Wrestling: Tolberd takes fourth at Hawkins tourney

Sequim High senior Aaron Tolberd picked up a trio of wins as eight SHS teammates earned victories at the North Mason Hawkins Classic in Belfair on Dec. 27 and 28.

Tolberd went 3-2 in the 152-pound weight class to place fourth overall, Sequim’s top varsity boys finisher as the tourney that was postponed by nearly a week because of inclement weather.

Tolberd opened with pins of Lincoln’s Joshua Espinoza in 5:00 and Josue Flores of North Kitsap in 3:12. After falling in the semifinal by pin to Christian Cartagena of Central Kitsap, Tolberd earned another pin of Espinoza (3:51) in the consolation final. Ethan Abrams of Port Angeles edged Tolberd 14-7 in the consolation final for third place.

At 285 pounds, Caleb Crooks went 3-2. He opened with a pin of North Kitsap’s EJ Vailolo in 5:31. After falling to Bradley Amsden of Lincoln (who finished second), Crooks earned two pins in the consolation round: Corvin Macasocol of Lincoln in 1:00, and Logan Deardorff of Lincoln in 1:39.

At 182 pounds, Dylan Bowen went 2-2 and just missed out on a third/fourth place finish. He earned a pin of Travis Lindsay of Lincoln in 2:21, and Andrew Cronin of Central Kitsap in just 15 seconds. He lost a 10-8 heart-breaker to Marquiese Vestal of North Kitsap in consolation semifinals.

Aiden Galvin went 1-1 and finished second in a small 106-pound weight class, edging North Mason’s Xavier Powell 10-8 in the semifinals, before getting pinned by Central Kitsap’s Nate Cronin.

In the girls’ 117-119 weight class, Sequim’s Isabella Diaz took second place after going 2-1 in a round robin. She pinned Juliet Freemier of North Mason in 54 seconds, and beat Amaia Martinez of Central Kitsap in a 9-0 major decision.

In four-wrestler round robin junior varsity divisions, Sequim’s Roger Burwash went 3-0 — including a 24-second pin and 16-1 technical fall victory — to place first. Sequim’s Ryan Spelker (103-108) and James Smith (150-153) both went 2-1 to place second, with each win coming by pin. Azuriah Sylvester (117-120) also picked up a win by pin.

As a team, Sequim was ninth with 55 points. Port Angeles was sixth with 80.5 points and East Jefferson 10th with 43.5 points. Winning the event was Lincoln, a 3A school, with 189 points.

The Wolves are back in action Saturday, Jan. 7 in Port Angeles for the Battle of the Axe tournament, featuring 13 teams.

Sequim is at the Island Invitational at Bainbridge on Jan. 14 and a tourney at Lake High School on Jan. 21.