Chiefs, Knights claim Dream Duals titles

SPOKANE VALLEY — Moses Lake went 3-0 against some of the top teams in the 4A classification to claim the Dream Duals championship at East Valley High School Saturday.

The Chiefs opened the day with a convincing 41-20 victory over Central Valley of Spokane.

In the second round, Moses Lake faced off with Lake Stevens, considered by many to be the top team in the state. The Chiefs controlled the upper and lower weights, winning every match from 103 to 125 and from 171 to 285. Moses Lake defeated the Vikings 41-26.

"It was great to beat Lake Stevens and to win," said Moses Lake head coach Jamie Wise. "It seems like we haven't won Dream Duals in forever."

In the lower weights, the Vikings moved several wrestlers up a weight class, with devastating results. David Perales won a 9-6 decision at 103 pounds against the Lake Stevens JV wrestler. At 112 pounds, Tyler Vela pinned Zach Zweifel, the Vikings' usual 103-pounder and one of the state's top wrestlers in the 103 class. A technical-fall victory by Gabe Guzman at 119 and a decision by Matt Palmer at 125 gave the Chiefs a sweep of the lower weights.

One of the biggest matches of the dual was at 145 pound, where Moses Lake's Cody Hoiness pinned Lake Stevens' Mitch Tipton in a battle between two of the state's top 140-pound wrestlers.

The Chiefs moved on to face University High School in their final dual of the afternoon. Moses Lake fell behind 23-0 early, losing the first five matches of the dual. However, consecutive pins by John Fackrell at 189 pounds and Brett Fredericksen at 215 pounds started a run in which the Chiefs would win eight of the final nine matches of the dual to run away with a 42-29 victory and the Dream Duals 4A title.

Royal was the champion in the 1A division, defeating SCAC rival Warden 47-12 for the title. The Knights also defeated Vashon 51-16 and downed Lake Roosevelt 44-24 on their way to the title.

Warden opened the tournament with a lopsided 57-6 win over Tonasket, and then pulled off an unexpected 38-37 win over defending 2A state champion Lakeside.

In the 2A division, Othello wrestled their way to a second-place finish. The Huskies began Dream Duals with a 51-21 win over Aberdeen, then hammered Hoquiam 66 to 15 in their second dual.

Othello finished their day with a 53-30 loss to Mount Baker, a dual meet in which 12 of 13 matches wrestled ended in falls.

— Staff report