Last weekend the Pirate wrestlers had an exceptionally tough schedule and came out on top after seven dual meets in a 24-hour period. At the end of the second full week of competition, the small Pirate squad had racked up an impressive 7-1 record.

The team took on squads from the much larger Bethel High and Decatur High schools on Friday night. Action was fast-paced and intense as the Pirates beat Bethel High School in head-to- head competition, winning 37-36.

Decatur, an annual 3A powerhouse that is always in the state top 10, handed the Pirates their only defeat of the season, but the score was a respectable 33-45, with the Pirates getting a couple of unexpected wins.

Saturday, after getting home late Friday, the team was up and on a bus at 6 a.m. and headed to the annual Port Townsend Hat Trick meet.

Vashon was overwhelmingly dominant in the quintuple dual competition. First up was North Kitsap, with Vashon winning 54-25. Next was 1A eastern Washington power Omak; Vashon won 54-15. Port Townsend was next; Vashon won, 51-24, with Port Townsend’s only points coming from Vashon forfeitures; they did not win a match against the Vashon grapplers. Fourth was Montesano; Vashon won, 45-27.  Last of the day was Willapa Harbor; Vashon won, 54-16.

There were several individual highlights over the weekend. Chase Wickman, Shane Armstrong and Preston Morris continued to dominate all opponents, with both Wickman and Armstrong remaining unbeaten so far this season.

Friday night the team got unexpected boosts against Decatur from sophomores Shane Williams and Clyde Pruett, who both pinned their opponents. Freshman Bryce Hoisington survived a nail-biting brawl against Bethel in the 132-pound weight class, winning the thriller 10-9.

Vashon entered 12 varsity wrestlers in the Hat Trick meet; Logan Nelson, Shane Williams and Shane Armstrong all wrestled five matches.  Nelson and Williams both went 4-1 on the day, and Armstrong won all 5. Junior varsity action was also tough, but key wins went to Rodolfo Flores, who went 2-1 on the day; seniors Baxter Call and Ian McWhirter also went 2-1 on the day.

Match of the day went to sophomore Fletcher Call, who had his hands full with his 170-pound opponent from Montesano. Trailing 1-2 at the end of round one and 5-7 at the end of round two, he mounted a gutsy come-from-behind, hang- on-by-your-teeth victory.

Next up for the Pirates is the select two-day Tri-State competition in Couer d’Alene, Idaho.

— Cheryl Pruett is the mother of two wrestlers.