Capsule look at each league's top wrestlers
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Top wrestlers — 112 pounds: John Hanks, jr., Marysville-Pilchuck (to state last season). 119: Tony Kubec, so., Cascade (to state last season); Ty Human, jr., Lake Stevens (5th at 112 in 3A state meet); Jon Garcia, sr., Oak Harbor. 125: Jimmy Jayne, sr., Arlington (2nd in 3A state at 119); Burke Barnes, sr., Lake Stevens (won 125-pound 3A state title). 130: Eric Curnett, sr., Lake Stevens (2nd in 3A state at 130). 152: Brad Kihm, sr., Snohomish. 160: Christian Anderson, sr., Lake Stevens (4th in 3A state at 160). 275: Jesse Calderon, sr., Cascade (20-0 this season).
Notable — Lake Stevens has moved to 4A after winning past two 3A state titles, and Vikings are undefeated in dual competition ... Barnes, who will wrestle for Boise State next year, missed several weeks with a broken rib, but returned last week to help Lake Stevens beat Cascade in battle of division's top teams. Barnes seeks his fourth straight individual state title ... Oak Harbor, ninth at state last season, is considered the only other league dual-meet title contender ... Stanwood, led by Joe Webb (152) and Clancy Seymour (189), was eighth last year in 3A state meet but perhaps only fourth best in WesCo 4A North.
— José Miguel Romero
WesCo 4A South
Top wrestlers — 112: Matt Hadreas, sr., Edmonds-Woodway (3rd in state at 112); Joe Trieu, jr., Edmonds-Woodway (to state in 2000). 119: Geof LaGrandeur, jr., Lynnwood. 125: Kyle Castle, jr., Mariner. 135: Dave Primacio, sr., Meadowdale. 140: Josh Rosenkranz, sr., Shorewood. 171: Victor Martinez, sr., Mariner. 189: Mike Quarrie, sr. Kamiak. 215: Reese Cogdill, jr., Lynnwood (to state last season).
Notable — Everett, 6-0 in league dual meets and 10-2 overall, is division's surprise team. Brian Turner (215) is 12-3. Seagulls' Chad Waddell (171) and Tim Irwin (119) also could compete for state berths ... Edmonds-Woodway appears to be strongest in lighter weights... Lynnwood's LaGrandeur is 21-3 and Cogdill 16-1.
— José Miguel Romero
KingCo 4A
Top wrestlers — 112: Kyle McCarron, sr., Juanita. 119: John Phimmasane, jr., Juanita; Justin Davidson, so., Bothell. 130: P.J. Gemin, sr., Inglemoor; Trevor Mayer, jr., Woodinville; Daniel Saarenas, so., Franklin. 135: Paul Sewell, sr., Inglemoor (5th at state); Marcus Garthe, jr., Lake Washington (8th at state). 140: Jared Jennings, sr., Juanita; Ray Quist, sr., Woodinville. 145: Kyle Cheever, sr., Bothell. 171: David Schlosser, sr., Redmond. 275: Zack Kenealey, jr., Juanita.
Notable — Juanita and Bothell have won past two league tournaments, and are only unbeaten teams in league dual meets. They meet Jan. 22 at Bothell ... Inglemoor's Sewell is a defending league champ and reached final of last month's Tri-State tournament in Idaho, a meet many consider tougher to win than state tournament... Last year, Bothell won its first league-tournament title in nine years. Cheever is Cougars' only returning state qualifier, but Bothell is unbeaten in league matches in large part because of strength of Davidson, Caleb Stripes (112) and Palmer Weaver (160) ... Nate Bean (140), twin brother of Eastlake quarterback Alex Bean, is one of Wolves' two returning league finalists, with Jeff Hall.
— Danny O'Neil
KingCo 3A
Top wrestlers — 112: Jackson Embly, so., Mercer Island. 119: Aaron Pedeferri, jr., Cedarcrest (state champ); Rusty Johnson, jr., Mercer Island. 125: Mark Rowe, sr., Liberty (5th at state). 130: Darren DeBoer, jr., Cedarcrest. 135: Sean Keveren, sr., Skyline (8th at state); Jimmy Akiyama, jr., Newport. 171: Kasey Kilmer, sr., Newport. 189: Robby Westermann, jr., Cedarcrest; Grant Guidinger, sr., Mercer Island (6th at state). 215: Dylan Seubert, sr., Mount Si; Kyle Schott, jr., Liberty. 275: Nathan Schaefer, jr., Liberty.
Notable — Mount Si won third straight league title last year. Wildcats return only two state qualifiers, Seubert and Nick Martindale... Cedarcrest is league's only unbeaten team ... Liberty's Rowe and Cedarcrest's Pedeferri are returning league champs. Pedeferri won state title at 119. Rowe placed fifth for Liberty, which finished in top 10. Mercer Island's Guidinger and Skyline's Keveren also placed at state ... Cedarcrest has three wrestlers who could win state titles, with Pedefferi, Westermann and DeBoer. ... Liberty returns three state qualifiers — Rowe, Schott and Justin Studer.
