Tigers claw past Cardinals

Ephrata 46, Medical Lake 24

EPHRATA - The Ephrata Tigers wrestling team fell behind 6-0 early to visiting Medical Lake Thursday night before rallying to top the Cardinals 46-24 to open the 2008-2009 season 1-0.

Ephrata capitalized on five pins Thursday night to distance themselves from Medical Lake and earn the non-league victory.

With the Tigers trailing 6-0 after the first match, Ephrata won seven straight matches to take a commanding 34-6 lead over the Cardinals. Four of Ephrata's seven consecutive wins came when Tiger wrestlers pinned their Medical Lake opponents.

Ephrata began their run in 119-pound weight class when Tyler Childs moved up a weight class and pinned Derrick Parcher in 1:08 to help Ephrata pull even after two matches.

With the match tied, Anthony Bush at 125-pounds rolled to a 17-4 victory and the Tigers never looked back.

While his team came away with the victory, Ephrata head coach PJ Anderson said his team still has some work to do.

"Our fitness isn't quite there yet," he said. "That's my fault. We need to get our feet under us and we need to make sure that happens in the next couple of weeks."

Ephrata captain and senior Quinton Hendrickson at 152-pounds helped lead the Tigers to victory.

Hendrickson is coming off of a seventh place finish at the state championship tournament last season at 140-pounds and was the only senior on Ephrata's roster Thursday night.

Anderson said Hendrickson is the type of leader Ephrata needs on the wrestling mat.

"Quinton did real well," he said. "He was doing a lot of the things he planned to do. He is everything you want to see out of a senior."

Hendrickson said he was proud of the way he and his teammates performed Thursday night.

"My team performed outstanding," he said. "(We) were in the zone and (we) performed really well."

With Hendrickson leading the Tigers on and off the mat, he is proud of the opportunity to be there for his team.

"I almost find it as an opportunity for the younger kids to look up to me," he said. "I don't want them to have any bad influences."

Ephrata returns to the wrestling mat Saturday when they participate in the West Valley Invitational tournament.

The Tigers travel to Ellensburg Dec. 11 to take on the Bulldogs and the Wapato Wolves in a double-duel meet.

Wrestling is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.

Complete Results

103 - Dylan Usselman (ML) def. Ephrata forfeit

112 - Andrew Reese (ML) pinned Austin Schooler (Ephrata) 4:53

119 - Tyler Childs (Ephrata) pinned Derrick Parcher (ML) 1:08

125 - Anthony Bush (Ephrata) def. John Daniels (ML) 17-4

130 - Oscar Matus (Ephrata) pinned Alfredo Monge (ML) 1:56

135 - Preston Hendrickson (Ephrata) pinned Kyle Thomas (ML) 3:45

140 - Alex Harvill (Ephrata) pinned Zach Richardson (ML) 4:35

145 - Kurt Nygard (Ephrata) def. Dean Peterson (ML) 3-1

152 - Quinton Hendrickson (Ephrata) def. Bryace Dressler (ML) 7-2

160 - Tim Haynes (ML) pinned Chris Davidson (Ephrata) 1:07

171 - Robert Motzkus (Ephrata) pinned Rober Mode (ML) 2:24

189 - Curtis Treiber (Ephrata) def. Arron Weere (ML) 7-4

215 - Deion Ducksworth (Ephrata) def. AJ Guidry (ML) 6-3

285 - Kieth Walden (ML) pinned Mitchell Brown (Ephrata)