CHS Wrestling

Junior Kenny Mace posted the top finish for CHS's largest regional contingent ever, placing sixth in the 275-pound class after winning his opening match with a takedown-to-pin combination.

But neither Mace nor his teammate in the heavyweight division, sophomore Jesse Trosper, could get past Rochester's Geoff Warren, according to Bruins Coach Matt Cox.

Warren ousted Trosper in a second-round match, pinning him with 1:38 remaining in the third round.

Then, in a match to decide who would wrestle for third and fourth, Warren eliminated Mace from state contention with a 12-6 decision.

"Warren was probably the smallest heavyweight of the eight competitors in the weight class," Cox said, "but had the advantage of experience, having been to the regional tournament last year."

Mace scored CHS's only victory of the tournament, taking down Callan Lindley of Elma with 50 seconds gone in the first round.

His second match also ended on a first-round fall -- a loss to Trico League champion Jim Rushing of Ridgefield.

He lost his final match to Ryan Smith of Montesano. Smith caught Mace in a rollover-reversal pin combo to win the match (and the region's alternate designation) with 1:28 left in the second round.

Trosper had the unenviable task of wrestling Evergreen League champion Jamie Rakevich in his tournament opener.

The Elma grappler, who took first in state last year at 215 pounds, disposed of his White Salmon opponent with a pin at the 1:37 mark of the first round.

Freshman Keith Ingram (125 pounds) and junior Billy Strickland (135) also went out after two matches.

Ingram fell to Nathan Hicks of Tenino in his first match on a first-round pin. Montesano's Pat Miller eliminated him with a second-round pin.

"Keith put up a good fight in both matches, but his youth and inexperience proved to be greater adversaries than his opponents," Cox observed.

Strickland gave top seed Boris Farmer of Hoquiam all he could handle in his first match before succumbing to a pin with five seconds to go in the second round.

In his second match, Strickland squared off against Stephen Witcher of La Center and trailed 3-0 after two rounds.

In the third round, though, Witcher took control by keeping Strickland in the bottom position and preventing him from scoring any points.

The LC junior finished Strickland off with a pin, which came with five ticks left on the clock.

Cox said the four CHS wrestlers exceeded expectations this season and gained priceless experience.

"Looking ahead, I should have four seniors, four regional veterans and, I hope, some of the empty weight classes filled by graduates of the middle school who'll have wrestling experience," he noted, adding, "I'm still feeling sour about missing state this year, but I'm excited about our chances next season."