Spanaway Lake’s Martin Champaco may not have won his match against Emerald Ridge’s Nolan McBride, but he did just enough to help his team secure a 41-40 victory in a South Puget Sound League dual match Friday night.
With the Sentinels clinging to a five-point lead, Champaco, a 132-pounder, avoided a pin from an amped up McBride in the final match of the night. McBride won in a major decision, 17-7, but it netted the Jaguars just four team points and allowed the Sentinels to hang on.
“I just told him to wrestle hard and not give up,” Sentinels head coach James Grady said. “He was outmatched against (McBride), but he went out there and fought his heart out. That is what I expect out of my wrestlers. They knew in their hearts they could win this match tonight. It was a really good one for us.”
McBride had Champaco flat on his back with 15.5 seconds remaining, Champaco was just barely out of bounds.
“I can’t remember the last time we ever wrestled them this hard,” Grady said. “I’m just really proud of my guys. They did all the work.”
Emerald Ridge 160-pounder Matt Martinez, who pinned Spanaway Lake’s Mitchell Tracy in the first round, was proud of McBride’s gutty performance.
“I thought he did great,” Martinez said. “He had a couple of chances to get the pin. He just ran out of time.”
Emerald Ridge wrestlers who won their matches were Ethan Stultz (pin), Ceasar Quintanilla (forfeit), Jordan Barnes (injury default), Martinez (pin) and Zach Carnicle (pin).
Sports Editor Shaun Scott can be reached at 253-552-7002 or by email at shaun.scott@puyallupherald.com. Follow him on Twitter, @herald_shaun.
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