Liberty's Rolls Royce -- Patriots' Repenn Is Seamount's Best State Hope

-- RENTON

Gary Emerson knows what it takes to be a state wrestling champion.

He's the only one Liberty High School of Issaquah has ever had - so far.

Emerson, who won the Class AA 101-pound title as a senior in 1980, expects to finally get some company next month when the 1992 state tournament rolls around. He believes junior Royce Repenn has all the necessary ingredients to become Liberty's second champion.

Repenn (pronounced RAY-pen) came close as a sophomore, finishing second in the 158-pound classification. He has moved to 168 this season.

Repenn improved his record to 8-0 after a pin in Liberty's 35-25 Seamount League win over Renton last night. Seven of those victories were either by pin or technical fall.

Emerson, who has helped the Liberty wrestling program since graduating and became an assistant coach in 1985, has a lasting first impression of Repenn.

"The first time I ever saw him, it was a 95-degree day and I was house-sitting," Emerson said. "I had no idea who he (Repenn) was, but I could hear someone outside lifting weights and working out in the backyard next door. I looked over there and here's this 10- or 12-year-old kid lifting weights and running in 95-degree weather. I asked the boy I was babysitting, `Who is that guy?' That's when I started watching him.

"He's so dedicated to his sport, and he's very coachable. And he wants it, that's the big thing. He really wants to win. He's very competitive when it comes to wrestling and in the classroom."

Repenn, a B-plus student, is the Seamount League's best bet to win a state title this year.

"Definitely. There's no question in my mind (he can win)," Emerson said. "Whether he does it or not is up to him, but he's got everything it takes mentally and physically. He's just got to have a good day."

Repenn, also a starting linebacker in football, had a good day at the 1991 state tournament until running into Scott Mathews of Anacortes in the title match - again. Coming into the tourney, his only two losses of the season came against Mathews, a senior. He lost this one 4-0 to finish 31-3.

Now, Repenn has but one goal: "Win the state championship."

Repenn, who wrestles nearly year-round, expected to qualify for the state tournament as a freshman at 141, but wound up as an alternate. Falling short proved to be a turning point for him.

"That probably motivated me the most to get better," he said.

Repenn, who started wrestling when he was in fifth grade, said he always has been competitive.

"In elementary school, we'd play football or soccer, and sometimes you'd get in fights with other kids because things weren't going right," he said.

Repenn, 5 feet 11, is very quick for his size and wrestles well on his feet. He steadily has moved up the weight ladder and expects to wrestle at 178 next season. He bulked up to 185 for football last fall, but said he easily slimmed down to 168 within two weeks for wrestling.

Repenn belongs to two wrestling clubs, one in Tacoma and the other in Issaquah, and competes in tournaments throughout the year, except for football season. He was part of a cultural exchange team that wrestled in Australia last year. He trains hard and hopes it eventually will pay off with a college scholarship.

As serious as he is about his wrestling, Repenn has a reputation on the team as a jokester.

"He does like to be a funny guy," Emerson said. "Sometimes it's kind of nice to have a little break like that. But he does know when to be serious. That's critical in this sport. You've got to know when to relax or it can eat you up, and he does."

But Repenn won't really relax until he joins Emerson on that state championship board.

---------------------------------------------------------- SEAMOUNT LEAGUE WRESTLERS TO WATCH

-- Seamount League coaches say these are the wrestlers with a legitimate shot to get to the Class AA state tournament:

-- 101 - None mentioned at this point.

-- 108 - Trevor Boers, Mount Si, junior; jr. J.J. Perkins, Evergreen, junior; Derek Rowe, Liberty, junior.

-- 115 - Ed Bactad, Evergreen, senior; Steve Baumgartner, Liberty, junior; Jacob Davis, Mount Rainier, sophomore; Will Haag, Mount Si, freshman; Mike Minorchio, Lindbergh, junior, state qualifier as a freshman; Ian Simpson, Liberty, junior, 1991 state qualifier at 108; Jason Stratton, Highline, junior.

-- 122 - Kyle Blackwood, Mount Rainier, senior; Joe Boers, Mount Si, senior, 1990 and '91 state qualifer at 115; Mike Dang, Renton, junior; HaeSong Kim, Evergreen; Jamaine Lindsay, Tyee, junior.

-- 129 - Erik Falk, Highline, senior; Todd Jay, Mount Rainier, senior; Shane Marcus, Lindbergh, senior, 1991 state qualifier; Evans Nguyen, Liberty, senior; Emmett Oldham, Renton, sophomore.

-- 135 - Alex Chung, Mount Rainier, senior; Brian Jobich, Mount Rainier, senior, 1991 state qualifier at 122; Carlos Guadlupe, Highline, senior, 1990 state qualifier at 122; John Mancino, Liberty, junior; Derick VanderMark, Hazen, senior.

-- 141 - Erik Johnson, Liberty, senior; Chris Christenson, Renton, sophomore; Ordie Oldham, Renton, senior, 1991 state qualifier; John Simmons, Highline, senior.

-- 148 - Jr. Matt Lorenz (Lib); sr. Sam Sewell (MR).

-- 158 - Ben Casper, Renton, senior; Fran Moran, Renton, senior, 1991 state qualifier at 158.

-- 168 - Stuart Ayling, Hazen, junior; Keth Crotty, Kennedy, junior, might wrestle at 178; Will King, Tyee, junior; Royce Repenn, Liberty, junior, 1991 state runner-up at 158.

-- 178 - Cedrik Bonds, Renton, senior; Keth Crotty, Kennedy, junior, might wrestle at 168; Randy Ferguson, Liberty, senior; Nathan Kapm, Mount Rainier, junior; Chris Nielson, Lindbergh, junior.

-- 190 - Adam Fender, Lindbergh, senior, 1991 state alternate at 178; Justin Keener, Mount Si, senior; Joel Scheafer, Hazen, junior; Dan Stout, Tyee, senior.

-- Hvy - Chris Gilmore, Tyee, junior.