High school wrestlers face nation's best

Moses Lake and Ephrata wrestlers return with memories

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Four local high school state finalist wrestlers recently traveled across the country to test themselves against the nation's best competition.

Moses Lake wrestlers Brett Fredericksen and John Fackrell, as well as Ephrata's Jake Horn and Dallas Hintz, traveled to Virginia Beach, Virg., to compete in the National High School Coaches' Association Senior Nationals wrestling tournament.

The event, which typically requires entrants to have reached the state finals in their high school wrestling career, brought together nearly 1,000 wrestlers from 47 states to determine the top senior high school wrestlers in the country.

While the Columbia Basin group worked hard and trained hard in preparation for the event, none were able to achieve the goal of earning all-American status.

Fackrell, Moses Lake's 189-pound state champion, had a strong tournament. The Moses Lake senior won three matches and received a fourth victory by injury default.

Fackrell opened the tournament with a pin before losing his second match to Ryan Malo of Massachusetts. Malo, who controlled Fackrell with his strong leg-riding ability, finished the tournament in eighth place.

From there, Fackrell won matches by 10-3 and 7-1 scores and then received an injury default victory. The Moses Lake senior's tournament ended with a 3-1 loss to John Allen Griswold of South Carolina.

Fredericksen had a tougher time in Virginia, receiving a first-round bye before losing his second match 10-5 to Oklahoma's Randy Tonche. In the match, Fredericksen was able to put Tonche on his back, but couldn't keep his opponent down on the mat. Fredericksen went on to lose his next match to end his tournament run.

"I know he was well prepared, but through his warm-up he just didn't fell well," said coach Jim Nielsen. "He didn't have much energy and he felt dead. He tried to work through it but he just couldn't shake it."

Ephrata's Jake Horn opened his tournament with a pin of Oklahoma wrestler Adam Delong. Horn lost his next match 6-4 to Cody Hogan of Missouri, who finished fifth at 125 pounds. Horn lost his next match as well, eliminating the Ephrata senior from the tournament.

Dallas Hintz of Ephrata won his first match 10-3 over Matt MacLean of New Jersey. Hintz lost his next match 6-5 to fall into the consolation bracket, where he was eliminated from the tournament with a loss in his next match.

"I am a firm believer that the experience will benefit them as they continue on in college and end up wrestling in a tournament with similar competition," said Nielsen. "It was an honor to come along with them on this adventure in their lives and I am deeply appreciative of the support of all those who helped them make this possible."