BATTLE GROUND’S Chris Joner claimed the individual title in the boys 120-pound division at the Clark County Wrestling Tournament held Jan. 23-24 at Prairie High School.
BATTLE GROUND SOPHOMORE Sierra Joner (top) takes down Mountain View’s Foster Scott in the finals of the girls 120-pound division of the Clark County Wrestling Tournament. Joner earned a 9-0 win in the match to claim her second straight Clark County title.
The high school wrestling season is a continual ascent to the finish line, which is the state wrestling tournament. After their third-place showing at the annual Clark County Wrestling Tournament, it’s safe to say the Battle Ground Tigers’ rise to the postseason is right on schedule.
Battle Ground finished third in the boys team standings at the Clark County Wrestling Tournament, held Jan. 23-24 at Prairie High School. The Tigers were led by Chris Joner’s individual title in the 120-pound division but Battle Ground’s team effort was also buoyed by several other top finishers.
“It wasn’t a surprise to us,’’ said Battle Ground coach Jay Rogers. “We felt like we matched up well with the rest of the schools in the county. As a team, we came together really well. They’re maturing very well. As a team, they’re finally starting to relax and wrestle and do what we do in the wrestling room every day (in practice).’’
Joner, a sophomore, won all four of his matches by fall to claim his first Clark County Wrestling Tournament title. He pinned Mountain View’s Brandon Huft at the 1:36 mark in the finals.
“Chris has been improving every day,’’ Rogers said. “He just continues to get better and better. He has the ability to go as far as he wants. He’s very technical and he’s a tall, lean, athletic kid with a lot of leverage as a 122-pounder.
“He’s going to do very well as he matures and learns how to stay in the right positions,’’ Rogers said of Joner. “That’s what he did at the Clark County tournament. He stayed in good position and kept the attack going so his opponents were always on the defense.’’
Joner was the only Battle Ground boys’ champion, but he had plenty of help from his teammates. Freshman Joseph Harnett was second at 113 pounds, senior Jason Cole was third at 126, sophomore Robert Gomulkiewicz was second and sophomore Adam Smalley was sixth at 132, senior Colton Blake was fourth at 138, junior Jacob Kokinakis was fifth at 145, junior Taylor Stewart was fourth at 160, senior Stephan Evans was fourth at 170 and freshman Austin Stewart added a sixth at 195.
“If you look at that core group from 113-170 (pounds), we were winning matches every time we stepped on the mat,’’ Rogers said. “That allowed us to do as well as we did.’’
And when a Battle Ground wrestler did get knocked into the consolation bracket, or backside of the tournament, the Tiger continued to claw his way through the field.
“We wrestled really well on the backside,’’ Rogers said. “When someone would lose a match, they would continue to do well in their consolation matches.’’
Sierra Joner claims second title
Battle Ground’s Sierra Joner, brother of Chris, won her second straight Clark County Wrestling Tournament title, claiming the girls’ championship at 120 pounds. The sophomore defeated Mountain View’s Foster Scott 9-0 in the finals after pinning Elizaveta Foat, of Camas, in the semifinals.
Both Chris and Sierra Joner are products of Rogers’ North County Bobcats youth program.
“Sierra started wrestling for me a lot of years ago,’’ Rogers said. “We always train her and wrestle her against the boys. That’s the level she’s always trained at and expected to be competitive at.
“It’s only been in high school that she has wrestled against the girls,’’ Rogers said. “There’s nobody in the state who can touch Sierra is she wrestles at the level she’s capable of. She’s very technical. She executes things very well. Physically, she’s very strong and she’s at the right weight class so she’s got everything going for her. I see a strong finish for her at state.’’
