The North Kitsap Wrestling team lost its first two matches of the Thomas Jefferson High School tournament Saturday but regained its footing for its first two wins of the season as well.

North had a formidable challenge in starting its season in a match with top-10 ranked Mt. Tahoma and lost 12-65. Two of North’s top wrestlers did record pins for wins, however: Matt Grimes at the 119 lbs. weight class and Miles Pendergraft at the 152 lbs. class.

In the second match of the day, North Kitsap fell to Spanaway Lake by a 30-52 overall score but picked up pin wins from Kyle Cetnarowski (125 lbs.) and

Danny Glushko (275 lbs.). Winners by points in the match were Grimes, Pendergraft and Cory Bast (160 lbs.).

North picked up its first victory of the season versus Mount Rainier, winning a nail-biter in which the Vikings picked up the last two matches with pins to win, 41-40. Glushko and Mike Storey (215 lbs.) pulled out the decisive pins and wins were also added by Grimes, Cetnarowski, Danny Harris (145 lbs.) and Pendergraft won by injury default. Bast won his match on points.

North cruised in its final match against Lincoln, 66-12, behind the pins of Cetnarowski, Johnny Helsing (135 lbs.), Nate Sims (140 lbs.), Nick Miller (145 lbs.), Harris, Bast, Peter Thompson (171 lbs.), Curtis Travelstead (189 lbs.), Storey and Glushko.

“By the time we got to our fourth match, we were firing on all cylinders,” commented coach Jon Cooke.

Three North wrestlers also made it into the individual finals and recorded second place finishes: Grimes, Pendergraft and Glushko. Grimes and Glushko lost in the finals and Pendergraft did not wrestle due to a shoulder injury. Cooke said his injury will be evaluated daily before the team’s next tournament Saturday at Olympic High School.