Vashon wrestlers putting it out on the mat

And don’t forget The Rock wrestling tournament this weekend.

By Stephen Murphy and Anders Blomgren For The Beachcomber • December 25, 2024 9:30 am

Nearing the halfway point of their season, Vashon’s wrestlers are putting it all out on the mat — and growing from every competition.

More than 20 boys and six girls have been practicing for the past six weeks on Vashon High School’s wrestling teams. To date, the boys and girls teams have attended three tournaments, and hosted two dual team meets at the high school gymnasium.

“The team is so coachable,” head coach Anders Blomgren said. “They give effort, show up, and ask questions after each win and loss. We have a bright future, this year and beyond. Our whole team (including coaches) is resilient, open to hard things, to honest feedback, and a pleasure to be around.”

Last weekend, 11 boys and five girls competed with 97 other teams in the 2024 Hammerhead invitational in Silverdale. The tournament was a stout test for the wrestlers and presented important data on where the team can improve.

“We will be at our best in February (for the state tournament), but this competition shows that we have some work to do,” Blomgren said. “But we’re not afraid of hard work.”

For the girls team, Junior Lena Puz took first in her 144 pounds bracket with four straight pins. She capped off the tournament win by recovering from an 0-7 point deficit in the finals match against a really tough opponent from Washburn High with a reversal and win by fall. Seniors Kyla Scheff and Sydney Shannon showed tremendous grit and aggression in eight matches.

The boys encountered a lot of adversity but posted strong performances, including the unflappability of Selden Nielson, Peter Medeiros and Jair Valle. Jacob Lawrence was particularly impressive and is improving every day. He barely lost to Troy Rupe from Elma High, who smashed him a week ago.

More than a dozen of the biggest teams will converge on the island this weekend to compete at the high school gymnasium for the annual Rock Wrestling Tournaments. The girls will compete on Friday, Dec. 27, with the boys taking the mat on Saturday, Dec. 28.

The island community is encouraged to come out and show their support of the wrestlers. The teams are excited to continue to work hard and improve every day.

Stephen Murphy is an assistant wrestling coach at VHS. Anders Blomgren is a head wrestling coach at VHS.