Sequim Gazette staff

A quartet of SHS wrestlers earned top-four finishes at the Forks Invite in Dec. 7.

Sequim took ninth in the 15-team field.

Wolves Royhon Agostine (138 pounds) and Michael Latimer (220) each placed third while Grant Pierson (126) and Nathan Allison (220) were fourth.

Agostine earned a pair of third period, come-from-behind victories. In a first round matchup with Port Angeles’ Sam Burton, Agostine was down 7-3 before tying it up 11-11 to force overtime. Agostine then earned a takedown and near fall to win 16-11. In the third-fourth place match against Steven Yazzie of Sehome, Agostine was down 5-4 entering the third period before getting a reversal and two-point near fall. Yazzie, rebounded with a reversal but Agostine prevailed, 8-7.

Agostine went 3-1 for the tourney.

Latimer’s lone loss was to the weight class’ eventual champion in the semifinals; he was 3-1 as well. Allison and Pierson both went 2-2.

Nick Kovach (138 pounds) also earned a pin.

The host Spartans took first place with 228 team points, followed by port Angeles (188) and Elma (161). Sequim tallied 46 team points.

“As a young team we knew we were short-manned and so we wanted to focus on individual results,” Sequim coach Charles Drabek said. “With a lot of young kids seeing their first tournament action and having to go out and see what it takes to move up to the next level, I felt our kids wrestled with heart and represented Sequim very well.”

Drabek lauded a pair of female wrestlers, Alma Mendoza and Kaylee Ditlefsen. In round robin action, Mendoza went 2-0 with two pins and Ditlefsen was 2-1 with two pins.

“They are going to be a force to be reckoned with as they both looked good in the first contest of the season,” Drabek said.

Sven Wiker and Kelvin Solis earned wins for the Wolves at the Kingston JV Kickoff Classic last weekend.

Sequim is at Kingston on Dec. 12, then travels to Blaine for the Battle at the Border Dec. 13-14. The Wolves host Olympic on Dec. 19.