In a battle of Wesco 3A’s best wrestling teams, Everett defeated the Wildcats 42-30 in Oak Harbor Thursday, Jan. 12.

Two one-point losses in the final three matches were the difference for Oak Harbor (4-1, 10-2) as it dropped its first league contest. The defending Wesco champion and seventh-ranked Seagulls raised their Wesco mark to 3-0 (7-2).

A bit of the shine was taken off the showdown because Oak Harbor was missing four wrestlers. Cody Fakkema (126) and Hunter Vail (220) are injured and Ryuta Meany (138) and Josh Orritt (182) have skin conditions.

Coach Mike Crebbin said, “There are no excuses. We put the best team we could on the mat. All teams deal with the same issues.”

Crebbin added, “We have some inexperience and it showed in some of the matches. There were some good matches where we wrestled well but couldn’t put them on their backs.”

The match opened with the state’s top-ranked wrestler at 132 pounds, Everett junior Jessie Lopez, defeating freshman Mark Johnston 11-3. Nathanael Stanford (138) then lost 9-0 and Everett led 8-0.

Sheyenne Sams (145), who Crebbin said “wrestled really well,” won by a fall (3:38).

Joshua Crebbin (152) followed with another pin (2:15), and Oak Harbor held its only lead, 12-8.

The Wildcats then dropped four straight matches: David Payne (160, fall, 3:11), CJ Shavers (170, fall, 3:14), Collin Higingbotham (182, 17-5) and Jeremy Alonzo (195, fall, 3:25).

Ray Quinday (220) and Jacob Dugin (285) each received forfeits, but Oak Harbor still trailed 30-24.

The Wildcats’ Tricia Desquitado (106) was then pinned (1:50) by third-ranked Justine Palabrica to make it 36-24.

Two narrow defeats in the final three bouts prevented Oak Harbor from tying up the match. Jeremy Vester (113) lost 5-4, Jahleel Vester (120) won by a fall (:54) and Ben Pralle (126) lost 9-8.

Oak Harbor goes to Renton tonight, June 13, to face Hazen, Highline and Chief Sealth in a double-dual match. Saturday the Wildcats compete in the Tournament of Excellence at Mercer Island High School at 10 a.m.