Moses Lake champions head to nationals

Duo of state champs seek funding

MOSES LAKE — For most wrestlers, winning a state championship is the ultimate goal and when achieved becomes the highlight of a year worth of hard work and dedication to the sport.

For others, such as Moses Lake's Brett Fredericksen and John Fackrell, both champions at the 2007 Mat Classic State Championships, a greater challenge awaits.

The greater challenge is the National High School Coaches' Association Senior Nationals, a national tournament bringing the country's best wrestlers together to determine who truly is the best of the best, according to organizers.

The tournament is only open to elite wrestlers; for most states, including Washington, a wrestler must have earned a state-finals appearance to even qualify for the NHSCA Senior Nationals.

"We want to see how good we really are," said Fackrell. "There's a lot of state champions; it would be nice to be one of the few that is a national champ."

The tournament, held in Virginia Beach, Va., is renowned for the quality of wrestlers it attracts, according to organizers. Nine of the 10 2006 NCAA Division I wrestling champions attended the tournament their senior year, and in an average year 17 of 20 NCAA finalists are former NHSCA Senior Nationals participants.

The natural link between the tournament and a college wrestling career is something that intrigues the Moses Lake wrestlers. Both have expressed an interest in continuing their wrestling careers on the collegiate level.

"I'd rather do wrestling right now," said Fredericksen. "That's what I'm liking the most."

While the two have overcome many obstacles in their wrestling career, the pair are facing challenges. The obligations of school, training, and their normal lives left them little time to raise the necessary funds to travel to Virginia. The two have begun approaching area businesses and residents in search of help funding their trip, but haven't yet had the time to talk to everyone they would like to.

"We just haven't been able to go around as much as we need to with practicing and school," said Fredericksen.

"Just finding time to go out is the hardest part," said Fackrell.

During the next two weeks before the tournament, Fredericksen and Fackrell are working hard, and they are confident their efforts will pay off.

"My goal is to make it to Sunday," said Fredericksen, referring to the tournament's final day of competition and what would be an All-American placement in the event.

"Hopefully things go our way and we have another good tournament," said Fredericksen.

"Like we did at state," added Fackrell.

"We're not going to be ranked at all so nobody will know us," noted Fackrell. "Hopefully that will work to our advantage."