The Decatur wrestling team continued their impressive 2012-13 season by adding another tournament title to its ever-increasing trophy case. The second-ranked Gators won the Panther Classic Saturday at Snohomish High School.
“This is a very tough 16-team tournament with high-level wrestling teams,” said head coach Mike Bressler.
Decatur racked up 171 points to outdistance second-place Snohomish (147 points). Bethel finished up in third and the Todd Beamer Titans ended up in seventh place.
The Gators finished with eight placers during the tournament and picked up weight-division championships from Isaiah Diggs, Nick Karis and Kyle Gleed.
Diggs, a sophomore, might have had the most impressive run of the tournament for Decatur. The 138-pounder knocked off previously unbeaten Greg Eagle of Snohomish, 4-3, in the championship bout.
Karis and Gleed’s titles were a little more expected. Both were regional champions a season ago and dominated their weight classes Saturday in Snohomish. Karis won the 170-pound title after pinning all four of his opponents, including a 5:21 fall off Kamiak’s Tyler Webley-Kunard in the championship.
Gleed also pinned all his opponents at 285 pounds Saturday, including a 28-second pin of Glacier Park’s Mosese Fifita in the final.
Decatur’s other placers were Trysten Dawson (second, 113), Keoni Aparis (second, 132), Dennis Good (fifth, 145), AJ Sarno (fifth, 152) and Justin Robison (fifth, 195).
The Gators were also competing without three of their top wrestlers, Rowland Gaydosh, Spencer Smith and Leviticus Arizpe.
“This is quite an accomplishment, considering those three are major point scorers,” Bressler said.
Beamer’s placers were Malik Messiah (third, 106), Jordan Rhodes (fifth, 113), Brett Dykman (second, 120), Adrian Avena (third, 132), Ishiah Belle (third, 138) and Mitchell Owens (third, 160).
Snohomish Panther Classic
At Snohomish H.S.
Team scores — Decatur 171, Snohomish 147, Bethel 128.5, Glacier Peak 120.5, Blaine 112, Kentwood 112, Todd Beamer 105, Kamiakin 95.5, Peninsula 89, Mercer Island 87, Kentlake 83, Kamiak 77.5, Inglemoor 77, Lynden 67, Woodinville 64, O’Dea 36.
FINALS
106 — Nick Smith Smith, Kentlake, dec. Tyler Almaguer, Kamiakin, 9-2. 113 — Phillip Springstein, Bethel, dec. Trysten Dawson, Decatur, 6-2. 120 — Walker Meyers, Kentwood, pinned Brett Dykman, Beamer, 3:05. 126 — John Kim, Glacier Peak, dec. Damien Gooldy, Kamiakin, 6-2. 132 — Nathan Lowey, Bethel, pinned Keoni Aparis, Decatur, 6:11. 138 — Isaiah Diggs, Decatur, dec. Greg Eagle, Snohomish, 4-3. 145 — Randy Nimrick, Peninsula, pinned Gabe Seward, Inglemoor, 3:49. 152 — Trevor Anderson, Bethel, dec. Casey Larson, Peninsula, 3-2. 160 — Tanner Perry, Snohomish, dec. Tyler Sabin, Glacier Peak, 11-10. 170 — Nick Karis, Decatur, pinned Tyler Webley-Kunard, 5:21. 182 — Ryan Christensen, Woodinville, major dec. Sean Elledge, Glacier Peak, 8-0.195 — Tristan Baus, Snohomish, dec. Josh Koukal, Inglemoor, 7-6. 220 — Caleb Johnson, Blaine, dec. Caleb Newman, Lynden, 7-5. 285 — Kyle Gleed, Decatur, pinned Mosese Fifita, Glacier Peak, 0:28.
