Area wrestlers shine at county tournament

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Ridgefield sophomore Trevor Newburn and La Center’s Derick Tollen joined Battle Ground’s Chris Joner and Sierra Joner as individual champions at the Clark County Wrestling Tournament, held Jan. 23-24 at Prairie High School.

Newburn topped Battle Ground’s Joseph Harnett in the finals of the 113-pound division to claim Ridgefield’s top finish at the annual event. The Spudders finished 13th among the 17 schools in the team standings.

Other Ridgefield wrestlers to earn medals in the boys competition were Wyatt Gaspar (6th, 120) and Vanea McDaniel (6th, 170).

Tollen, a junior, earned a 16-6 victory over Evergreen’s Isaiah Av in the championship match of the 126-pound division for La Center’s lone individual title. The Wildcats finished 12th in the team standings.

Tollen was joined at the Clark County Tournament by Wildcat medalists Jeffrey Mayolo (5th, 138) and Hazen Kapp (6th, 285).

Prairie finished eighth in the team standings. The Falcons’ top finisher was senior Jose Avila-Leal, who was second at 195 pounds. Avila-Leal lost 2-1 in double overtime to Union’s Zach Berfanger.

“Jose has been wrestling great lately,’’ said Prairie coach Rob Smith. “He is determined to find a place on the state podium this year and has been doing all the necessary work in the classroom as well as the practice room to get there.’’



Other Falcons to earn medals at the Clark County tournament were Tommy Greensky (3rd, 113), Leo Rojas-Lozano (5th, 120), Kodi Walls (3rd, 132), Peter Mattson (6th, 138) and Bryan Person (4th, 285).

Woodland finished ninth in the team standings. The Beavers were led by Nathan Cloud’s second-place finish at 182 pounds. In the finals, Cloud lost 15-4 to Union’s Alex Berfanger. Other Woodland medalists included Josh Pratt (6th, 126), Nathan Patterson (3rd, 145), Kurtis Patterson (6th, 160) and Isaac Andersen (3rd, 285).

Hockinson’s Aaron Burns advanced to the 285-pound finals, where he lost by a fall to Tristan Bridges, of Heritage. Teammate Cameron Loos was third at 220 pounds as the Hawks finished 14th in the team standings.

Girls division

In addition to Sierra Joner’s title at 10 pounds, two other area female wrestlers earned trips to the podium at the Clark County Wrestling Tournament.

La Center freshman Jasmine Meza was third in the 115-pound division and Battle Ground’s Sidnee Arcury was fourth at 140 pounds.