BY CHRIS CHANCELLOR
cchancellor@auburn-reporter.com
Kentridge High School never had a wrestler win more than one state championship since it opened in 1968.
At least until Mat Classic XXVIII.
Senior Derek Freitag ended that streak when he pinned Sunnyside junior Elias Romero in 4 minutes, 44 seconds to win the Class 4A state championship in the 113-pound weight class Saturday at the Tacoma Dome.
Freitag’s dominance at state – he pinned all four of his opponents and earned 30 points for the Chargers – made it difficult for some to believe that he does not plan to wrestle in college.
“I don’t really want to quit wrestling,” said Freitag, who has not selected a college but plans to study nursing. “I love the sport, but it would be too much work in college.”
Freitag, who won the state title in 2015 at 106, suffered his lone loss this season against Orting’s Alex Cruz, the 2A state champion at 113, during the Tri-State tournament. The only points he surrendered during a match since then came during the Feb. 13 regional tournament, and he finished the season with a 32-1 record.
“That was motivation,” said Freitag, referring to the setback against Cruz. “That got me to work even harder.”
He was aware of his accomplishment afterward as he raised two fingers to signal his second consecutive championship, but Freitag said he tried not to think about that during the two-day state tournament. Freitag also felt more relaxed this year at the Tacoma Dome.
“I think I enjoyed it more because I wasn’t distracted,” he said. “I was here to wrestle and that’s what I came for.”
Freitag was not the only two-time state champion from the Kent School District.
Daigbe rules at 195
Kent-Meridian senior Emmanuel Daigbe won a 5-1 decision against Davis junior Christian Reyes at 195 pounds. Daigbe, who signed to play football earlier this month at Central Washington University, won the state championship at 182 last year and placed second at 170 in 2014.
“It felt good because I put a lot of hours into this,” said Daigbe, who finished with a 34-0 record. “It paid off.”
Kent-Meridian and Kentridge finished tied for 12th in the 4A team standings with 53 points, while Kentwood had 16 points to place 31st. Lake Stevens was first with 121 points.
Along with Freitag, senior Isaiah Shores (fourth, 160) and junior Nathan Hobbs (eighth, 120) placed for the Chargers. The Royals also had senior Marquise Card (fourth, 285) and junior Gerardo Suarez (fifth, 126) place in addition to Daigbe. Kentwood sent a pair of seniors – Trenton Harris (fifth, 195) and Matt Vanbrunt (eighth, 182) – to the podium.
In the girls tournament, Kentwood had 45 points to finish 10th, while Kent-Meridian took 34th with 21 points. Grandview won the team title with 92 points. Grandview won the team title with 92 points.
Kentwood had two wrestlers vie for a state championship. At 135, senior Sara Mozeleski lost a 9-1 decision against White Swan’s Gladdys Palma.
“She was really good and really strong,” Mozeleski said.
Conquerors sophomore Sabrina Perez was pinned in 1:25 by Spanaway Lake senior Raquel Gray in the title match at 155.
“Maybe next year,” Perez said. “I’m hoping for it and I’m working hard for that.”
Kent-Meridian senior Xochithl Suarez (third, 125) was the other local placer.
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