Wrestling: Sequim sees positives in league loss to Port Angeles

Conceding the night’s match to an undefeated and well-stocked Port Angeles team, Sequim wrestlers nevertheless looked to some positives at a league dual match on Jan. 17, earning a number of pre-varsity victories and battling tough in several other varsity matches.

Port Angeles improved to 5-0 and moved within a win of an Olympic League title after Sequim forfeited the match — winning all seven varsity matches teams agreed to despite the forfeit.

One on-the mat win in particular didn’t come easy for Port Angeles, however, with the Riders’ Riley Gale edging Sequim’s Murray Bingham 1-0 in the 170-pound weight class.

It was a rematch of two league foes who battled to a 6-6 tie before Gale earned a reversal and 8-6 win at the Island Invitational on Jan. 12.

“I’ll see him at districts,” said Bingham said following the match, his second of the night.

Bingham, who got interested in wrestling in eighth grade and wrestled in grades 9 and 10 before taking a year away to swim for Sequim High last winter, said he’s enjoying the season.

Bingham is one of a few bright spots during a Sequim wrestling season hampered by injuries and inexperience.

“We’re a young, young team,” Sequim coach Rich Hay said Thursday night. “It may be cliche, but (they’ve got) a lot of heart, a lot of fight, even out-gunned (tonight).”

In varsity matches, the Wolves’ conceded second-round pins at 138 pounds (Jakob Pyeatt, by PA’s Adam Borde), 145 pounds (Zach Koch, by Jackson Larson) and 170 pounds (Kenneth Wolfley, to Trevor Shumway), plus an injury forfeit at 182 pounds (Logan Laxson, who was behind 12-2 to Dom Timperio).

Sequim, however, picked up six wins in seven matches prior to the varsity round; unlike a traditional junior varsity round, this set featured a mix of varsity and JV wrestlers.

In that first round of matches, Sequim’s Trevin Oakes pinned Lindsay Light with 26 seconds left in the match at 106 pounds, and Koch pinned PA’s Zach Gavin at 145 pounds.

Also at 145 pounds, Sequim’s Petra Bernsten pinned Tatum May in the third period with 1:48 left, while Pyeatt earned an injury default win at 138 pounds over Cory Young (Pyeatt was leading 2-1 at the time).

Also earning wins by pin were Sequim’s Bingham (160 pounds) and Emily Dodson (120).

“That first round went really well,” Hay said.

In between rounds, Sequim honored their seniors: Bingham, Pyeatt, Ben Castle and four-year team manager Bailey Cauffman.

Sequim’s Petra Bernsten earned the team’s season pin champion honor after pinning 12 opponents and losing just two matches (including tournaments) in 2018-2019.

See more photos from the match here.

Looking ahead

Sequim takes on league foes Kingston and North Kitsap on Jan. 23, squaring off against the host Kingston Buccaneers at 5 p.m. and NK at 6 p.m.

Select Wolves travel to Silverdale on Jan. 26 for the KL Memorial Tournament.

Sequim’s postseason begins Saturday, Feb. 2, with a sub-regional tourney at Port Angeles.

Top wrestlers move on to the 2A regional tourney on Feb. 9, with the boys at North Mason High in Belfair and girls at Decatur High in Federal Way.

Above: Sequim’s Murray Bingham, right, grapples with Port Angeles’ Riley Gale in the 170-pound weight class on Jan. 17. Gale edged the Sequim senior, 1-0. Right: Sequim’s Skye Henning takes on Port Angeles grappler Tatum-Mae Edmondson at 135 pounds on Jan. 17. Sequim Gazette photos by Michael Dashiell

Sequim’s Logan Laxson grapples with Port Angeles’ Dom Timperio at 182 pounds on Jan. 17. Laxson conceded the match after an injury. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell

Sequim’s Jakob Pyeatt, left, battles for control in the first period of a league match against Adam Borde of Port Angeles on Jan. 17. Borde won by pin in the second period. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell