Saturday, Jan. 11, Port Townsend had a strong showing at the Tenino High School “Beaver Bash” tournament.
195-pounder Kyle Caldwell took first place, besting his Onalaska opponent and Dylan Tracer, wrestling at 182 also took first, beating 2019 B1-class champion Lucas Ashley from Adna.
Meanwhile, Logan Massie at 145 pounds took second and Robby Collier (170) and Ian Linn (152) took third place.
Coach Steve Grimm said Caldwell didn’t get a single point scored against him all day. Tracer, who has recovered from a hand broken during football season, is just four matches into his season and wrestling well, Grimm said. Grimm said this was Massie’s first time in a finals and he seems to have developed a taste for it. There were no girls matches at Tenino.
On Jan. 8, Port Townsend wrestled Bellevue Christian and Seattle Academy in a Jan. 8 home meet that saw Port Townsend best both schools, winning 17 out 24 total matches.
“I was most proud that we dominated but were also humble,” Coach Steve Grimm said in an email recapping the event. “In most cases we outmatched them big time, but our guys were telling their opponents words of encouragement after the match. We do have some dominant wrestlers but we all started somewhere and we’ve been beaten too. It showed what type of program/ athletes we have.”
Against Bellevue Christian, which was only able to bring three wrestlers, Port Townsend boys scored 45 points to Bellevue’s 6. Against Seattle Academy, which brought a full squad, Port Townsend boys scored 60-12.
Against Bellevue, Port Townsend 126-pounder Ike Banks scored a pin and sophomore 145-pounder Logan Massie topped senior Deaunte Epp, ranked at #12, 11-9.
In the 285-pound class, Troy McKelvey lost by pin to Bellevue’s grappler.
“Logan had a great match,” said Grimm, who says Massie has a talent for scrambles and has been beating top wrestlers this season. “I am surprised he is not ranked yet, but I like the idea of him being an unknown.”
In girls wrestling, Seattle Academy also brought two competitors. Port Townsend’s Savannah Hoffman won the 120-pound bout with a pin in the first round. “She hit a beautiful throw to get the pin,” Grimm said. In the 130-pound class, Chloe Lampert also won in the first round with a pin. Grimm said Lampert’s middle school wrestling experience shows.
Earlier this season
At the North Mason Varsity Tournament on Dec. 28, Port Townsend wrestlers made a strong showing.
At 145 pounds, Logan Massie took third place.
At 152 pounds, Ian Linn-Glasgow took third and Odin Smith took third as well, wrestling at 160 pounds, while Kyle Caldwell was top finisher for the squad, taking second at 195 pounds.
Coach Steve Grimm said holiday travel plans shrank the team a bit, but he was glad to see wrestlers medal.
The North Mason tournament was a follow-up to Hammerhead, a two-day event attracting schools from all over the state Dec. 20 and 21, where two Port Townsend wrestlers made it into the overall standings.
Kyle Caldwell took fourth in the male 195-pound class and Savannah Hoffman took sixth in the female 120-pound “B” bracket for less experienced wrestlers, going 2-2.
Held at the Kitsap Sun Pavilion in Bremerton, the event attracted 829 wrestlers from 95 high schools from Spokane to the coast, said tournament director Steve Polillo.
Other Port Townsend wrestlers who competed include Trevor Wilson, who lost in the 126-pound class, by fall to a Central Kitsap wrestler; Ike Banks, who lost in a fall to a Spokane wrestler in the 126-pound class; Logan Massie, who won two bouts in the 145-pound class before losing by major decision to a South Kitsap grappler. Ian-Linn Glasgow, in the 152-pounders beat a Spanaway Lake wrestler, only to lose to a Franklin Pierce opponent and then a Central Kitsap wrestler.
Odin Smith, wrestling at 160 pounds, beat an Olympic opponent by fall, then dropped two matches by decision, one to an Auburn wrestler, the other to a Kentlake wrestler.
Robby Collier racked up 15 team points by tussling six 170-pound opponents, winning three by fall, one in sudden victory, but losing two by fall. Wes Blue, wrestling at 182 pounds also racked up team points, but lost to opponents from Blaine, Federal Way and Timberline, despite defeating wrestlers from two other schools.
Beau Manuel, wrestling at 220 pounds, received two byes, but lost to opponents from Blaine and Chehalis. In the 285-pound class, Port Townsend’s Troy McKelvey beat a Washington High (Tacoma) opponent by fall, received two byes, but lost to an Eastmont opponent.
135-pound wrestler Chloe Lampert did not place but went 1-2.
