HOCKINSON SENIOR Cameron Loos (standing) celebrates immediately after pinning Cheney’s Michael Ferguson in the finals of the Class 2A 220-pound division at the state wrestling tournament Saturday.
CAMERON LOOS became Hockinson’s first state champion wrestler this weekend when he claimed the Class 2A 220-pound title. Loos is shown here after his victory in the finals, jumping into the arms of Hawks Assistant Coach Zane Parker.
BATTLE GROUND FRESHMAN James “Jake’’ Rogers (top) battles Trysten Perales, of Lake Stevens, in the finals of the Class 4A 145-pound division at the state wrestling tournament Saturday at the Tacoma Dome. Rogers finished second.
TACOMA – Hockinson’s Cameron Loos already knew what it was like to finish second at the state wrestling tournament. He didn’t want to experience that feeling again.
Loos followed his second-place finish at the state tournament last year with a state championship Saturday in the Class 2A 220-pound division of Mat Classic XXVIII at the Tacoma Dome.
"I just kept on remembering all the work I put in this year,’’ Loos said. “Last year, all the regrets I had … I got second last year, and I wasn't going to let that happen."
Loos, a senior who is headed to New Mexico State to play football in the fall, earned his state title with a second-round pin of Cheney’s Michael Ferguson in the finals. The pin came 47 seconds into the second round and after Loos had trailed in the match by a 6-0 score.
"This is our first state champ in wrestling for Hockinson,’’ said Hawks coach Ralph Bever. “I didn't expect to be down 6 to 0 at the middle of the second round, but I wasn't worried. He had to stay with us for six minutes. Cameron kept his cool, waited, and there it was. (Michael Ferguson) was a good wrestler. He had a lot of moves and he was a good opponent. But he had to stay with us."
After a stalemate early in the second round, the wrestlers reset with Loos in the down position. Loos was able to get to his feet with Ferguson holding on. Loos reached down, grabbing Ferguson's left leg with his left hand as he held his head with his right hand. Rolling to the ground, Loos created a scramble and came out on top, immediately sinking a half nelson on his opponent. Ferguson could not escape Loos' crushing grip and was pinned.
Loos credited his coaching staff, particularly Hockinson Assistant Coach Rich Day.
"A lot of it is Coach Day,’’ Loos said. “He wrestles with me every day at practice. He's why I'm a state champ. Most of my moves are from him."
Day said Loos earned his success through hard work.
"We've spent a lot of time in the last few years, and he deserves it,’’ Day said. “He has worked his butt off."
Day said he saw Loos’ winning move “from a mile away.’’
“I knew it was there,’’ Day said. “I was just thinking, 'did he remember it?' We went over it about a month and a half ago. It's not a move you use on good wrestlers usually, but if you need it and you need to take a chance you use it. And he remembered.
“And the finish was just as beautiful as the rest of it,’’ Day said. “All that work that he put in went into that one move. I told him before the match our athleticism and our power will win the match. Eventually we will get an opportunity. And you will win."
Loos opened the two-day state tournament with a 5-3 decision over Michael Latimer, from Sequim. He then advanced to the semifinals with an 11-0 decision over Isiac Anaya of Toppenish. Loos then earned his spot in the finals with a 9-3 decision over Lynden’s Brody Weinheimer.
Bever was not concerned about Loos’ conditioning during the state tournament, or the final match.
"Since New Year's Eve, we've run 18 100-yard wind sprints at 16 seconds every day after practice,’’ Bever said. “I wasn't worried about six minutes."
Hockinson Assistant Coach Zane Parker also praised the Hawks’ first state champion.
“Phenomenal,’’ Parker said. “This kid has paid the price and he deserves it. He's now going to devote his whole life to football and that's great."
Hockinson sophomore Colton Wheeler placed seventh in the 2A 170-pound division.
James Rogers second
Battle Ground’s James “Jake’’ Rogers almost earned a state title in his first trip to the state tournament. Rogers, a freshman, lost 5-2 to Trysten Perales, of Lake Stevens, in the finals of the 4A 145-pound division.
Rogers entered the state tournament after claiming a regional championship the week before. He opened his pursuit of a state title with a second-round pin of Issaquah’s Kaleb Solusod. Rogers then advanced to the semifinals with a 7-3 win over Diego Castaneda, of Sunnyside. In the semifinals, Rogers advanced with an 11-4 win over Gavin Eaglin, of Graham-Kapowsin.
Battle Ground’s Chris Joner added a sixth place finish in the 4A 126-pound division and sister Sierra Joner finish fourth in the 130-pound division of the girls competition. Last year, Sierra finished sixth at state last season and eighth as a freshman.
Prairie place winners
Prairie had four wrestlers earn medals in the 3A competition at Mat Classic, including senior Kodi Walls, who finished fourth in the 132-pound division. Walls also placed fourth in the same weight division last year at the state tournament.
Joining Walls as medal winners at state were seniors Tommy Greensky (7th, 126) and Talen Goodpaster (7th, 138) and junior Bryan Person (8th, 285). Greensky finished eighth at state in the 113-pound division a year ago.
Ridgefield has two medal winners
Ridgefield’s Trevor Newburn earned a fourth-place finish in the 2A 126-pound division. The junior finished second at 113 pounds a year ago.
The Spudders’ other medal winner was senior Tommy Herz, who finished seventh at 145 pounds.
La Center’s Mayolo medals
La Center junior Jeffrey Mayolo finished fifth in the 1A 138-pound division of Mat Classic. Mayolo finished sixth in the same division at last year’s state tournament.
