Olympic League Middle School Wrestling Championship, March 1

1. Sequim 436

2. Forks 316.5

3. Stevens (Port Angeles) 283

4. Blue Heron (Port Townsend) 223.5

Sequim Middle School’s wrestling program got a big boost in the first year sixth-graders were allowed to compete with their older classmates.

“It’s a numbers game,” said Rich Hay, who coaches the Timberwolves alongside Erik Wiker.

When it came time to decide the Olympic League Middle School title, Sequim had all the right numbers.

Boosted by nine individual champions and about 20 sixth-grade grapplers, the Timberwolves scored 436 team points to top runner-up Forks (316.5), Stevens of Port Angeles (283) and Port Townsend’s Blue Heron (223.5) on March 1.

“That (influx of sixth-graders) helped push us over,” Hay said.

Mia Kirner, one of the sixth-grade newcomers, said she had butterflies and sweaty palms the first time she wrestled, but wound up taking the 110-119 title in early March.

“My brothers did it (and) it seemed like a fun sport,” Kirner said.

Wrestling in his second year, eighth-grader Samuel Hagen took top honors in the 140-150 weight class at the league final.

“My dad encouraged me to start wrestling,” Hagen recalled.

Last season as a seventh-grader, Hagen earned second place in his weight class. “I struggled but I tried my hardest,” he said.

“It’s a competition — I love to have the competition,” Hagen said.

Amelia Pozernick also earned a weight division title in this, her second year of wrestling.

“My dad (a former high school wrestler) always took me to wrestling matches in fifth and sixth grade — I ended up loving it,” Pozernick said, so much so she’s already aiming for a college wrestling scholarship.