McMurray Middle School kicked off its wrestling season this month with about 23 young grapplers, up from last year’s 18.

The team began competition with some great performances against Mountain View Middle School of Bremerton on Thursday, Feb. 16.

The Mustangs won six out of 10 varsity matches and 10 of 16 total matches that day.

The team lost in total points due to several forfeits in vacant weight classes, but the matches that were wrestled were well-fought.

Highlights of the meet were when Chester Pruett started off a match with a come from behind pin with four seconds to go that fired up the team and when Franklin Easton gave away 35 pounds in an exhibition match and won by pin. Chase Wickman was also dominant throughout his match.

Todd Gateman, Logan Nelson, Sean Delargy, Shane Williams and Preston Peterson won varsity matches.

On Saturday six McMurray wrestlers competed in the Washington State Middle School Regional Tournament in Graham.

The tournament was full of very experienced wrestlers from across Western Washington, all seeking seed points for next weekend’s state middle school championship.

Representing McMurray were sixth-graders Hunter Burger, Connor Hoisington and Ellis Peterson and eighth-graders Preston Peterson, Chester Pruett and Clyde Pruett.

Both Chester and Clyde Pruett won matches at the high-competition tournament, and Clyde finished a strong fourth in a tough 12-man bracket.

— Cheryl Pruett is the mother of two middle school wrestlers.