BELFAIR — For a few minutes, all eyes were on the Trojans at the 2A Region 2 wrestling tournament.
Teammates Alec Acfalle and Kyle Igancio were simultaneously in the midst of championship matches at the 138 and 160 pound weight classes. And the two didn’t just win, they dominated.
Ignacio defeated Chase Dubois of Blaine in a 13-1 major decision just moments before Alec Acfalle did the same against Caleb Bullard of Blaine, winning his match 14-1.
“That was a great way to finish,” Olympic head coach Troy Reynolds said.
Ignacio, Acfalle and 106-pound wrestler Anjelo Pangelinan all took home regional titles at North Mason High School on Feb. 10. Pangelinan did not wrestle in the 106 finals as his opponent would have been teammate Quincy Young. Pangelinan accepted a forfeit from Young.
Olympic finished second in the overall standings behind Burlington-Edison and will send six wrestlers to the state tournament — Acfalle, Ignacio, Pangelinan, Young, Logan Cornell and Glenn Moe — along with an alternate, Tim Porter.
“We got a great group through,” Reynolds said. “Of course you always want to squeeze through a couple others, but that wasn’t meant to be.”
And the wrestlers are ready for the challenge of competing against the state’s best. Acfalle, in particular, is hoping to get a shot at Alex Cruz of Orting in the 138 division. Cruz is a three-time champion, looking to join the small fraternity of wrestlers to win a state title all four years.
“Every one is dropping out of 38, going to 32 or 45,” Acfalle said. “But I want to stay and try to take his four-time away. Someone has to do it.”
North Kitsap finished fourth overall at the regional tournament thanks to a victory by Nouh Hammou in the 182 division. Hammou pinned Jacob Westfall of Blaine at the 3:18 mark of the match. Robert Gomez and Zach Streun took second place at 126 and 152 pound respectively while Josh Snider finished fourth at 195.
Bremerton had a pair of finalists, including a regional champion in Ryan Sailor, who was in complete control in the finals against Ben Newell of Sequim, winning a 4-0 decision. Estan Wakonabo took second at 120, losing by fall in 3:20 to Pablo Martinez of Lynden.
Kingston’s Dalton Tellinghuisen finished fifth at 120. He defeated Tyler Bryson of Sedro-Wooley by fall in 4:10.
South Kitsap grabs regional title
Four regional champions powered South Kitsap to a team title on Feb. 10 at Eisenhower High School in Yakima.
The Wolves fell to Curtis at the SPSL championship on Feb. 3, but bested their league rival with 187.5 points at regionals. Xavier Eaglin, Devin Gentz, Sebastian Robles and Mason Eaglin all won individual championships at 106, 120, 152 and 170 respectively.
South Kitsap and Curtis will both be major contenders for a 4A state championship at the Mat Classic, which will be held at the Tacoma Dome Feb. 16-17.
“We wrestled well,” South Kitsap head coach Chad Nass said. “We matched up against them a few times and we were able to knock them off when we faced them head to head.”
Robles, in particular, came up with a big win in a direct, head-to-head matchup with Adrian St. Germain of Curtis. Robles won by fall in the second period (2:39). Xavier Eaglin took a 9-3 decision over Cayden Jordan of Rogers; Gentz bested Fabian Ortega of Sunnyside, 13-8; and Mason Eaglin won a major decision, 8-0, against Isaac Clark of Puyallup.
Nathan Marin and Davonn Keyes took second and third in the 160 division. Marin lost to Hunter Cruz of Moses Lake, 5-1, in the 160 finals and Keyes beat Jordan Alcala of Davis by fall in 2:00.
South Kitsap will send ten wrestlers in all to the state tournament — The Eaglin brothers, Gentz, Robles, Marin, Laws, Keyes, Davis, Ethan Fragoso and Hali Deck, who finished fourth in the girls tournament at 140. Clayton Brooks and Logan Gleason will be alternates.
“If we wrestle like we’re capable and do what we’ve been doing all year, we’re going to be in contention.”
Nass said. “I think if we have the ball bounce the right way a couple of times, who knows what happens. Our goal is to be on top, but we have to just go out there and do our job, and if we do that we’ll be alright.”
Kitsap had a pair of champions at the Region 2 girls tournament at Decatur. Holly Beaudoin put her 26-2 record on the line against Anjilia Sumandig of Federal Way and took home a 10-4 decision for the 110 title. Haley Michaelson of Bremerton pinned Gali Valencia of Graham-Kapowsin in 2:45 to capture the regional championship at 125.
Ashlyn Morris of Olympic made the 120 finals, but lost 8-5 to Payton Stroud of White River.
Central Kitsap finished 14th in the 3A Region 2 boys tournament held at Gig Harbor. Micah Lamb placed fifth in the 220 weight class and Alexander Sinclair finished sixth at 106.
