In non-league competition last week, the Mount Si varsity wrestling team defeated KingCo 4A Inglemoor, 36-29. The win kicks off regular duel-meet competition for the ‘Cats, who finished first in KingCo last year.

In a change of format this year, the first weight class to wrestle is drawn from all the weight classes. For this meet, the first weight class was 160 pounds, which pitted Wildcat Craig Fanger against the Vikings’ Paul Shulfer.

Shulfer scored first on a takedown but by the end of the first round, Fanger had scored the escape. In the second round, starting from the down position, Shulfer scored a reverse. Fanger came back with an escape, takedown and three-point nearfall to lead the scoring. Shulfer ended the round with another reversal, leaving the match at 7-6 after two rounds. It was all Fanger in the third, though, as he scored an escape, takedown and two-point nearfall, to win the match, 12-6.

In the 171-pound class, the Wildcats’ Nick Ippolito wrestled Inglemoors’ Ryan Hayes. Showing his strength, Ippolito turned Hayes to his back and pinned him just 49 seconds into the match.

Freshman Trevor Moore took the mat for the Wildcats in the 189-pound class against the Vikings’ Isiah Colley. Moore came out aggressive but quickly found out that Colley’s experience was difficult to beat. Colley started with a takedown but Moore escaped. Colley took him down again and this time pinned him with 14 seconds left in the first round.

Team captain Dylan Seubert wrestled for the Wildcats in the 215-pound class, and went against Inglemoors’ John Pollard. Physically, both wrestlers looked tough but as the match went on, it became clear who had the experience. In the first round, neither wrestler scored points and both looked for the other’s weakness. In the second round, Seubert started from the down position. Half-way through the round he broke free to score an escape. He quickly added a takedown to take the lead in the match 3-0 going into the third round. Both wrestlers started from standing positions in the third with Seubert taking Pollard down about mid way in the round. The two-point takedown were the last points to be scored but the win went to Seubert, 5-0.

In the 275-pound class, Mount Si big man, Cory Anderson, was pitted against Luis Munoz. Anderson appeared to dominate the first two rounds, scoring two takedowns and an escape. He led 5-3 going into the third round. Starting from the down position, he quickly escaped, then scored a point on an illegal hold by Munoz. He added a takedown and appeared to be on his way to a win. But, with 51 seconds on the clock, Munoz managed to flip Anderson on his back and it was all over with the slap of a hand on the mat and the pin signaled. Anderson left the mat upset with himself, but it was obvious that he dominated the match.

From the 275-pound class, the meet proceeded to the 103-pound class. Returning starter Jason Rothgeb took to the mat for the Wildcats, wrestling Cody Elledge. Elledge scored the first points with a takedown, but Rothgeb reversed and scored a two-point nearfall. Late in the round, Elledge scored the reverse to tie Rothgeb. In the second round, starting from the down position, Rothgeb came alive, reversing Elledge then pinning him with 1:09 left in the round.

Next up for the ‘Cats was freestyle champion, Alex Haas, taking on the Vikings’ Alex Ziele. Haas dominated from the beginning, scoring a takedown and three-point nearfall quickly. The rest of the first round found Haas madly trying to pin both of Ziele’s shoulders to the mat. In the second, Haas started from the down position, quickly turned Ziele and pinned him with 1:09 left in the round.

Inglemoors’ Chris Meister defeated the Wildcat’s Jordan Prior in the 119-pound class 9-4. It appeared that Prior would pull close to Meister in the third round, but time ran out before he could score enough points.

In the 125-pound class, Mount Sis’ Andy Lund lost to Andy Snook, 9-5. Lund started the match strong but quickly lost steam. He led Snook 5-0 going into round two. Snook came back with an escape, technical point, takedown and two-point nearfall in the second. In the third, he added a three-point nearfall for the win.

In the 130-pound class, a determined Jon Emerson pinned the Vikings’ Jeff Gordon with nine seconds left in the first round. Emerson controlled Gordon from the start, finally sinking the pin late in the round.

In the 135-pound class, Nick Martindale lost by technical fall to Paul Sewell, 22-6. Sewell took first in district last year at 125-pounds for Sea-King 4A. After the match, it was obvious that Sewell was disappointed that he hadn’t pinned Martindale, but then again, Martindale will be a tough competitor for Mount Si this year.

In the 140-pound class, the Vikings Statton Waggoner defeated the Wildcats’ Chris Ippolito 8-5. Ippolito scored first with a takedown early in the first round. Waggoner came back with an escape and takedown of his own. In the second, starting from the down position, Ippolito scored a reversal but Waggoner responded with a reversal of his own. In the third, Ippolito scored a technical point but Waggoner added an escape and takedown, finally winning the match.

The Wildcats rebounded in the 145-pound class as Eddie Roberts pinned the Vikings’ Matt Burns with 43 seconds left in the first round. Finally, in the 152-pound class, Inglemoor’s Byron Taylor defeated Kyle Jacobsen. Jacobsen scored first with a takedown in the first round, but those would be his only points as Taylor scored a reversal and two-point nearfall late in the third.