For Vashon High School’s wrestling team, older doesn’t necessarily mean better, as a sophomore and a junior took home first-place honors at last Thursday’s wrestling tournament on Vashon.

Junior Luke Larson took first place in the 126-pound weight class while sophomore and standout island wrestler Adrian St. Germain took first in the 152-pound class.

VHS wrestling coach Anders Blomgren said the two wrestlers can definitely look forward to the state tournament this year and may even take home titles.

The Rock Island wrestling tournament is held every year at Vashon High School and usually brings about 15 of the state’s best teams to compete. This year, Blomgren said 13 teams competed.

“We try to have the best teams in the state,” he said. “A number of them placed in state competitions last season.”

Among the schools competing were Forks High School, Zillah High School, Lakeside High School, Montesano High School, Sultan High School and Everett High School. Wrestlers from each school competed in up to five rounds before winners were announced.

“For 25 percent of our team, this was their first tournament,” Blomgren said. “It was a good experience.”

The team is halfway through its season, which has consisted completely of tournaments that only some of the team competed in. League dual meets — between Vashon and one other school — will begin this week, and sub-regionals are at the beginning of February.

“We learned a lot in those tournaments,” Blomgren said. “We learned we have two high-end wrestlers — Luke and Adrian — and we have a lot that will improve. It’s exciting and kind of fun to be under the radar.”

Pirate wrestlers will compete in their first dual meet of the season at home at 6:15 p.m. tomorrow, Thursday, against Bellevue Christian. This weekend, the team will travel to Everett for another tournament, the Everett Classic.