No one on the Vashon wrestling team has worked harder during the past two weeks than senior Geran Webb as he prepared for a rematch against Everett’s star wrestler, Alec Bird.
Vashon fans had watched Bird handily beat Webb just two weeks ago at the Rock Island Tournament. Last Saturday at the Everett Classic Tournament, Webb tried for the fourth time in his career to defeat Bird — and this time he succeeded.
Webb’s stunning 6-4 victory over Bird in the 215-pound finals is turning heads across the state. The pivotal moment was an early takedown Webb got on the defending 3A state champion, who at the time was 19-0 on the season. Later, with the score tied and four seconds remaining in the third period, Webb got a reversal to earn two points and the championship.
Vashon went to the Everett Tournament as the only 1A school out of 21 teams. The wrestling action took place on eight mats simultaneously and consisted of a varsity-level bracketed tournament and a JV-level round-robin tourney. Vashon entered only five wrestlers in the varsity tournament but earned 10th place overall.
Leading up to the competition, co-captain Webb had kicked up the tempo of his workouts and the entire team had followed suit.Co-captain Graeme Britz’s performance to earn third place exemplified this impressive style of all-out wrestling. Britz lost in the first round, which often demoralizes a wrestler. Instead, Britz fought back and won his next four increasingly difficult matches.
Sam Chapman wrestled three inspired matches after having been out of action for several weeks. In the finals for 112 pounds, Chapman was pinned by a 2A state placewinner from Squalicum in a great bout.
Dominik Stemer recently became ranked as the 10th best 1A 130-pound grappler in Washington. Stemer’s adversaries approached him as a force to be reckoned with, leading to Stemer’s fifth place finish with three wins and two losses.
Tucker Lazare pinned his opponent to qualify the team for bonus points, but dropped his two other matches.
Since the remaining Pirate wrestlers have limited wrestling experience or are underclassmen, the coaches entered them into the JV action, where they were matched by weight, age and experience. The JV wrestled using their best technique and mental toughness, according to Head Coach Anders Blomgren.
On his way to winning the 112-pound JV championship, Aaron Bomber had the fastest pin of the day at 16 seconds. His two other falls were within the first minute of each match.
Maximo Mandl and Elliot Ellingsen also pinned each of their three opponents to claim first place. Blomgren praised Mandl and Ellingsen’s work ethic. Both were “gaining momentum and confidence and were peaking at the right time,” added Blomgren.
Robert Easton won the 171-pound title with a 26-second pin, an 11-3 decision and a forfeit. Blomgren explained that Easton’s solid technique allowed him to dominate his opponents.
Cole Devereau described the quick-paced action of his 130-pound JV finals as a succession of single leg takedowns and standing mad dog moves. Devereau lost 19-26 to his 4A Lake Stevens opponent.
Sjors Steneker’s aggressive style won him second place with two pins and a loss. Kevin Thomas and Jon Michael Monroe each took third place.
In girls’ action, Iris Spring won second place in the recent 14-team Franklin Pierce Girls’ Wrestling Tournament. Spring won two matches before losing in the finals.
— Marian Easton is the mother of Pirate Robert Easton.
