Several area wrestlers win individual state titles

Six local wrestlers reached the finals at Mat Classic XXVIII at the Tacoma Dome on Saturday, and four of them walked away as champions.

Puyallup High led all area schools with three wrestlers reaching the finals, and Bonney Lake had two compete in the 3A finals. Rogers’ Ty Wilson was the only non-Viking or Panther to reach the finals.

“You know, it was a good showing as we increased the number of guys we brought to state from last year,” Bonney Lake coach Dan Pitsch said. “We feel very confident going forward with our program.”

After sending 12 wrestlers to Mat Classic, the Bonney Lake wrestling team finished third (117 points) in 3A behind champion Arlington (148) and runner-up Mount Spokane (126). Third place tied Bonney Lake’s highest-ever team finish at state.

“Our team was committed to winning a state championship this year,” Avery Meyer said. “Everyone put in their work to get in the position to win it.”

Nearly all of the wrestlers the Panthers sent to the state meet will return next year as they attempt to complete the quest they set their sights on at the beginning of the year.

“Next year, I think we’re going to have to find some tough tournaments to go out and travel to during the season to get our guys prepared for state,” Pitsch said. “My guys deserve that after this year.”

The takedown

Brandon Kaylor started the championship round aiming to capture more than his second consecutive 103-pound state title.

He was looking to take down some school history.

Kaylor came into the state meet already having shattered the career record in a less than year’s time, but the sophomore wanted more. He wanted the career record in a single season.

After entering the second day with 238 takedowns on the season, Kaylor was only a dozen away. After picking up six in the semifinals, Kaylor hit a wall when he faced Mount Spokane’s Blake Haney in the finals.

Tiring and slowing, Kaylor had to grind out a 6-3 decision — falling short of reaching his personal mark — to capture his second state title.

“It means a lot. Not much I could ask for in that match,” said Kaylor, who is now halfway to his goal of four state titles. “It was a little closer than I wanted it to be, (but) I did what I had to do.”

Even though his personal and team challenges were not met this season, Kaylor will be back.

“I feel great. Honestly, I have to (give) thanks to God,” Kaylor said. “Every match, me and my dad (Geoff) pray. I think it helps.”

Shocking dominance

No wrestler shocked the 4A state meet quite like the way Puyallup junior Josh Franich did after winning the championship over Central Valley’s Bridger Beard.

It wasn’t just the fact that Franich walked away with the title, it was the way he dominated a tough 132-pound weight class inside the Dome.

Franich was unflappable.

“I feel confident coming in,” Franich said after Friday’s competition. “I’m just trying to go out there and have fun.”

On paper, Franich entered Saturday’s action with his toughest challenge to date: Univerisity’s Cam Sorenson.

Franich had faced Sorenson years before, where the Viking junior always seemed to get the best of his opponent as children when he went undefeated before high school.

“I wrestled him six times (before),” Franich said of Beard.

And his record entering his semifinal match with Sorenson?

“I won all six times,” Franich stated.

Make that 7-0 against Sorenson. Franich pinned his opponent seven seconds (2:07) into the second round after flipping Sorenson in lightning-fast motion that caught everyone by surprise. Franich carried the momentum from the win into his championship bout with Beard.

“I felt very confident … I mean, I pinned the No. 1 seed (Sorenson) with (in) seven seconds (of the) second round. I am pretty proud of myself,” he said.

There was never a doubt in Franich’s mind when he squared off against Beard in the finals, because no wrestler at the tournament gave him a reason to worry. No wrestler could even score a point on him inside the Dome, a sight rarely seen.

“I feel pretty bad. I did not get scored on once this entire postseason,” Franich said.

No wrestler from Washington — or the Northwest — scored on Franich since mid-December. He was epitome of untouchable.

There was nothing Beard could do to stop Franich on his quest at a return to glory. Franich had already tasted state glory five times in his youth. After winning by a 9-0 decision, the Viking took home his first state title while completely embarrassing his bracket.

The victory sent a shock throughout the Dome.

“He has cat-like reflexes. I’ve never seen a kid who can do the things he can do on the mat,” Puyallup coach Aaron Lee said. “Even the refs are shocked by his skills because they don’t see someone as agile and in control like he is. He had a first-round pin (after a quick roll-up against Beard) that came out of nowhere. The ref wasn’t prepared and couldn’t get there in time to call it.”

Perhaps the greater accomplish in Franich success this season is the fact the junior helped lead a young nine-man team into state. With another season under their belt, perhaps there’s room for Puyallup to improve at the next Mat Classic, Lee believes.

“We were able to get nine guys to state, and that’s because of him,” Lee said. “Because when you have a guy who works like him, it elevates everyone else. They see him working hard, then they start to work as hard — he was the spark that created a fire for our team.”

No more slack

Bonney Lake senior Avery Meyer finally reached his dream of becoming a state champion when he pinned (4:14) Auburn Mountainview’s Dylan Foley in an all-SPSL final in the 145-pound bracket.

Late in the second period, Foley attempted to catch an off-balanced Meyer with a roll-up, but the Panther senior caught him, and reversed it into a roll-up pin of his own to capture his first state title.

Right after the win, Meyer did only one thing in celebration: He sprinted off the mat and out of the arena floor, up the staircases and to the second level of the Dome to where his teammates sat waiting.

“I had a burst of adrenaline there … I had to go thank my teammates for everything,” Meyer said. “I could not have done this without them pushing me every practice. They helped me become champion.”

It’s been years in the making since Meyer was that freshman with a load of raw potential. Over the years, he’s matured into the leader his team needed.

“He’s matured a lot,” Pitsch said. “I wasn’t here when he was a freshman, but from last year to this one, he matured a lot. He committed himself to go out with the title.”

Tough breaks

Rogers High’s Ty Wilson (160 pounds, 4A) and Puyallup’s Brooklyn Bartelson (110, girls) came up short in their attempts at capturing a state title.

Wilson spent a lifetime beating Bethel’s Phillip Springsteen on the mat. But something changed in Springsteen that allowed him to change that course.

“We faced each other a lot since we were little,” Springsteen said. “I could never really beat him until this year.”

After a fast-paced, counter-for-counter first round, Springsteen had a slim 5-4 lead. Wilson hit a takedown in the second to regain a 6-5 lead, but after attempting to fight off a Springsteen reversal with a takedown, the worst-case scenario happened.

With Springsteen on Wilson’s shoulders, the Rams senior was tripped and fell backward with his opponent still on top of him. The refs awarded Springsteen with two points, but the damage was done.

Wilson lay prone on the mat with Springsteen on him as the ref awarded the pin and championship to the Bethel wrestler.

“I didn’t say anything to him … I tried to see if he was okay since he was laying there,” Springsteen said.

After a few moments, Wilson was able to walk off with help to the sidelines.

The last time Brooklyn Bartelson made it to the finals, she was only a freshman. Now, as a junior and with sister Jordyn attempting to make history, this tournament was never just about her individual success.

It was a family affair.

“I’m just happy I got the chance to compete with her (Jordyn) these last few years,” Brooklyn said through tears after Jordyn won her fourth state championship. “We’ve always been doing this with each other, and this year was our last time together … I’m going to miss her next year.”

Brooklyn lost to Davis’ Cameron Guerin in a 3-0 decision in the 110-pound finals, but after seeing her sister walk away with history, it was all in the past.

This story was originally published February 22, 2016 at 4:53 PM with the headline "Several area wrestlers win individual state titles."