Oak Harbor qualified five wrestlers for this weekend’s regional tournament.
The Wildcat boys will send four to Auburn by placing in the top eight in their weight classes at the district tournament in Marysville Feb. 5 and 6.
On the girls side, Jennifer Fremd took second at 152 pounds at the sub-regional tournament at Squalicum High School last weekend. She will be competing in the girls Region 1 tournament at Sedro-Woolley this weekend.
At the sub-regional, Fremd upset the No. 2 seed in the semifinals before falling in the finals.
Brandon Stratton led the way for the boys at district by placing third in 145 pounds. Colton Elliot (140) and Corey Trimbur (103) finished fourth, and Zach Loescher (171) placed fifth.
Justin Everett (152) ended up in ninth and is the first alternate. Hunter Vail (189) had the next best finish, 10th.
As a team, the Wildcat boys placed ninth out of 14 schools with 132 points. The Wesco North dominated the meet against the Wesco South, grabbing the top three spots and seven of the top nine. Lake Stevens won its 19th district title in 20 years with 399 points.
Oak Harbor will now take part in what many consider the most difficult region in the state. The regional will include three of the state’s top four ranked teams. Lake Stevens, the defending state champion, is ranked No. 1. Tahoma is currently No. 3 and Auburn No. 4.
The top five wrestlers at the regional tournament will qualify for the state tournament. Elliot placed sixth in state last winter at 130 pounds.
At last weekend’s district tournament, each team could enter two wrestlers in each weight class.
Stratton won four of five matches, all by pins in route to his third-place finish. His only loss was 25-9 in the semifinals.
Elliot recorded three pins before losing to the eventual champion 6-2 in the semifinals. After another pin in the consolation bracket, Elliot was upset in the third-place match 7-6 by a wrestler he had pinned earlier in the tournament.
Trimbur received a bye, won by a pin, won 9-5 then lost by a pin in the semifinals. After a 7-0 win in the consolation bracket, he lost 8-0 in the bout for third.
Loescher won by a bye, a pin and 10-6 and then lost to the eventual champion by a pin in the semifinals. After a 7-0 loss in the consolation rounds, he won 6-0 for fifth.
Other Oak Harbor wrestlers at district and their records are as follows (wins by byes are not included):
Ben Pralle (119), 0-2; Ryuta Meany (125), 0-2; Josh Barton (135), 2-2; Joshua Crebbin (135), 1-2; Everett (152), 2-2; Steven Souza (160), 3-2; Jeremy Alonzo (160), 0-2; Kelly Turner (171), 0-2; Vail (189), 1-2; Davion Watkins (189), 2-2; Drew Culver (215), 2-2; Javon Payne (215), 2-2; Jeremy Foster (285), 1-2; James Engen (285), 0-2.
