3A wrestling: Sedro-Woolley rallies for title
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TACOMA — The Sedro-Woolley Cubs had a team title in their sights after the semifinals. In the championship round, they finished the job.
Sedro-Woolley of the Northwest League won its sixth Class 3A state wrestling championship — the Cubs' first since 1983 — with 137 points, coming from behind on the last day of competition to edge second-place White River. The Hornets of Buckley finished with 130 points. White River won more individual titles (2) compared to one for Sedro-Woolley.
The Cubs, however, had a total of five wrestlers in the finals. That meant that the Hornets needed to win key matches in the consolation bracket and get help from other teams facing Sedro-Woolley.
The help Hornets received wasn't enough, and Sedro-Woolley, which tied White River for second place at last year's Mat Classic, celebrated at the Tacoma Dome.
"It was something we couldn't control," White River Coach Kevin McNulty said. "We didn't match up against them enough. Sedro wrestled a heck of a tournament.
"... All our kids rose to the occasion. You always wish for more, but Sedro earned it."
Jonny Wicker, a junior wrestling at 152 pounds, was the only Cubs competitor to win a state championship, but the Cubs — with four second-place finishes — still had plenty of points to win. They won even though Andy Andrews, who won a state title at 160 last year, lost the 171-pound final to White River's Kyle Frawley. The victory for Frawley, a 9-2 decision, gave the senior a 30-0 season record.
"I came here 11 years ago with my dad and said I'd be in the state finals," Frawley said. "I thought to myself, 'This guy (Andrews) hasn't worked as hard as me.' "
White River's Anthony Haukenberry became a two-time state champion with a 15-6 domination of Tyson Hurst (West Valley of Spokane) at 145 pounds. Haukenberry won the 135-pound title last year.
Columbia River of Vancouver finished third with 106 points, and Ferndale was fourth with 90.
The Cedarcrest Red Wolves had a Mat Classic to remember, as Aaron Pedeferri won the 119-pound championship, Darren DeBoer finished second at 130 and Robby Westermann took third at 189. Cedarcrest of Duval ended the tournament with its best team finish in eighth place.
Pedeferri repeated as state champion, beating Timberline's Jeff Linder 7-2.
"I went in with a lot of confidence," said Pedeferri, who admitted he had thought about becoming a three-time state champion with one more season of wrestling left. "I've been there before, and I knew I could do it. Last year, I just wrestled. This year, I was watching the score to see what I had to do."
Pedeferri said he'll probably wrestle at 125 pounds next year.
Notes
• This year's Mat Classic set a new record for attendance, as 32,914 fans came to the Tacoma Dome during the two-day event.
• Wapato's Teddy Herrera ended Peter Yiap's dream run through the 125-pound class. Yiap, a senior from Tyee, lost to Herrera in the title match.