'Disappointed' The Chiefs qualify two for state with four as alternates to Mat Classic

SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. — To call Moses Lake's performance at the regional wrestling tournament a tragedy would be embellishing the situation, but for coaches, wrestlers and fans, disappointing would fit perfectly.

After winning the Big Nine District championship, the Chiefs collided with the Greater Spokane League in the Region 4 tournament and took more than a hit. Joe Vela and Jordan Hill were the only two who escaped with a state tournament berth after Moses Lake brought 10 to the tournament.

"I don't think there is any other way to characterize this than to be disappointed," said Moses Lake head coach Nathan Stanley. "The kids have worked hard this entire season and to come up short and not get the chance to compete at the state tournament is disappointing."

For the second straight tournament, Hill and Sean Hoiness faced off against each other at 125 pounds, but this time, there was more at stake. In the consolation semifinals, Hill pulled off the upset over Hoiness with a 13-7 decision.

The last time they faced each other, Hoiness pinned Hill with a head and arm in the second period of the championship finals at the district tournament.

"I think it is the worst situation you can have to have those two kids who have worked as hard as they have all year and wrestle for the right to go to state," Stanley said. "I think that we handled it the way any program I have been around handles it: when your guys are wrestling against each other, you just sit there and let them go at it and hope they do their best and the best guy wins."

Hill went on to lose to Ferris' Taylor Yonago 8-1 to claim fourth place. Hoiness finished fifth with a 1:44 pin over Kamiakin's Andrew Tally.

Vela opened the 112-pound weight class with an 11-4 decision over Steve Cooley of Lewis and Clark High School. He then fell 9-2 to Pasco's Jerry Yniguez to move into the consolation semifinals.

Against Peter Edminister of Mead, Vela started with a first-period takedown. In the second, Vela scored six straight points and finished the match with a takedown in the third period for a 10-0 major decision to clinch a spot in the state tournament.

In the consolation championship, Joel Robbins of Eastmont pulled off a 12-0 win over Vela.

Moses Lake's Cody Hoiness (130), Ty Payne (152) and John Fackrell all finished fifth in their weight classes to go to the state tournament as alternates. Eisenhower's Benji Martin, who finished fifth at the district tournament, came in as an alternate at 171 pounds and finished second in the regional tournament.

Stanley said Martin's run in the regional tournament gives him hope for his four alternates heading to the state tournament.

"I think that has to be their mind set," Stanley said. "At this point in the season, some kids choose not to go on. There is no other way to do it than to believe you are going to be in the tournament."

Region 4 Tournament results:

Team results: University 209.5, Pasco 95, Eastmont 90, Central Valley 81, Mead 80.5, Moses Lake 65, Southridge 58.5, Wenatchee 57, Kamiakin 56, Walla Walla 50, Mount Spokane 46, Lewis and Clark 35, Eisenhower 32, Ferris 32, Rogers 28, Richland 17, Gonzaga 14, Kennewick 12, Davis 11, Shadle 4.

Individual results: 103 - Owen (Univ) def. Martinez (Pasco), 1:51; Cambron (CVAL) def. Carbahal (Davis), 8-5. 112 - Fish (Univ) def. Yniguez (Pasco), 8-1. 119 - Fish (Univ) def. Iniguez (Wena), 2-1; Mendez (Pasco) def. McCoy (CVAL), 9-2. 125 - Chesher (CVAL) def. Powell (LCLK), Inj. default; Yonago (Ferr) def. Hill (ML), 8-1. 130 - Whitley (Wena) def. Machala (Univ), 14-5; Katus (Gonz) def. Nay (Univ), 6-4. 135 - Springer (South) def. Medrano (East) 16-0; Varnell (LCLK) def. Marlowe (Ken), 0:57. 140 - Yonago (Ferr) def. Montag (Univ), 5-4; Hatton (MTSP) def. Ramos (EISN), 5-3. 145 - Anderson (Kam) def. Owen (Univ), 9-5; Buccarelli (South) def. Goss (Univ), 9-3. 152 - Didier (Mead) def. Vanhorn (East), 9-4; Zumwalt (Univ) def. Varner (Wena), 7-2; Gutzwiler (East) def. Farwell (CVAL), 1:47. 171 - Reynolds (MTSP) def. Martin (EISN), 3-1; Martinez (Pasco) def. Gerken (Kam), 9-4. 189 - Korn (Univ) def. Daggett (Walla), 5-3; White (South) def. McKenney (Mead), 10-2. 215 - Senescall (Mead) def. Wamsher (East), 12-6; Steinmetz (Rog) def. Puzycki (Kam) 4-2. 275 - Rodriguez (Walla) def. Guzman (Pasco) 2-1 OT; Hernandez (Rog) def. Biddle (Rich), 1:53.