On its home mat, Klahowya finished third in the 1A Region 1 tournament. Payton Hlelbechuk took home the top prize in the 106 division and Dallin Stafford placed second at 132. The Eagles stayed ahead of their subregional opponents Port Townsend and Vashon Island, but Forks ran away with the regional tournament, finishing with 305 points.
4A Region 3 boys team standings: 1. South Kitsap 187.5; 2. Curtis, 168; 3. Moses Lake, 148; 4. Sunnyside, 132; 5. Sumner, 84; 6. Davis, 80; 7. Graham-Kapowsin, 78; 8. Puyallup, 68; 9. West Valley (Yakima), 45.5; 10. Rogers, 41; 11. Emerald Ridge, 29; 12. Olympia, 19; 13. Bellarmine Prep, 17.
Local placers:
First — Xavier Eaglin, South Kitsap (106); Devin Gentz, South Kitsap (120); Sebastian Robles, South Kitsap (152); Mason Eaglin, South Kitsap (170).
Second — Nathan Marin, South Kitsap (160).
Third — Jacob Laws, South Kitsap (138); Davonn Keyes, South Kitsap (160); Izaiah Davis, South Kitsap (195).
Fourth — Ethan Fragoso, South Kitsap (220).
Fifth — Clayton Brooks, South Kitsap (120); Logan Gleason, South Kitsap (285).
2A Region 2 boys team standings: 1. Burlington-Edison, 185.5; 2. Olympic 150.5; 3. Blaine, 146; 4. North Kitsap, 89; 5. Sedro-Wooley, 84; 6. Bellingham, 76; 7. Lynden, 68; 8. Bremerton 58.5; 9. North Mason, 58; 10. Lakewood, 53; 11. Liberty, 45; 12. Sequim, 42; 13. Port Angeles, 39; 14. Sehome, 30.5; 15. Anacortes, 28; 16. Kingston, 11.
Local placers:
First — Anjelo Pangelinan, Olympic (106); Alec Acfalle, Olympic (138); Ryan Saylor, Bremerton (145); Kyle Ignacio, Olympic (160); Nouh Hammou, North Kitsap (182).
Second — Quincy Young, Olympic (106); Estan Wakonabo, Bremerton (120); Robert Gomez, North Kitsap (126); Zach Streun, North Kitsap (152); Logan Cornell, Olympic (195).
Third — Luis Clemen, Bremerton (132); Glenn Moe, Olympic (145).
Fourth — Josh Snider, North Kitsap (195); Henry Buentello, Bremerton (195).
Fifth — Dalton Tellinghuisen, Kingston (120); Tim Porter, Olympic (132).
Sixth — Anthony Poggi, North Kitsap (160); Kyle Jaynes, North Kitsap (170); Courtney Santos, Olympic (182); Tyler Sloman, North Kitsap (220); Bruce Laulu, Olympic (285).
2A Region 2 girls local team standings: 7. North Kitsap, 63; 10. Bremerton, 55; 25. South Kitsap, 24; 27. Olympic, 22; 41. Klahowya, 7. 48. Central Kitsap, 2.
Local placers:
First — Holly Beaudoin, North Kitsap (110); Haley Michaelson, Bremerton (125).
Second — Ashlyn Morris, Olympic (120).
Fourth — Elise Scrafford, North Kitsap (130); Hali Deck, South Kitsap (140); Cy’nari Green, Bremerton (155).
Fifth — Angel Collins, North Kitsap (115).
Sixth — Catalina Sanchez, Bremerton (170).
1A Region 1 boys final team standings: 1. Forks, 305; 2. Montesano, 195.5; 3. Klahowya, 122; 4. Vashon Island, 111; 5. Hoquiam, 98; 6. Elma, 87; 7. Tenino, 77; 8. Cascade Christian, 59.5; 9. Port Townsend, 41; 10. Chimacum, 32; 11. Bellevue Christian, 18.
Local placers:
First — Payton Hlelbechuk, Klahowya (106).
Second — Dallin Stafford, Klahowya (132).
Third — Karsten Jensen, Klahowya (145); Austin Stahl, Klahowya (152).
Fourth — Phil Stafford, Klahowya (113); Brian Spilman, Klahowya (120); Hayden Steele, Klahowya (132); Josiah Sorensen, Klahowya (138).
Fifth — Hunter Wallis, Klahowya (160).
Sixth — Sage Hlelbechuk, Klahowya (113); Riley Farrell, Klahowya (185).
— Mark Krulish is a reporter for Kitsap News Group. He can be reached at mkrulish@soundpublishing.com.
North Kitsap’s Nouh Hammou won the 182 pound title at the regional tournament at North Mason. Hammou defeated Jacob Westfall by fall in 3:18. (Mark Krulish/Kitsap News Group)
