SPOKANE — Forks showed that while it’s not as strong in past years in some weight classes, the Spartans can still hold their own against the state’s elite teams as the Spartans prepare for the Mat Classic coming up next month.
The Forks boys won three out of five matches at the Dream Duals on Saturday, beating Freeman, Medical Lake and Lakeside, while falling to Tonasket and Royal.
Forks beat Medical Lake 45-34, Freeeman 48-30 and Lakeside 37-34 at the Spokane Convention Center. The Spartans lost to 2B Tonasket 61-18, a new Mat Classic rival next season when Forks drops down to 2B, and to Royal 52-22.
These teams are all among the tops in the state. Royal finished seventh at the 1A level at the Mat Classic last year. Medical Lake finished 12th last year and Lakeside sixth. Tonasket is the defending 2B state champion (and the Tigers won the state title by a huge margin), so there’s no shame in losing to this team.
Hayden Baker had a great day for the Spartans, winning six out of seven matches (with one forfeit victory), mostly at 170 pounds. Hayden Queen won three out of four matches at 182 pounds.
Conner Demorest won four out of five matches at 106 pounds and Luis Morales won four out of six matches at 285 pounds.
Colton Duncan won three matches on the day at 145 pounds as did Dalton Kilmer at 126 pounds.
Jake Weakley at 132 pounds and Ariel Morales at 132 pounds also won a pair of matches each.
Forks takes a week off and next wrestles Monday in a three-way dual in Poulsbo against 2A North Kitsap and 3A Central Kitsap
Forks girls at Vikings Invitational
PUYALLUP — Forks’ Karen Ensastegui-Salazar took first place in her weight division at the Vikings Girls Invitational in Puyallup. Ensastegui-Salazar won her semifinal match with a 7-5 decision over Winter Kindle of Castle Rock, then won with a pin the championship match over Praline Werner of Puyallup.
Three other Forks girls placed at the meet as the Spartans finished eighth as a team.
The Spartans’ Litzy Recinos finished fourth at 145 pounds. After losing her first match in an overtime sudden victory 10-8, Recinos went on to won with three straight pins to pick up a fourth-place medal.
Iesha Johnson finished sixth at 105 pounds, winning three matches and losing two, while Annhelica Wells came in sixth place, winning two out of four matches.
The Forks girls next wrestle at the Beach Brawl in Ilwaco on Saturday.
