SILVERDALE — The plan was simple. The execution of it was anything but easy.
After three consecutive overtime periods ended in a stalemate, South Kitsap senior Adam Lutovsky knew he had to hold Edmonds-Woodway’s Nathan Vulliet down for 30 seconds in order to claim a Class 4A regional championship at 145 pounds.
He accomplished that and became the only wrestler for the Wolves to claim a title Saturday at Central Kitsap.
“It’s actually unbelievable,” Lutovsky said. “That kid was ranked second in state.”
In spite of close match that ended in a 4-all stalemate, Lutovsky felt confident he would win during regulation. That is because Vulliet, who placed fifth at state last year, needed a timeout after the third period to vomit into a trash can.
“By the end of maybe the second round I could tell he was getting tired,” Lutovsky said. “At the end of the third when he went to throw up, that’s when I knew I had it.”
Some wrestlers prefer to be on the bottom during the final overtime period, where they only need an escape to win. But Lutovsky said he prefers to position himself on top even though Vulliet almost broke free from him twice.
“He kept holding onto that leg with everything he’s got,” South coach Chad Nass said. “That’s the thing that saved him.”
Lutovsky feels the team’s conditioning might be just as significant as their strategic work.
“I like to think we work harder than most teams,” he said.
That was beneficial during the multiple overtime sessions.
“This is the first time all season I’ve gone into the 30-second portion,” Lutovsky said. “This is definitely the longest one I’ve had all season. I think it might have been the longest one of my life.”
Lutovsky said the outcome was important confidence booster. He said he has “doubted myself” and noted that his older brother, Sean, a 2013 South graduate, who competed at 132, often beat him in wrestling.
But Saturday’s outcome has the younger Lutovsky contemplating his goals.
“Going into the season I was thinking top four in state,” he said. “Now I’m shooting for the state championship.”
This will mark the first time Lutovsky has reached state, which begins Friday at Tacoma Dome, but Nass noted a broken ankle that sidelined him for about a month last season derailed his pupil. Lutovsky instead served as a state alternate and watched the event.
“He was really wrestling well because he placed at Pac Coast,” Nass said. “We thought he could’ve made it to state last year and potentially place. He got behind and never was the same.”
While Lutovsky was the Wolves’ only first-place finisher in regionals, he will not be alone at state. Sophomore Brandon Forster (126) and seniors Joel Sherman (138) and Tristan Hartmann (195) finished second, while senior Joseph Barnum (152) was fourth.
South finished fourth among 16 teams with 93 points. Yelm won regionals with 221 points.
Hartmann lost an 11-1 decision against Lake Stevens’ Cody Vigoren, who also defeated South’s Bryce Broome at regionals last year. Broome responded by finishing fifth at state.
Meanwhile, Sherman defeated Olympia’s Logan Pine, who medaled last year at state, 7-6, in the quarterfinals. Sherman lost 10-4 against Yelm’s Tanner Page for the championship.
Forster, who won a sub-regional title last week, suffered a 5-0 setback during Saturday’s title match against Lake Stevens’ Jake Douglas.
On the girls side, senior Amberlee Brasch will make her third consecutive state appearance. She will compete at 137 in the girls tournament.
South’s group of state wrestlers marks a smaller one than some years when the Wolves have brought double-digit competitors to Tacoma Dome. But Nass said he has had success with smaller numbers at state before.
“Last year we brought five and took home four medals,” he said. “That will work.”
Region 1 4A Wrestling Championships
Team scores
1, Yelm 221; 2, Lake Stevens 187; 3, Snohomish 109; 4, South Kitsap 93; 5, Arlington 68; 6, Central Kitsap 66; 7, Kamiak 64.5; 8, Bellarmine Prep 51; 9, Mariner 42; 10, Cascade 41.5; 11, Lynnwood 39; 12, Olympia 37; 13, Edmonds-Woodway 33; 14, Mount Vernon 32.5; 15, Gig Harbor 16; 16, Monroe 10; 17, Jackson 7; 18, Stadium 0.
Championship matches
106-Jeremy Nygard (ARLG) d. Mason Harrison (YELM) 6-0. 113-Michael Soler (LKST) d. Tyler Headland (LKST) 9-1; 120-Darren Harris (YELM) p. David Garcia (CASC) 2:33. 126-Jake Douglas (LKST) d. Brandon Forster (SK) 5-0. 132-Noah Cuzzetto (LKST) d. Jacob Rash (YELM) 10-4. 138-Tanner Page (YELM) d. Joel Sherman (SK) 10-4. 145-Adam Lutovsky (SK) d. Nathan Vulliet (EDWD) 4-4 OT criteria. 152-Brandon Rochester (YELM) d. Rafael Ibarra (MTVN) 3-0. 160-Hunter Lord (LYNN) d. David Bikoev (KAMK) 6-0. 170-Tyler Webley (KAMK) tf. Bo Campbell (YELM) 17-2. 182-Garrett Stich (SNOH) p. Blake Moser (GHAR) 3:33. 195-Cody Vigoren (LKST) d. Tristan Hartmann (SK) 11-1. 220-Tristan Baus (SNOH) p. Elliott Villars (BLMN) 2:21. 285-Dominick Johnson (CK) p. Francisco Flores (MARN) 2:33.
