Pierson attempted to take down Michaelson and the Bremerton wrestler landed on her thumb and injured it. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash

Sequim’s Kiara Pierson battles Bremerton’s Haley Michaelson at the Olympic League Girls Dual Meet on Dec. 14. They were deadlocked with no points through the third period until the match ended on an injury after Pierson attempted to take down Michaelson and the Bremerton wrestler landed on her thumb and injured it. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash