Winter Sports Preview: Wrestling

2015-2016 Season: 5-3

Head Coach: Bill Schroepfer; assistants: Chad Aubin, Dakota Hinton, Ethan Hinton, Becky Schroepfer, Charles Drabek Managers: Bailey Cauffman, Jillian HutchisonBlovin, Shelby Jones, Riann Perreira

Returning: Andres Avila, Craig Baker, Travis Baker, Nicholas Barrett, Aylee Bennett, Austin Budd, Levi Foy, Hayden Gresli, Abigail Hansted, Adrian Klarich, Alma Mendoza, Ben Newell, Dylan Perreira, Grant Pierson, Kiara Pierson, Christopher Puksta, Megan Puksta, Jamie Schroepfer, McKenzie Stockdale, Madison Uranga, Glenn Uy.

Newcomers: Bree Bennett, Murray Bingham, Benjamin Castle, Kyle Klopfenstein, Conner Martin, Alexi Rampp-Taft, Sarah Ulmer, Haley Yanez, Blake Dalton.

This season, Wolves wrestlers may see their biggest representation at state in years.

Eleven Wolves who wrestled at regionals return this season with four of those state competitors but bringing that up isn’t something new head coach Bill Schroepfer isn’t deliberate about mentioning.

“We don’t like to set the bar too early,” he said. “You just don’t know how some are going to handle it. Some can handle it though.”

State or not, Schroepfer, who takes over for outgoing coach Charles Drabek who stepped down earlier this year for family reasons, said his expectation is 100-percent effort from each wrestler and so far many are up to standards.

“Everyone’s weights bumped up a little one or two weight classes but that’s because a lot of them are hitting the gym and getting muscle,” Schroepfer said.

Last season, Sequim sent six wrestlers to the Mat Classic state tournament with Kiara Pierson placing fourth at 110 pounds, Alma Mendoza seventh at 140 pounds, and graduate Kevyn Ward eighth at 160 pounds. Michael Latimer, a graduate, Adrian Klarich, and Craig Baker also competed.

Schroepfer said that same group could return along with a handful of other wrestlers who put in a lot of off-season work like senior and team co-captain Grant Pierson who made regionals last year.

“We have a lot less lower and higher weights but we put out a lot of effort and have a lot of heart,” he said.

Co-captain Klarich said he feels this year teammates are a lot more energized and he and Pierson think teammates Austin Budd, and Craig and Travis Baker could have great seasons.

“(The Bakers) did a lot of stuff in the off-season, they went to Japan, went to Las Vegas and a lot of raising that money was hard work and carries into working out,” Klarich said.

Both captains said their goal is to reach state with Klarich thinking a state title in the 182 after losing in the first round at the Mat Classic 15-4 to eventual state champion Diego Gallegos of Lindbergh

One of the few newcomers this year includes Murray Bingham who competed for Siuslaw High School in Oregon last year in their state tournament.

Growing girls team

Interest among the sport for girls continues to grow too, Schroepfer said.

“It’s probably the fastest growing sport in the state for girls,” he said.

To showcase the sport more, Sequim hosts the first Olympic League Girls Meet on Dec. 14 where the league’s girl wrestlers will be divided among two teams for a dual meet.

“Many of these girls haven’t wrestled in a dual meet or they have to wrestle a boy or wait until a tournament,” Schroepfer said.

Wolves co-captain Kiara Pierson said she think it’s cool they’re having a tournament for girls.

“It just show the progress of girls wrestling general,” she said.

“It’s exciting especially to think about what it’ll be like my senior year.”

Mendoza, co-captain, said she’s seen the sport progress a lot since she was a freshman as more teams add girls and now there’s a local tournament for girls.

This year, she’s planning to try to have more fun though.

“Being a senior, I know it’s my last chance to wrestle because I’m not going to wrestle in college,” she said.

She’s placed seventh the last two state tournaments and thinks she can place higher.

“But I want to try and have fun,” she said. “I’m always emotionally involved when I lose. I need to stop getting so mad and channel it into my next match.”

Both captains said at least four-five girls could make state this year including Abi Hansted, Aylee Bennett and freshman Alexi Rampp-Taft.

“(Rampp-Taft) catches on quickly, and she’s really good,” Mendoza said.

Schroepfer agrees saying he can’t wait to see her in a match.

Sequim opened its season with the Wrestlerama Jamboree on Nov. 29 in Port Angeles. They host a double-dual meet on Dec. 14 against Olympic and North Kitsap, and the Olympic League Girls Meet Dec. 15.

Reach Matthew Nash at mnash@sequimgazette.com.

Kiara Pierson and Abi Hansted are two of a big contingent of girls on the Wolves wrestling squad. This year Sequim hosts the first Olympic League Girls Tournament on Dec. 15. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash

Adrian Klarich tries to escape a hold by Craig Baker at a recent practice. Both boys made state last year and trained hard in the offseason hoping for better results in their senior seasons. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash