by MATTHEW NASH
Sequim Gazette
Underclassmen claimed Sequim’s top spots on the medal stand at last weekend’s Mat Classic in the Tacoma Dome.
Sophomore Alma Mendoza at 125 pounds, and freshman Kiara Pierson, 115 pounds, took seventh and eighth place in their weight classes as first-time state competitors.
“They both wrestled hard nose,” Head Coach Charles Drabek said. “It was good to see. My thinking was holy smokes we’ve got a few more years ahead of this.”
Mendoza and Pierson were joined by fellow state qualifiers Kaylee Ditlefsen (140), a three-time state competitor, and Kevyn Ward (152), a first-time state competitor, who both won one match each.
Girls Coach Bill Schroepfer said Mendoza may have had the toughest girls’ bracket with three previous state medalers and three other state participants.
Mendoza stormed out with a an 18-1 tech fall win over Karina Martinez of Lynden but lost to fourth place finisher Chloe Spencer of Ephrata 9-7. In the consolation, Mendoza pinned Marinna Vela of Zillah in 4:40 but lost to third-place finisher Erin Redford of White River 9-1, whom Mendoza has lost to a few times this season already.
For seventh, Mendoza won 10-0 over Anjelika Koenig of Concrete.
Schroepfer said Mendoza wrestled that match with the most intensity he’s seen out of her all season.
“I am not sure I would have wanted to be that girl,” he said. “The score of 10-0 does not reflect how well she wrestled or how dominant she was.”
Prior to regionals, Mendoza said it was tough not making it to state last year as a freshman so she had been working much harder in the offseason. She was one of two underclassmen to medal in her weight class.
Drabek said Mendoza and Pierson always work hard in practice.
“They are working hard to perfect the sport and it’s showing,” he said. “I think they’ll definitely move up next year.”
Pierson, one of Sequim’s many new high school girl wrestlers, had to play a pigtail match against Anesia Ramirez of Lakes, who took second overall, to decide their match-ups at state,
She opened against weight class champion Cameron Guerin of Davis to survive the first round but was pinned in 2:33.
In the consolation, Pierson pinned Tempprince Gibbons of Napavine in 43 seconds and defeated Korbyn Cadle of Mount Baker 11-4 before losing to sixth-place finisher Sierra Joner of Battleground by pin in 2:27. For seventh/eighth, Pierson lost to Makayla Grimm of Columbia Burbank 5-2.
Guerin and Pierson were the only freshmen to medal.
Schroepfer said Pierson’s match against Cadle was probably her best of the season as she continued to try for more points even up 11-4 with 20 seconds to go.
“It’s exciting to know that we have three more years of coaching her,” he said. “I am certain she will be earning a lot of medals in the years to come.”
Ditlefsen, a senior, returned to state for the third time and after taking eighth last year. This year she won her opening match against Natalie Hall of Pasco 6-2 before losing to Ally De La Cruz of Kamiak, the eventual third-place finisher, 7-1. Ditlefsen lost in the consolation to fifth-place finisher Bethany Davis of Yelm 7-6, whom Ditlefsen had beaten a few times this season.
Drabek said Ditlefsen definitely had aspirations of going out on a higher note but he’s excited for her college career in wrestling.
“She was a big part of our team for four years,” he said.
Schroepfer said he’s certain Ditlefsen will shake this off and wrestle for many more years.
“Kaylee will be dearly missed next season as a leader role model to the younger girls,” he said.
Ward, a junior, took the first seed out of regionals after sweeping his opponents the week before. He opened with a loss to fourth-place finisher Andy Vargas of Quincy by a last second pin in 3:59.
In the consolation, he won 16-10 over Tristian Wallersted of Tumwater but lost 13-10 to fifth-place finisher Dustin Nading of R.A. Long.
Drabek said Ward was up 10-7 with about 30 seconds to go but Nading countered to score six points in that span.
“I wanted it so badly for him,” Drabek said. “He had a good attitude about it though. Next year, he’ll realize he should have medaled and use that.”
As a team, Sequim ended three seasons without a team win and won seven dual meets and finished 4-4 against league opponents.
Next year, Schroepfer said he anticipates five-six middle school girls moving up to the high school team. This year, the team also went from three girls in 2014 to 13 with several freshmen.
“With Sophia Cornell and Kaylee Ditlefsen graduating there will be some large shoes to fill,” he said.