— Danny O'Neil
SPSL North
Top wrestlers — 112: Tonio Thacker, jr., Auburn Riverside (8th at state at 103). 125: Mike Rogenkamp, sr., Enumclaw (4th at 119 in 2001, 4th at 103 in 2000). 135: Jeremy LaRance, sr., Sumner (8th at 125 in 2001, 7th at 130 in 2000). 140: Kenny McNeese, jr., Auburn (4th at 130 in 2001). 145: Stephen Folden, sr., Kentwood (defending state champ); Lars Trulson, sr., Sumner (8th at 103 in 2000). 171: Ryan Qualls, sr., Tahoma (4th at 160 in 2001). 215: Ty Watterson, sr., Enumclaw (2nd in 2001, 5th in 2000). 275: Mark Trott, sr., Auburn (6th at 215 in 2001).
Notable — Enumclaw has a shot at 4A state title. Hornets have won 31 consecutive SPSL North dual matches. ... Tom Bannan, an assistant at Enumclaw the past six seasons, is head coach at K-M ... Folden was one of three Kentwood champions last season — nearly enough for Conquerors to win team title (they were third) ... Doug Pecha, who took over at Tahoma this season after long-time coach Brian Higa left, is no stranger to success. In three years as coach at Central Kitsap, Cougars had three top-eight finishes and were fourth last year.
— Sandy Ringer
SPSL South
Top wrestlers — 103: Ryan Trotter, sr., Decatur (7th at state at 112). 119: Brett Wagner, jr., Rogers (5th at state). 125: Mickey Elliott, sr., Spanaway Lake (3rd at 119). 152: Patrick Pitsch, jr., Spanaway Lake (3rd at 152).
Notable — Spanaway Lake is defending 4A state champ, but graduated five of seven wrestlers who scored ... Decatur hopes to repeat as sub-regional champion despite loss of J.C. Ronnefeldt (6th at state at 275). Ronnefeldt, who has a football scholarship to Oregon State, left the team after one match. He had a tough time keeping his weight down, according to Coach Mike Bressler ... Two of Decatur's top wrestlers are the coach's sons, Jason (160) and Kyle (171). Teammate Nick McCluskey (152) helped Decatur win state soccer title last spring and is one of area's best punters ... Bethel Coach Kyle Weakley was a state champion his senior year at Forks, winning Class A title at 122 in '92.
— Sandy Ringer
Metro League
Top wrestlers — 112: Mike Wong, sr., Eastside Catholic (Metro 103 champ last year); Marko Oblak, sr., O'Dea (to state twice). 119: Arthur Doronio, Chief Sealth (Metro champ at 112); Zach Smith, fr., Bainbridge (20-4 this season). 125: Mike Kenney, sr., O'Dea (going for 4th Metro title after winning 119 crown last year); Eddie Lobdell, so., Eastside Catholic (15-3). 130: Patrick Martin, sr., O'Dea (won Metro 125 title); Drew Carmichael, jr., Hale. 145: Dan McNaughten, jr., Blanchet. 160: Curtis Abbott, sr., Eastside Catholic (won Metro 152 title). 215: Nick McCallum, jr., Bainbridge (20-5 this season); Miles Matsen, Hale (moved down from 275); George Tramountanas, jr., Blanchet; Tyler Selland, Sr., Ingraham.
Notable — O'Dea is going for its 12th consecutive Metro title. Newcomer Bainbridge appears to be top challenger. ... O'Dea's strength is in lightweights to middleweights ... The only Metro wrestler to win a state title was Kevin Riley (135) of Blanchet in 1983.
— Craig Smith
Seamount King Division
Top wrestler — 112: Greg Abe, jr., Renton (4th at state at 103 in 2001, 8th at 103 in 2000).
Notable — Highline has won 18 Seamount dual meets in a row ... League's two divisions will go separate ways at regionals in two weeks. King Division wrestlers will compete at Liberty against KingCo 3A and Metro. Pierce Division wrestlers head south to Chehalis, where teams from Pac Nine also will be involved.
— Sandy Ringer
Seamount Pierce Division
Top wrestlers — 103: Robert Arnestad, jr., Peninsula (6th at state in 2001). 112: Jon Walker, sr., Peninsula (5th in 2001); Paul Kline, so., White River (6th at 103 in 2001). 119: Craig Fawcett, jr., Franklin Pierce (5th at 112 in 2000). 125: Jacob Lusk, sr., Fife (3rd in 2001); Matt Malyon, sr., Franklin Pierce (5th at 119 in 2001, 7th at 115 in 2000). 145: Anthony Haukenberry, sr., White River (1st at 135 in 2001); Jeff Nimrick, jr., Peninsula (4th at 135 in 2001). 160: Mike Watson, sr., White River (8th at 152 in 2000). 171: Kyle Frawley, sr., White River (3rd at 160 in 2001).
Notable — Peninsula returned to 3A this school year after placing fifth at 4A state meet ... White River, which won last two Pierce County League titles and is unbeaten in Pierce Division, is considered a contender for 3A state title. Freshman 130-pounder Sean McNulty is the son of Coach Kevin McNulty ... Felix Sweetman (215) was quarterback on Lakes football team ranked No. 1 in 3A until a quarterfinal loss to Lynden.
— Sandy Ringer