CONVENTIONAL WISDOM SAID that there was no star power in wrestling this year on the North Olympic Peninsula because there are no returning top-three state competitors.
But conventional wisdom has been taken down and is close to being pinned after several wrestlers have shown they can compete at state-caliber levels in the early season.
Cutter Grahn of Forks, the top area returner after capturing fourth place in state last season, has shown he is to be reckoned with in Class 1A competition while Port Angeles and Sequim showcased their wrestlers at The Battle for the Axe tournament in Port Angeles last Wednesday.
The tourney opened with star power when former Port Angeles state champions John Camp and Julio Garcia were introduced to wrestling fans just before action started in the first round. More on the special guests later in this column.
The Roughriders and Wolves dominated their team pools Wednesday and ended up meeting for the tournament championship match, won 50-24 by Port Angeles.
Some of those top-notch wrestlers to watch this year are Riders Brady Anderson, Josh Basden, Ozzy Swagerty, Kody Steele, Kacee Garner, Brian Cristion and Zach Grall.
Sequim?s senior co-captains Dakota Hinton and Clay Charlie are proving hard to beat like they have been in the past couple of seasons.
Going undefeated against at times state-caliber competition were Sequim?s Charlie and Port Angeles? Anderson, Basden, Swagerty and Grall.
Grall, a senior and team captain at 195 pounds, had an especially strong tournament, not only going 4-0 but winning all four matches by pin in the first round.
Grall?s weight class opened the championship match against Sequim as the senior pinned Austin Leach quickly for a 6-0 lead that Port Angeles never gave up.
Grall, who is an impressive 10-2 record on the year, said he wanted to open the tourney?s last team match on a strong note.
?We wanted to keep the Axe [tourney trophy], and I wanted to come out and take care of business,? Grall said at the end of his match.
The 2011 Battle for the Axe was a strong tournament that helped Grall keep his focus during the long day.
?We have some tough teams here,? he said. ?I?m used to hard competition and I just wanted to go out and take care of business.?
The standout wrestler, who is ranked No. 7 in state on the Class 2A level, said he plans to stay on message the entire season and finish up his prep career on a high note.
?My personal goal is to take state,? he said.
?I know where I want to be at, but I also know that it?s going to be a lot of hard work.?
Peninsula tournament
Port Angeles coach Erik Gonzalez was elated to be wrestling rival Sequim for The Battle of the Axe trophy, which is a real axe mounted on an impressive plaque with all six previous winners printed on it.
?That is why I created the tournament in 2005, to showcase our local feel and our local history here,? Gonzalez said at the end of the tourney.
Area teams have dominated the event over the years with the Riders winning the first tourney in 2005, the Forks Spartans earning the Axe in 2008, Sequim taking it in 2009 and the Riders grabbing it back by just nudging La Center High School for the team title in 2010.
Port Angeles became the first team to win the trophy two years in a row and is the only squad to claim it more than once.
Last week?s tourney started out on a star-studded note as the two wrestlers to win individual state titles during Gonzalez?s coaching tenure showed up at the tourney and were photographed together for the first time (see photo on Page B1).
Julio Garcia won his title during Gonzalez?s first year in 2003 while John Camp earned his championship by going undefeated in 2010.
Garcia, 26, was in Port Angeles visiting his family during the Christmas holiday for the first time in a few years.
?It?s been awhile since I have been here because of my traveling,? Garcia said during a phone interview Christmas Eve.
?It was good to be back to see the team and coach Erik Gonzalez.
?Erik had done a great job of establishing the high school program, the youth programs and the tournament over the years.?
Garcia, a Christian, has been traveling all over the world the past couple of years for a ministry, visiting such interesting locations as New Zealand, Egypt, Brazil, Paris and Rome.
?I have been to the Middle East, Africa, Europe, New Zealand and South America,? he said.
Garcia had a full-ride scholarship to attend and wrestle at Portland State right out of high school but instead took an opportunity to start his own marketing company.
He continued to operate his marketing business until he hit the road for a ministry in 2009.
?I had a home, I was making real good money but I knew a piece was missing when I had an encounter with the Lord,? Garcia said.
?I started walking closer to Jesus and decided to travel the world. It has been amazing.?
During his travels, Garcia spent time during a major earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Garcia?s ministry helped provide fresh water and repair buildings among other tasks.
The former wrestler said he is taking a break right now and reflecting on what he wants to start doing.
He is staying with his mother and stepfather, Jennifer and Glen Roggenbuck, and his little brother, Michael Roggenbuck, who is a fifth grader at Hamilton Elementary School, preparing to be a little Roughrider, Garcia said.
?He?s an amazing little man,? Garcia said about his brother.
?I love him a lot.?
There?s a lot of love, too, going around for this year?s wrestling programs, that are proving to be as exciting and tough as the past area wrestling teams.
________
Sports Editor Brad ?LaBrie can be reached at 360-417-3525 or at brad.labrie@peninsuladailynews.com.
Last modified: December 25. 2011 5:37PM
Source: http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011312269994
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