Blue Heron grapplers open wrestling season in Port Angeles

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The Blue Heron Middle School wrestling team — including athletes from around Port Townsend and Chimacum — launched its season last Wednesday, traveling to Stevens Middle School in Port Angeles for the first meet of the year.

Nineteen middle school grapplers tested their mettle in a total of 34 matches, with the Blue Heron athletes winning 19 and losing 15 of the matchups.

While the meet was shortened due to a pending snowstorm in Port Angeles at the time, the young wrestlers gained valuable experience as the season heats up.

“Our team recently finished a great two weeks of practice with our wrestling room full of hard-working kids,” said Coach Ryan White. “We have over 30 kids registered for the sport, and most days we get around 20 kids in the room.  All of these young athletes are learning that hard work pays off.”

Five wrestlers went 2-0 on the night, with seventh-graders Savannah Grimm, Skye Trollsplinter, and Sam Fox along with eighth-graders Gracee Liske and Kaleb Kruse. Silas Klontz, Oliver Ingersoll, and Luke O’Hara also went undefeated but had their second matches canceled due to the inclement weather. 

Three athletes showed out at the event, with Chimacum sixth-grader Leighton Dunn earning an impressive win in her second-ever wrestling bout.

“The final round ended with Leighton taking [the opponent] down and pinning her to complete her first victory ever,” Coach Joe Banks said.

Seventh-grader Skye Trollsplinter is upping his game by learning from one of the state’s best high-school grapplers, Mi Amada Lanphear Ramirez.

“Skye has been mentored by Mi Amada for a few sessions at practice, and he seems to have picked up her aggressive, fluid wrestling style,” White said.

Trollsplinter won his first match by third-round pin over Orlando Comacho of Forks, then won his second bout by second-round pin over Pedro Francisco of Forks, White said.

Last but not least, eighth-grader Oliver Ingersoll of Chimacum has been bulking up in the gym over the offseason as he prepares to dominate the heavyweight class.

Beyond the weight room gains, Ingersoll is a multi-sport athlete with football, basketball, and track, and also attended a summer wrestling camp to upgrade his skillset.

Last year, Ingersoll wrestled eight matches and finished the season without a victory, but the heavyweight’s offseason work ethic and juggernaut gains have already led to a pin this year.

Ingersoll faced Sequim’s Salvador Meyer in Port Angeles, taking him down and earning a quick pin.

Ingersoll earned the victory “in less than 30 seconds in a high-energy match that Oliver controlled from the first whistle” Coach Steve Grimm said.